Leahy Center for Lake Champlain Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ECHO'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE EVERYONE IN THE JOY OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, WONDER OF NATURE, AND CARE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
- Income
- $6.0 million
- Spending
- $5.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 26.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 43%
- Employees
- 98
- Volunteers
- 75
- Highest pay
- $214,708, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 26.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $4.6 million spent. THE PUBLIC FACE OF THE LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN INC. (DBA ECHO, LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN OR ECHO) IS AN INNOVATIVE SCIENCE AND NATURE MUSEUM LOCATED ON THE BURLINGTON WATERFRONT. OPEN DAILY, ECHO ENCOURAGES VISITORS TO VIEW THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS PART OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO EXPLORE, LEARN ABOUT, AND CONSIDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEWARDSHIP. SINCE 1995, WE HAVE TAUGHT MORE THAN 3 MILLION VISITORS ABOUT THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN OUR CULTURE AND LIVES. ECHO LEVERAGES ITS UNIQUE SETTING TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE EVERYONE IN THE JOY OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, WONDER OF NATURE, AND CARE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN. VISITORS EXPLORE OVER 100 INTERACTIVE FAMILY EXPERIENCES, 70 LIVE SPECIES, SEASONAL CHANGING EXHIBITS, AND OUR DEALER.COM IMMERSIVE 3D THEATER. IN OUR HIGHLY INTERACTIVE SCIENCE EXHIBITS, AWESOME FORCES AND ENGINEER IT, VISITORS OF ALL AGES TACKLE DAILY ENGINEERING CHALLENGES AT OUR TINKERING BENCH AND TEST ZONES AS WELL AS DELIGHT IN DISCOVERING THE AMAZING PROCESSES THAT HAVE SHAPED THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN AND OUR EARTH. TO LEARN MORE VISIT: HTTPS://WWW.ECHOVERMONT.ORG/ THE NONPROFIT IS GOVERNED BY A 17-MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHO RETAINS RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFINING ECHO'S OVERALL STRATEGIC DIRECTION, ENSURING THE INSTITUTION REMAINS ON TRACK AND ACHIEVES ITS GOALS. THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ECHO BOARD FALL IN THE AREAS OF FINANCE, FUNDRAISING, STRATEGY, AND POLICY. AS A GENERAL MATTER, BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN ECHO'S DAILY OPERATIONS, AS THESE DUTIES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT. BOARD MEMBERS SIT ON ONE OF FOUR COMMITTEES THAT MEET MULTIPLE TIMES ANNUALLY: POLICY & GOVERNANCE, PLANNING & FINANCE, AUDIT & ETHICS, INVESTMENT, AND STEWARDSHIP. THE ENTIRE BOARD MEETS QUARTERLY WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR. PRINCIPAL PROGRAMS & ANNUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: SUPPORTED BY MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS AND AN INFORMED UNDERSTANDING OF AUDIENCE NEED, ECHO PROVIDES HIGH-IMPACT SCIENCE-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN AND OUTSIDE OUR WALLS. PUBLIC MUSEUM: 160,000 ANNUAL VISITORS, INCLUDING 75,000 CHILDREN, 5,500 MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS, AND 15,000 SCHOOL CHILDREN. ECHO IS DEDICATED TO BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS SO THAT ALL VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE THE MUSEUM. ANIMAL CARE PROGRAM: PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND ECOLOGY BY CONNECTING THE PUBLIC TO MORE THAN 70 NATIVE SPECIES OF FISH, AMPHIBIANS, AND REPTILES WITH TWICE-DAILY ANIMAL CARE DEMOS AND BACK-OF-HOUSE TOURS. TURTLE HEADSTART PROGRAM: ECHO PARTNERS WITH THE VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE CARE FOR NEONATE SPINY SOFTSHELL AND MAP TURTLES THROUGHOUT THE WINTER. THE BIGGER TURTLES ARE RELEASED INTO LAKE CHAMPLAIN IN THE SUMMER, GIVING THEM A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. ECHO EARLY LEARNING: EEL IS A FREE, ACADEMIC YEAR-LONG, CAREGIVER-CHILD PROGRAM TRAINING CAREGIVERS AND SUPPORTING HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL READINESS FOR EARLY LEARNERS OUTSIDE THE FORMAL CARE SYSTEM. