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Geneva Lake Astrophysics and Steam Inc

EIN 83-1179347 · Williams Bay, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROVIDING STEAM EDUCATION THROUGH A HANDS ON APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY WITH EMPHASIS ON UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Income
$363,160
Spending
$248,541
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
6.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
8
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$179,998, president

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

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 32% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 93% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% 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

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 5 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (5)
  1. $26,433 spent. COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. OUTREACH TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC STAR PARTIES WITH TELESCOPES AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRESENTATIONS (SUCH AS AT LIBRARIES OR TO COMMUNITY GROUPS) INTERNSHIPS IN ASTRONOMY, EDUCATION, PHYSICS, AND ENGINEERING FOR UNDERGRADUATES AND OTHER SIMILAR OUTREACH PROGRAMS
  2. $97,533 spent. ACCESSIBILITY PROJECTS. THIS INCLUDES CONSULTING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY OF THEIR TOOLS AND PROGRAMS FOR AUDIENCES OF DIVERSE ABILITIES, PARTICULARLY BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED (BVI) AND DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING (DHH) AUDIENCES. GLAS ALSO LEADS ACCESSIBILITY NETWORKING ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS MEETINGS FOR RESEARCHERS, EDUCATORS, AND PROFESSIONALS IN DISABILITY ACCESS TO IMPROVE THE REACH AND EFFICIENCY OF ACCESSIBILITY INCLUSION PROJECTS.
  3. $423 spent. LENSS. THE LENSS PROJECT SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN LEARNING ENGINEERING AND CODING SKILLS WHILE INCREASING KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH OF NEARBY GENEVA LAKE. LENSS IS LED BY LOCAL HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS WORKING IN TEAMS, MENTORED OVER MULTIPLE YEARS BY STEM PROFESSIONALS AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH EACH OTHER. STUDENTS CREATE CUSTOM SENSORS, MOUNTING THEM ALONG THE LAKE SHORE, AND COLLECT AND ANALYZE A VARIETY OF DATA THAT THEY PROVIDE.THIS INFORMATION IS THEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, INVITING COMMUNTIY-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION. STUDENTS LEARN INVALUABLE ENGINEERING AND PROGRAMMING SKILLS THROUGH SENSOR DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, GAIN EXPERIENCE IN DATA MANAGEMENT AS THEY COLLECT AND ANALYZE INFORMATION FROM THEIR SENSORS, AND LEARN FUNCTIONAL MARKETING, PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND GRAPHIC DESIGN SKILLS AS THEY BRING THE PROJECT AND THEIR RESULTS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
  4. $4,458 spent. DARK SKIES OFFICE. THE DARKS SKIES OFFICE AT GLAS EDUCATION COORDINATES EFFORTS TO REDUCE LIGHT POLLUTION IN OUR COMMUNITY. WORKING WITH POLICY-MAKERS, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, INTERNS, STUDENTS, AND MANY VOLUNTEERS, THE DARK SKIES OFFICE IS ON ITS WAY TOWARDS REFORMING LIGHT ORDINANCES AND RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF OUR SHARED RESOURCE: A TRULY DARK SKY. ADDITIONALLY, THE DARK SKIES OFFICE IS PURSUING FORMAL INTERNATIONAL DARK-SKY ASSOCIATION RECOGNITION AS AN URBAN NIGHT SKY PLACE FOR WILLIAMS BAY'S KISHWAUKETOE NATURE CONSERVATORY. AN URBAN NIGHT SKY PLACE DESIGNATION IS AWARDED TO PLACES SURROUNDED BY LARGE URBAN AREAS WHOSE PLANNING ACTIVELY PROMOTES THE NIGHT SKY DESPITE THE ARTIFICAL LIGHT POLUTION NEARBY. ABLE PROJECTS
  5. OTHER EXPENSES INCLUDE ABLE AND DARK SKIES OFFICE

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 March 2019.

    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.