CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARC… - Form 990 Financial Data

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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

1985

Legal Domicile

Principal Officer

NATHAN BROSTROM

Phone

8088857887

Tax Period

2023-10-01 to 2024-09-30

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, founded in 1985, is a mid-sized nonprofit in the Science & Technology sector that reported $30.4M in total revenue in fiscal year 2023.

Mission

TO ADVANCE THE FRONTIERS OF ASTRONOMY AND SHARE OUR DISCOVERIES WITH THE WORLD. THE TWO 10-METER TELESCOPES OF KECK OBSERVATORY ARE THE WORLD'S LARGEST OPTICAL AND INFRARED TELESCOPES. THEY HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE COSMOS, IMPACTING EVERY AREA OF ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1

Expenses: $27,194,650 Revenue: $25,054,960

DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, CARA PAID SEVERANCE PAY OF $209,000 TO MR. HILTON LEWIS, FORMER DIRECTOR.

Program 2

Expenses: $196,073

PUBLIC INFORMATION:EACH YEAR, KECK OBSERVATORY SPONSORS DOZENS OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC LECTURES FOR HAWAII ISLAND FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND STUDENTS TO FOSTER A GREATER APPRECIATION OF...

PUBLIC INFORMATION:EACH YEAR, KECK OBSERVATORY SPONSORS DOZENS OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC LECTURES FOR HAWAII ISLAND FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND STUDENTS TO FOSTER A GREATER APPRECIATION OF SCIENCE AND ITS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY. ON A GLOBAL LEVEL, THE OBSERVATORY HAS A SUPPORT BASE OF MORE THAN 1,500 DONORS AND A SOCIAL MEDIA SUBSCRIBER FOLLOWING OF OVER 35,000 ASTRONOMY PROFESSIONALS AND ENTHUSIASTS.

Program 3

Expenses: $326,628

RESEARCH:KECK OBSERVATORY'S ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SUBMITTING GRANT PROPOSALS TO CARRY OUT SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2023)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $1,878,717

Program Service Revenue $25,061,121

Investment Income $3,430,527

Other Revenue $142

TOTAL REVENUE $30,370,507

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $3,375,548

Salaries & Benefits $20,682,705

Fundraising Expenses $635,133

Program Expenses $27,717,351

Other Expenses $8,887,016

TOTAL EXPENSES $32,945,269

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2023	2022	Change
Revenue	$30,370,507	$29,589,145	+0.0%
Expenses	$32,945,269	$44,659,977	-0.3%
Net Income	$-2,574,762	$-15,070,832	-0.8%

Key Indicators

✓ Grants to Organizations ✗ Grants to Individuals ✓ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✓ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

159

Volunteers

Governance Policies

✓ Conflict of Interest Policy

✗ Whistleblower Policy

✗ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✗ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

⚠ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✓ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✗ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

$376,540

Total Directors

Key Employees

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
DR GEORGE BLUMENTHAL	CHAIRMAN	2.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
DR B THOMAS SOIFER	VICE-CHAIR	2.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
DR KATHERINE NEWMAN	BOARD MEMBER	2.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DR FIONA HARRISON	BOARD MEMBER	2.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DR CHRIS MARTIN	BOARD MEMBER	2.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DR BRUCE MACINTOSH	BOARD MEMBER	2.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MR RICHARD MATSUDA	INTERIM OBS. DIRECTOR/ ASSOC. DIRECTOR EXTERNAL RE	55.00	Officer	$302,684	$73,856	$376,540
MS CAROL SCHUIL	SECRETARY	4.00	Officer	$0	$0	$0
MR NATHAN BROSTROM	CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER	1.00	Officer	$0	$0	$0
DR JOHN O'MEARA	CHIEF SCIENTIST	45.00	Highest	$282,725	$64,817	$347,542
MS MARGARITA SCHEFFEL	OBSERVATORY CFO	50.00	Highest	$270,865	$79,990	$350,855
DR PETER WIZINOWICH	CHIEF OF TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT	50.00	Highest	$253,303	$70,361	$323,664
MR JEFFREY HUBER	CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER	45.00	Highest	$248,023	$57,243	$305,266
MR ED HARRIS	CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER	45.00	Highest	$238,144	$58,961	$297,105
MR HILTON LEWIS	FORMER OBSERVATORY DIRECTOR (TILL 6/11/23)	45.00		$591,195	$51,724	$642,919

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2024	$30,370,507	$32,945,269	$62,041,473	$-2,574,762
2023	$29,589,145	$44,659,977	$63,697,264	$-15,070,832
2022	$28,518,344	$29,041,238	$76,552,850	$-522,894
2021	$25,670,237	$27,057,390	$81,069,087	$-1,387,153
2020	$30,112,680	$28,105,059	$78,030,998	$2,007,621
2019	$26,312,535	$28,830,960	$74,222,300	$-2,518,425
2018	$47,637,791	$28,930,529	$75,006,666	$18,707,262

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY