Arizona Aerospace Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO CREATE UNLIMITED HORIZONS IN AEROSPACE EDUCATION THROUGH THE PRESERVATION AND PRESENTATION OF THE HISTORY OF FLIGHT. BOTH THE PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM AND THE TITAN MISSILE MUSEUM HAVE STRONG COMMITMENTS TO EDUCATING AND INSPIRING TOMORROW'S ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, PILOTS, AND ASTRONAUTS. EVERY YEAR, THOUSANDS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE ADMITTED TO BOTH MUSEUMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE FOUNDATION PLANS TO CONTINUE EXPANDING ITS COLLECTION OF AIRCRAFT AND IMPROVING ITS VISITOR AMENITIES, WHILE EXPLORING NEW WAYS TO FOSTER AN INTEREST IN THE FUTURE OF AVIATION TECHNOLOGY AND AEROSPACE EXPLORATION IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA.
- Income
- $11.4 million
- Spending
- $13.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 3.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 49%
- Employees
- 104
- Volunteers
- 56
- Highest pay
- $222,500, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 September 30, 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)
- $11.3 million spent. THE ARIZONA AEROSPACE FOUNDATION OPERATES THREE MUSEUMS, THE PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM (PASM), THE TITAN MISSILE MUSEUM (TMM), AND THE TUCSON MILITARY VEHICLE MUSEUM (TMVM). PASM IS ONE OF THE LARGEST NON-GOVERNMENT-FUNDED AVIATION MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE MUSEUM MAINTAINS A COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 300 AIRCRAFT AND SPACECRAFT FROM AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING MANY RARE AND ONE-OF-A-KIND, AND MORE THAN 125,000 ARTIFACTS. THE TITAN MISSILE MUSEUM IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK AND IS THE ONLY PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE TITAN II MISSILE COMPLEX OF THE 54 THAT WERE ON ALERT FROM 1963 TO 1987. IT IS ONE OF ONLY TWO INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE SITES IN THE WORLD THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. THE TUCSON MILITARY VEHICLE MUSEUM PROVIDES A HISTORICAL ROLE OF MILITARY LAND DOMINANCE AND ALLOWS VISITORS TO MAKE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS DRIVE THE VEHICLES THE MILITARY HAS BEEN DRIVING ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE THREE MUSEUMS ARE HOST TO APPROXIMATELY 200,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1967.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.
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