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Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated

EIN 52-1926756 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair61 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY CENTERS (ASTC) IS A PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH A VISION OF INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF-AND ENGAGEMENT WITH-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AMONG ALL PEOPLE AND A MISSION TO CHAMPION AND SUPPORT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND MUSEUMS. FOUNDED IN 1973, ASTC CHAMPIONS AND SUPPORTS MORE THAN 500 SCIENCE CENTERS, TECHNOLOGY MUSEUMS, NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS, CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS, AND OTHER STEM-RICH, PLACE-BASED INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS NATURE CENTERS, AQUARIUMS, PLANETARIUMS, ZOOS, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND IN NEARLY 50 COUNTRIES-AS WELL AS NEARLY 200 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARE AN INTEREST IN SCIENCE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT.

Income
$11.4 million
Spending
$6.0 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
-2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 71%
Employees
23
Volunteers
21
Highest pay
$362,267, president and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 26% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 48% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 110% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (4)
  1. $3.1 million spent. BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE - -PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT MEMBERS TO PREPARE AND LEAD WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES - BUILDS CAPACITY AMONG SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND MUSEUMS AND ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS FOR LEADING WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES ON CRITICAL ISSUES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. THROUGH LARGELY GRANT-SUPPORTED EFFORTS, ASTC DEVELOPS AND DEPLOYS PROGRAMS TO UNDERSTAND AND SCALE NEW APPROACHES TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE AND INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING AMONG OUR MEMBERS. ASTC ALSO INVESTS IN RESEARCH TO HELP OUR MEMBERS RECOGNIZE AND ACT ON MARKET AND SOCIETAL TRENDS AFFECTING THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. -ADVANCE EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - BRINGS TOGETHER INSTITUTIONS RICH IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) THAT SERVE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE GLOBE, AND THAT RECOGNIZE THAT DIVERSITY, ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY ARE PARAMOUNT VALUES. INVESTS IN ACTION FOR THE FIELD IN SUPPORT OF THESE VALUES INCLUDING OUR DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FELLOWS PROGRAM, COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT OF THE CULTURAL COMPETENCE LEARNING INSTITUTE, AND MULTIPLE PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN OUR FIELD AND IN STEM AROUND THE WORLD. HELPS ASTC MEMBERS THROUGH THESE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY PROGRAMS TO BECOME MORE WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE INSTITUTIONS, WITH AN AIM TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF THOSE WHO VISIT AND WORK IN MUSEUMS; STEM; AND ENSURE THESE PLACE-BASED INSTITUTIONS REMAIN RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.
  2. $1.6 million spent. STRENGHEN MEMBERS AND THEIR CAPACITY - -ASTCS ANNUAL CONFERENCE - HOSTS ONE OF THE PREMIER PROFESSIONAL-DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GLOBAL SCIENCE-CENTER COMMUNITY, WHERE, EACH YEAR, 1,500 TO 2,000 INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING SCIENCE CENTERS AND MUSEUMS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD, INFORMAL SCIENCE EDUCATORS, AND COMPANIES COLLABORATING WITH THE MUSEUM FIELD GATHER. OFFERS GENERAL SESSIONS, CONCURRENT SESSIONS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AT THIS ANNUAL CONVENING. -PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE - KEEPS MEMBERS APPRISED OF TRENDS, PRACTICES, PERSPECTIVES, AND NEWS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE SCIENCE-MUSEUM FIELD THROUGH A DIGITAL MAGAZINE AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS. PROVIDES RESOURCES, TIMELY INFORMATION AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND FORUMS THAT PROMOTE THE SHARING OF SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES THROUGH ONLINE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE. -WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND OTHER CONVENINGS - PROVIDES LEARNING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSEUM AND SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS ON A RANGE OF TOPICS. -RESEARCH SERVICES - TRACKS AND ANALYZES TRENDS AND COMPILES DATA, INFORMATION, AND STATISTICS FOR THE SCIENCE MUSEUM FIELD.
  3. $508,842 spent. CHAMPION AND SUPPORT SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT - -ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS - ADVANCES THE INTERESTS OF SCIENCE CENTERS, INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING, AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT BROADLY WITHIN THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ENCOURAGES MUSEUM VISITORSHIP THROUGH PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS AND A RECIPROCAL FREE ADMISSION PROGRAM. -PUBLIC AWARENESS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT - CONDUCTS OUTREACH TO NORTH AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH, BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS TO POSITION THE SCIENCE MUSEUM FIELD AS A POTENTIAL PARTNER FOR CONNECTING THE PUBLIC TO SCIENCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO GLOBAL ISSUES. -COLLABORATING ACROSS THE SCIENCE-ENGAGEMENT ECOSYSTEM - SUPPORTS A GROWING NETWORK OF LEADERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENGAGEMENT NETWORKS TO FOSTER A MORE ROBUST ECOSYSTEM OF ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN STEM. -INTERNATIONAL NETWORK AND MEMBER COLLABORATIONS - WORKS WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SCIENCE CENTER NETWORKS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES TO SUPPORT SCIENCE CENTERS AND MUSEUMS WORLDWIDE.
  4. $110,030 spent. LEGACY PROJECTS -LEGACY PROJECTS REPRESENT MULTI-YEAR FUNDED PROJECTS THAT ASTC DOES NOT ANTICIPATE CONTINUING. WHILE THESE PROJECTS ADVANCE ASTC'S MISSION AND SUPPORT OUR WORK WITH OUR MEMBERS, THEY MAY NOT FALL INTO ONE OF ASTC'S NEW STRATEGIC PILLARS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1995.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 2026.

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