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National Security Space Association Inc

EIN 83-3210801 · Arlington, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak49 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

NSSA IS SOLELY DEDICATED TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ENTERPRISE. IT WORKS TO FOSTER LONG-TERM COOPERATION AMONG INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LEADING THE WAY WITH EXPERT OPINION, INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS. NSSA IS DEVOTED TO FOSTERING A HOLISTIC, MISSION-ORIENTED WORKFORCE THAT WILL SHAPE THE FACE OF NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
64%
Reserves
0.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 65%
Employees
0
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$150,000, 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

Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 49% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    64% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 20 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (2)
  1. $1.5 million spent. NSSA ENGAGES ACROSS THE FULL RANGE OF DOD (TITLE 10) AND IC (TITLE 50) EQUITIES. THROUGH ITS PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, NSSA SEEKS TO:- INSPIRE, SUPPORT, AND ADVANCE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY COOPERATION IN NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE;- PROVIDE STRATEGIC, DEDICATED, AND ACTIVE EDUCATION TO ENSURE THE U.S.'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IN SPACE;- PROMOTE ROBUST INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON THE MATURATION OF A SYNERGETIC, FULL-SPECTRUM, MISSION-ORIENTED NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ENTERPRISE;- BE THE NATION'S TRUSTED AND CENTRAL PLATFORM FOR FOCUSED AND INFORMED ENGAGEMENT AIMED AT THE PRIORITIZATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE EFFORTS AND MISSIONS;- DEVELOP AND MATURE LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVES AND FOSTER PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ADVANCEMENT AND INITIATIVES;- BE THE NATION'S "GO-TO" ENTITY FOR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT, TRUSTED PERSPECTIVES ON SPACE AND THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE INTERESTS IN SPACE;- SHAPE A HOLISTIC, MISSION-ORIENTED NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ENTERPRISE BY PROVIDING EXPERT LEADERSHIP, OPINION, INSIGHT, AND ANALYSIS;- PROVIDE INDEPENDENT, THOUGHT-PROVOKING STUDIES AND ANALYSES AIMED AT FOSTERING AND ILLUMINATING SUBSTANTIVE DEBATE ON A WIDE RANGE OF CRITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE TOPICS THROUGH A DEDICATED CENTER CALLED THE NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ASSOCIATION STUDIES & ANALYSIS CENTER;- MAKE SUSTAINED U.S. PREEMINENCE IN NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ACTIVITIES A BIPARTISAN NATIONAL PRIORITY;- INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE TO GUIDE THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ENTERPRISE; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO SECURE STABLE AND SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ACTIVITIES TO FOSTER INNOVATION, IMPROVE AGILITY, AND ACCELERATE RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, ACQUISITION, AND SUSTAINMENT OF VITAL NEW NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE MISSIONS AND SOLUTIONS; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO INCREASE INVESTMENTS IN NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY TO YIELD MAJOR NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE MISSION BENEFITS; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO BASE DECISIONS CONCERNING FUTURE ARCHITECTURE AND PROGRAMS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE INITIATIVES ON RIGOROUS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND ANALYSIS; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE U.S.'S VITAL NEEDS FOR NEW NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE INITIATIVES AND ACTIVITIES WHILE RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF AND MAINTAINING ONGOING DEFENSE AND INTELLIGENCE SPACE PROGRAMS; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO ESTABLISH AND NURTURE GOVERNMENT-INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS TO SECURE U.S. DOMINANCE IN NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ACTIVITIES; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO CULTIVATE A ROBUST, DIVERSE, QUALIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE WORKFORCE AND INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO ESTABLISH A COORDINATED U.S. GOVERNMENT EFFORT TO ADDRESS ACQUIRING NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE SYSTEMS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND CAPABILITIES AND TO CLARIFY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES FOR THE U.S.; - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO DEVELOP AND PUBLISH A NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ROADMAP TO PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY LONG-RANGE PLANS TO ALLOW U.S. GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO MAKE MORE INFORMED DECISIONS IN AREAS SUCH AS INTERNAL INVESTMENTS, ALIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TIMING OF HIRING DECISIONS, AND DETERMINING FACILITY NEEDS; AND - INFORM THE PUBLIC AND NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE NEED TO EXPAND THREAT-INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN U.S. GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
  2. $119,343 spent. THE MOORMAN CENTER FOR SPACE STUDIES SERVES AS THE ASSOCIATION'S THOUGHT LEADERSHIP HUB. THE MOORMAN CENTER WORKS TO FOSTER ENHANCED COOPERATION AND INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN US INDUSTRY AND US GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THROUGH EXPERT OPINION, IMPACTFUL PROGRAMMING, AND INSIGHTFUL AND ACTIONABLE ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE CENTER CONDUCTS RESEARCH, PUBLISHES SCHOLARLY PAPERS, AND CONVENES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED EVENTS THAT FOSTER PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO THE HIGHLY COMPLEX ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ENTERPRISE. THE SPACETIME INTERVIEW SERIES CONDUCTS INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEWS WITH KEY U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE OFFICIALS, POLICYMAKERS AND OPERATORS, THEREBY PROMOTING INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN THE US GOVERNMENT AND US INDUSTRY ON CRITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE PROGRAMS, ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS.

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 December 2020.

    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.

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.