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The Tech Interactive

EIN 94-2864660 · San Jose, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak35 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE TECH IS A MISSION DRIVEN ORGANIZATION THAT DEVELOPS THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROBLEM-SOLVERS LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY, THROUGH THE CREATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WORLD-CLASS IMMERSIVE STEAM EDUCATION RESOURCES. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IS BORN AN INNOVATOR WHO CAN CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER. THE TECH IS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE AND CREATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE FOR EVERYONE. THIS COMMITMENT RESONATES DEEPLY WITH OUR CORE VALUES AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO PROMOTING STEM INCLUSION FOR ALL. THROUGH FOSTERING A CULTURE OF INCLUSIVITY, BOTH WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION AND BEYOND, WE AIM TO DISMANTLE BARRIERS AND FORGE STRONG CONNECTIONS ACROSS DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.

Income
$14.1 million
Spending
$21.3 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
-0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
193
Volunteers
98
Highest pay
$608,448, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 4% 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

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 52% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 50% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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

    27 of 27 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 June 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 (2)
  1. $11.0 million spent. EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS, & EXPERIENCESTHE TECH INTERACTIVE IS A 130,000-FOOT SCIENCE CENTER LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE, THE HEART OF SILICON VALLEY. IT OFFERS HANDS-ON EXHIBITS, ACTIVITIES, EXPERIMENTAL LABS, AND DESIGN CHALLENGES THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE HOW TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IS CHANGING OUR LIVES AND HELPING US TACKLE BIG CHALLENGES. THE TECH HOSTS AS MANY AS 500,000 PEOPLE A YEAR IN ITS GALLERIES AND PROGRAMS AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500 MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS.2025 WAS A LANDMARK YEAR FOR THE TECH INTERACTIVE, DEFINED BY BOLD NEW EXHIBITIONS, A DEEPER FOCUS ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI), AND A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE, HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THE TECH'S LEARNING EXPERIENCES INCLUDE OVER 100 INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, HANDS-ON SCIENCE LABS, ROTATING WEEKEND ACTIVITIES AND DAILY EDUCATIONAL IMAX FILMS. IN 2025 WE OPENED TWO NEW GALLERIES: AI SANDBOX, FEATURING DREAM GARDEN, AN AI-POWERED IMMERSIVE ROOM, AND PIXEL PLAYGROUND WHERE VISITORS OF ALL AGES CAN EXPLORE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES HANDS-ON. SINCE 1988, THE TECH CHALLENGE HAS BEEN OUR SIGNATURE TEAM ENGINEERING DESIGN COMPETITION INSPIRING OVER 40,000 STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-12 TO DESIGN AND BUILD DEVICES THAT SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS. IN 2025, MORE THAN 8,500 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. THE TECH CHALLENGE HAS CONNECTED WITH VARIOUS ETHNIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC COMMUNITIES TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS NOT ONLY TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) CONCEPTS, BUT ALSO TO THE THRILL OF HANDS-ON LEARNING AND REAL-WORLD DESIGN.
  2. $5.4 million spent. INSPIRING THE INNOVATOR IN EVERYONEEDUCATION AND ACCESS ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO AT THE TECH. OUR EDUCATION-CENTRIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, SUBSIDIZED RATES ON SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS FOR STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED DISTRICTS, LESSON PLANS AND CLASSROOM RESOURCES, AND A VARIETY OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING FOR ALL AGES. UTILIZING IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EVENTS, IN 2025 WE REACHED OVER 2 MILLION K-12 STUDENTS WORLDWIDE. IN 2025 WE HOSTED OVER 73,000 IN-PERSON FIELD TRIP PARTICIPANTS, OF WHICH, 50% WERE FROM TITLE I SCHOOLS. THE BOWERS EDUCATION INSTITUTE EMPOWERS EDUCATORS IN PARTNERING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DESIGN AND LEAD CROSS-CURRICULAR ENGINEERING INSTRUCTION AND TRAINED 40 EDUCATORS IN 2025. THROUGH THE MUSEUMS FOR ALL PROGRAM, OVER 14,000 VISITORS WERE ABLE TO VISIT THE TECH INTERACTIVE AT A DISCOUNTED RATE OF JUST $5 PER PERSON.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.

    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 November 1983.

    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.