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS PLAY-BASED LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS TOGETHER, READING-READINESS, AND CAREGIVER LEARNING, AS WELL AS RESOURCES TO FOSTER SAFE, SUPPORTIVE, AND ENRICHING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN AT HOME. STATEWIDE STEM OUTREACH: WE DELIVER HANDS-ON STEM PROGRAMS AND TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO RURAL, UNDERSERVED EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOMS WHILE CREATING A NEW CAREER AWARENESS CURRICULUM AND TAKE-HOME STEM ACTIVITY KITS. EACH YEAR, ECHO EDUCATORS WORK WITH OVER 60 EDUCATORS AND 900 STUDENTS. TEACHER INSTITUTE: TEACHERS FROM AROUND VERMONT PARTICIPATE IN AN ECHO-LED, YEAR-LONG COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE WHILE WORKING TO INTEGRATE ENGINEERING DESIGN INTO THEIR CLASSROOM CURRICULUMS. TRAVELING STEM FESTIVALS: STEM FESTIVALS TRAVEL IN OUR STEM IN MOTION BOX TRUCK AND INCLUDE ENOUGH ACTIVITIES AND ENGINEERING CHALLENGES TO FILL A GYM. E-TEAM: OUR TEEN INTERN TEAM MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, GO ON MONTHLY CAREER EXPLORATION FIELD TRIPS, AND WORK IN THE ENGINEER IT PROGRAM SPACE FOUR HOURS PER WEEK. COLLEGE INTERN AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: ANNUALLY, 75 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS GAIN CAREER-RELEVANT EXPERIENCE IN ANIMAL CARE, SCIENCE EDUCATION, IT, DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND EVENT MANAGEMENT. ECHO'S OPEN DOOR PROGRAM: A YEARLY COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAM PARTNERING WITH 60+ SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE 33,000+ FREE OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED ADMISSION RECIPIENTS, ECHO STRIVES TO MAKE THE SCIENCE CENTER ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. CREATED TO BREAK DOWN FINANCIAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND CULTURAL BARRIERS, ECHO FINDS AFFORDABLE AND EQUITABLE WAYS TO ALLOW ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO OUR SERVICES AND RESOURCES. SENSORY-FRIENDLY SUNDAY EVENT SERIES: ECHO UNDERSTANDS THAT MANY OF OUR EXHIBITS AND PUBLIC SPACES CAN BE OVERWHELMING TO THOSE WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROWDED. UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE BARRIERS THAT FAMILIES WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER FACE IN PUBLIC SPACES, ECHO HAS CREATED SENSORY-FRIENDLY EVENTS THAT OPEN EARLY FOR FAMILIES WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES, AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO EXPLORE IN A MORE CALM AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. A CRUCIAL PART OF ACHIEVING THIS GOAL IS OFFERING FREE ADMISSION AND ONGOING TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. MASKS ON SUNDAYS EVENT SERIES: ECHO IS SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY'S IMMUNOCOMPROMISED MEMBERS. MONTHLY, ECHO OPENS FOR FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO FIND A SAFE, FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT WITH THEIR PARENTS, SIBLINGS, AND OTHER CHILDREN. THIS IS A FREE AND EXCLUSIVE EVENT, DEVELOPED TO SERVE FAMILIES WITH A FAMILY MEMBER WHOSE HEALTH HAS BEEN COMPROMISED DUE TO COVID, BY A MEDICAL CONDITION, SPECIALIZED SURGICAL PROCEDURES, OR MEDICAL TREATMENTS THAT OTHERWISE PREVENT THEM FROM PLAYING TOGETHER IN OUR FACILITY. A CRUCIAL PART OF ACHIEVING THIS GOAL IS OFFERING FREE ADMISSION AND ONGOING TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. THE PUBLIC FACE OF THE LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN INC. (DBA ECHO, LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN OR ECHO) IS AN INNOVATIVE SCIENCE AND NATURE MUSEUM LOCATED
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2026.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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