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Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

EIN 56-2108640 · Rosman, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak31 out of 100GovernanceFair64 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

PARI IS A PUBLIC NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROVIDING HANDS- ON EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BROAD CROSS-SECTION OF USERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM) DISCIPLINES.

Income
$727,738
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
-29.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 33%
Employees
22
Volunteers
7

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

Weak: 31 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (science, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 67% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (science, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (1)
  1. $955,396 spent. PISGAH ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (PARI) IS ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE THE TEACHING OF ASTRONOMY AND PROVIDE AN ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY AND STUDY SITE FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BY COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS, AND FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE SCIENCES TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION, RELATIONSHIPS ARE DEVELOPED WITH UNIVERSITIES, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - ASHEVILLE, AND OTHERS. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION HAS IMPLEMENTED A VARIETY OF SPACE CAMP OPTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE ASTRONOMY, SCIENCE, AND ROBOTICS PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES, FROM ASTRONOMY, PHYSICS, AND ASTROBIOLOGY, WITH THE SAME EQUIPMENT USED BY NASA, TO SIMULATE SPACE MISSIONS THAT TEACH LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND STEM PRINCIPLES. OTHER CAMP OFFERINGS INCLUDE EXPERIENCE IN ROBOTICS, SENSORS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CRYPTOGRAPHY AND SECRET MESSAGING, COMPUTATIONAL THINKING, AND 3D DESIGN AND PRINTING. PISGAH ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (PARI) IS ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE THE TEACHING OF ASTRONOMY AND PROVIDE AN ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY AND STUDY SITE FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BY COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS, AND FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE SCIENCES TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION, RELATIONSHIPS ARE DEVELOPED WITH UNIVERSITIES, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - ASHEVILLE, AND OTHERS. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION HAS IMPLEMENTED A VARIETY OF SPACE CAMP OPTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE ASTRONOMY, SCIENCE, AND ROBOTICS PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES, FROM ASTRONOMY, PHYSICS, AND ASTROBIOLOGY, WITH THE SAME EQUIPMENT USED BY NASA, TO SIMULATE SPACE MISSIONS THAT TEACH LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND STEM PRINCIPLES. OTHER CAMP OFFERINGS INCLUDE EXPERIENCE IN ROBOTICS, SENSORS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CRYPTOGRAPHY AND SECRET MESSAGING, COMPUTATIONAL THINKING, AND 3D DESIGN AND PRINTING.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.