Griffith Observatory Foundation
- Assets
- $2.3m
- Revenue
- $1.7m
- Investments
- $0.0
- Employees
- 9
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
- Founding
- 10/1979
- Data as of
- 12/2022
- EIN
- 95-3374645
Organization Overview
Griffith Observatory Foundation is located in Los Angeles, CA. The organization was established in 1979. According to its NTEE Classification (U31) the organization is classified as: Astronomy, under the broad grouping of Science & Technology and related organizations. As of 12/2022, Griffith Observatory Foundation employed 9 individuals. This organization is an independent organization and not affiliated with a larger national or regional group of organizations. Griffith Observatory Foundation is a 501(c)(3) and as such, is described as a "Charitable or Religous organization or a private foundation" by the IRS.
For the year ending 12/2022, Griffith Observatory Foundation generated $1.7m in total revenue. This represents relatively stable growth, over the past 8 years the organization has increased revenue by an average of 3.5% each year. All expenses for the organization totaled $1.6m during the year ending 12/2022. You can explore the organizations financials more deeply in the financial statements section below.
Form
990
Mission & Program ActivityExcerpts From the 990 Filing
TAX YEAR
2022
Describe the Organization's Mission:
Part 3 - Line 1
GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION IS A PUBLIC BENEFIT ORGANIZATION CREATED TO SUPPORT & PROMOTE THE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY.
Describe the Organization's Program Activity:
Part 3 - Line 4a
THE FOUNDATION FULLY FUNDS ALL STAFFING, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT FOR BOTH THE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S IN-PERSON 5TH-GRADE SCHOOL PROGRAM AND THE ON-LINE SCHOOL PROGRAM, WHICH ARE FREE S.T.E.A.M. (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS) PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO MEET CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTENT STANDARDS IN SCIENCE FOR APPROXIMATELY 27,000 5TH-GRADE STUDENTS IN-PERSON ANNUALLY AND OVER 100,000 STUDENTS VIRTUALLY - ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM TITLE I SCHOOLS. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR TITLE I LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOLS UNABLE TO AFFORD BUS TRANSPORTATION TO THE IN-PERSON SCHOOL PROGRAM.
GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION WORKS TO ENSURE THAT GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY HAS THE RESOURCES TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT FACILITIES TO CONTINUE TO INFORM MILLIONS OF VISITORS. FUNDING FROM THE FOUNDATION HAS HELPED TO INNOVATE AND SUSTAIN TECHNOLOGY AND SPECIALIZED STAFFING THAT ANIMATES THE BUILDING. TO KEEP GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY CURRENT WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES FOR REGULAR UPGRADES TO THEATERS AND EXHIBITS AS WELL AS LARGER CAPITAL UPDATES. CURRENT FUNDING HAS BROUGHT LIVE ONLINE PROGRAMMING TO A WORLD-WIDE AUDIENCE. A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN WAS DEVELOPED TO REPRESENT THE OBSERVATORY AND THE FOUNDATION'S WORK TO INCREASE LOCAL IMPACT, GLOBAL REACH, COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP, AND EXPAND THE AUDIENCE FOR OUR COSMIC CONTENT.
THE FOUNDATION IS FUNDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CELESTIAL GLOBE EXHIBIT AT GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY. IT WILL BE A PERMANENT PIECE OF ASTRONOMICAL ART, INSPIRED BY THE SPHERE HELD ALOFT BY THE FARNESE ATLAS SCULPTURE IN THE NAPLES ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, WILL TEACH MILLIONS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR ABOUT THE HISTORY AND LORE OF THE CONSTELLATIONS, AND WILL PROVIDE VISITORS WITH INSPIRATION AND GUIDANCE AS THEY JOURNEY THROUGH THE OBSERVATORY.
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Board, Officers & Key Employees
| Name (title) | Role | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
Ann Marie Bedtke Executive Director | Officer | 40 | $170,000 |
Benjamin Roudenis Technology Systems Administrator | 40 | $115,000 | |
Tricia Nelson Secretary (as Of 5/2022) | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Dr Eve Haberfield Vice President | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Danish Khan Treasurer | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
David Primes Chair Of The Board | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Outside Vendors & Contractors
| Vendor Name (Service) | Service Year | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
Neimack Hasset Productions Inc Producer/co-director | 12/30/19 | $144,899 |
Rumble Box Inc Cg Supervisor | 12/30/19 | $176,981 |
Longshadow Dawn Vfx Producer | 12/30/19 | $120,000 |
Axartide Modeler And Texture Artist | 12/30/19 | $119,930 |
Financial Statements
| Statement of Revenue | |
|---|---|
| Federated campaigns | $0 |
| Membership dues | $198,960 |
| Fundraising events | $0 |
| Related organizations | $0 |
| Government grants | $340,442 |
| All other contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts not included above | $960,166 |
| Noncash contributions included in lines 1a–1f | $0 |
| Total Revenue from Contributions, Gifts, Grants & Similar | $1,499,568 |
| Total Program Service Revenue | $227,067 |
| Investment income | $2,460 |
| Tax Exempt Bond Proceeds | $0 |
| Royalties | $0 |
| Net Rental Income | $0 |
| Net Gain/Loss on Asset Sales | $0 |
| Net Income from Fundraising Events | $0 |
| Net Income from Gaming Activities | $0 |
| Net Income from Sales of Inventory | $0 |
| Miscellaneous Revenue | $0 |
| Total Revenue | $1,729,095 |
| Statement of Expenses | |
|---|---|
| Grants and other assistance to domestic organizations and domestic governments. | $0 |
| Grants and other assistance to domestic individuals. | $0 |
| Grants and other assistance to Foreign Orgs/Individuals | $0 |
| Benefits paid to or for members | $0 |
| Compensation of current officers, directors, key employees. | $181,480 |
| Compensation of current officers, directors, key employees. | $60,493 |
| Compensation to disqualified persons | $0 |
| Other salaries and wages | $400,837 |
| Pension plan accruals and contributions | $5,747 |
| Other employee benefits | $42,405 |
| Payroll taxes | $55,182 |
| Fees for services: Management | $0 |
| Fees for services: Legal | $0 |
| Fees for services: Accounting | $63,550 |
| Fees for services: Lobbying | $0 |
| Fees for services: Fundraising | $0 |
| Fees for services: Investment Management | $0 |
| Fees for services: Other | $95,104 |
| Advertising and promotion | $0 |
| Office expenses | $25,426 |
| Information technology | $0 |
| Royalties | $0 |
| Occupancy | $0 |
| Travel | $3,006 |
| Payments of travel or entertainment expenses for any federal, state, or local public officials | $0 |
| Conferences, conventions, and meetings | $0 |
| Interest | $0 |
| Payments to affiliates | $0 |
| Depreciation, depletion, and amortization | $145,646 |
| Insurance | $13,941 |
| All other expenses | $9,451 |
| Total functional expenses | $1,648,453 |
| Balance Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Cash—non-interest-bearing | $416,742 |
| Savings and temporary cash investments | $1,730,801 |
| Pledges and grants receivable | $59,433 |
| Accounts receivable, net | $0 |
| Loans from Officers, Directors, or Controlling Persons | $0 |
| Loans from Disqualified Persons | $0 |
| Notes and loans receivable | $0 |
| Inventories for sale or use | $0 |
| Prepaid expenses and deferred charges | $10,242 |
| Net Land, buildings, and equipment | $62,406 |
| Investments—publicly traded securities | $0 |
| Investments—other securities | $0 |
| Investments—program-related | $0 |
| Intangible assets | $0 |
| Other assets | $0 |
| Total assets | $2,279,624 |
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $53,919 |
| Grants payable | $0 |
| Deferred revenue | $0 |
| Tax-exempt bond liabilities | $0 |
| Escrow or custodial account liability | $0 |
| Loans and other payables to any current Officer, Director, or Controlling Person | $0 |
| Secured mortgages and notes payable | $0 |
| Unsecured mortgages and notes payable | $0 |
| Other liabilities | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $53,919 |
| Net assets without donor restrictions | $1,830,713 |
| Net assets with donor restrictions | $394,992 |
| Capital stock or trust principal, or current funds | $0 |
| Paid-in or capital surplus, or land, building, or equipment fund | $0 |
| Retained earnings, endowment, accumulated income, or other funds | $0 |
| Total liabilities and net assets/fund balances | $2,279,624 |
Grants Recieved
Over the last fiscal year, we have identified 7 grants that Griffith Observatory Foundation has recieved totaling $113,007.
| Awarding Organization | Amount |
|---|---|
Ralph M Parsons Foundation Los Angeles, CA PURPOSE: FOR GENERAL SUPPORT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS | $100,000 |
Network For Good Inc Washington, DC PURPOSE: UNRESTRICTED | $5,497 |
The Arthur & Patricia Price Foundation Encino, CA PURPOSE: $2,500 - UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT$250 - SCHOOL FIELD TRIP PROGRAM | $2,750 |
Keith And Cecilia Terasaki Family Foundation Arcadia, CA PURPOSE: GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
Rosalinde And Arthur Gilbert Foundation Los Angeles, CA PURPOSE: GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
Amazonsmile Foundation Seattle, WA PURPOSE: GENERAL SUPPORT | $760 |
Peer Organizations
| Organization Name | Assets | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
Large Binocular Telescope Corporation Tucson, AZ | $104,607,014 | $11,909,094 |
Lowell Observatory Flagstaff, AZ | $78,377,713 | $22,823,113 |
Planetary Science Institute Tucson, AZ | $5,275,095 | $17,303,405 |
Tmt International Observatory Llc Pasadena, CA | $169,747,389 | $25,562,706 |
Canada France Hawaii Telescope Corporation Kamuela, HI | $15,098,361 | $9,205,566 |
Wiyn Consortium Inc Tucson, AZ | $27,019,162 | $3,689,249 |
Soar Consortium Inc Tucson, AZ | $23,700,628 | $2,948,166 |
B612 Foundation Mill Valley, CA | $5,510,258 | $2,167,756 |
Astronomical Society Of The Pacific San Francisco, CA | $5,482,594 | $2,444,548 |
Griffith Observatory Foundation Los Angeles, CA | $2,279,624 | $1,729,095 |
Lsst Inc Tucson, AZ | $4,073,108 | $1,051,601 |
Open Lunar Foundation Walnut, CA | $1,217,413 | $53,847 |