Griffith Observatory Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY AS A HOME FOR SCIENCE LITERACY, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC ASTRONOMY THROUGH RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 7.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 39
- Highest pay
- $143,641, director of information technology
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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
10 of 10Gave 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 December 31, 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 (3)
- $614,991 spent. EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE OBSERVATORY AND BEYOND - GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS IN OUR ICONIC FACILITY AND PROGRAMS THAT OFFER SCIENCE EDUCATION TO AUDIENCES BEYOND LOS ANGELES. IN 2025, THE FOUNDATION LED A MAJOR EFFORT TO FUND THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A MONUMENTAL NEW EXHIBIT, THE CELESTIAL GLOBE. INSPIRED BY THE CELESTIAL SPHERE HELD BY THE SECOND-CENTURY ROMAN SCULPTURE KNOWN AS THE FARNESE ATLAS, THE CELESTIAL GLOBE SPOTLIGHTS THE LINK BETWEEN ANCIENT SKIES AND MODERN ASTRONOMY. IT IS THE FIRST MAJOR EXHIBIT TO BE INSTALLED AT GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY IN OVER 19 YEARS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SUPPORTED THE LAUNCH OF GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY PASSPORTSFREE, ON-SITE ACTIVITY BOOKLETS THAT GUIDE VISITORS AND FAMILIES THROUGH THE OBSERVATORY'S INSTRUMENTS AND EXHIBITS. THE FOUNDATION SUSTAINS SPECIALIZED STAFFING AND TECHNOLOGY THAT POWER GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S DYNAMIC ONLINE PRESENCE AND LIVE BROADCASTING, EXPANDING GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S INTERNATIONAL REACH. SUPPORTING THE OBSERVATORY'S BROADCAST TEAM TO COVER LIVE ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS, THE FOUNDATION FUNDED THE JOURNEY TO CHIMNEY ROCK, COLORADO, IN OCTOBER 2025, FOR A LIVE BROADCAST OF A MAJOR LUNAR STANDSTILL EVENT AT A PREHISTORIC PUEBLO SITE. THE FOUNDATION ALSO FUNDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW, FREE, DOWNLOADABLE MINECRAFT MAP, WHICH ALLOWS PLAYERS TO EXPLORE A VIRTUAL VERSION OF THE BUILDING AND ITS GROUNDS.
- $545,643 spent. SCHOOL PROGRAM: EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION - GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION FULLY FUNDS ALL STAFFING, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT FOR GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S FIFTH-GRADE IN-PERSON AND ONLINE SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THESE FREE S.T.E.M. (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS) EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES ARE DESIGNED TO MEET CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SCIENCE STANDARDS. IN 2025, THE PROGRAMS SERVED: - 28,000 FIFTH-GRADE STUDENTS AT GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY. - 40,000 STUDENTS THROUGH THE ONLINE PROGRAM, WHICH IS DELIVERED LIVE BY OBSERVATORY STAFF, REACHING CLASSROOMS BEYOND LOS ANGELES. TO ENSURE THAT FINANCIAL BARRIERS NEVER STAND IN THE WAY OF LEARNING, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS TO ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS FOR TRANSPORTATION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH VISITING GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S IN-PERSON SCHOOL PROGRAM. IN 2025, THE FOUNDATION AWARDED A RECORD NUMBER OF BUS SCHOLARSHIPS TO TITLE I SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
- $315,978 spent. SUPPORTING NINE DECADES OF PUBLIC ASTRONOMY - TO COMMEMORATE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2025, THE FOUNDATION ORGANIZED A SERIES OF PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND SPECIAL INITIATIVES. ON MAY 14, 2025, ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, STUDENTS, BENEFACTORS, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, FRIENDS, AND HONORED GUESTS GATHERED ON THE NORTH STEPS OF THE OBSERVATORY FOR SPEECHES AND PROGRAMMING HONORING THE HISTORY OF THE OBSERVATORY AND ITS IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY. IN OCTOBER, THE FOUNDATION PRESENTED TWO SOLD-OUT SCREENINGS OF THE CLASSIC FILM REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE FILMED AT GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY IN 1955. THE FOUNDATION ALSO INVESTED IN A DOCUMENTARY FILM PROJECT TO CAPTURE THE PERSONAL STORIES OF DOZENS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PLAYED LEADING ROLES AT THE INSTITUTION OVER THE PAST NINE DECADES. RECOGNIZING GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY'S HISTORY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING ITS LEGACY, THE FOUNDATION LAUNCHED A MULTI-PHASED INSTITUTIONAL ARCHIVE PROJECT. IN 2025, THE FOUNDATION FULLY COMPLETED PHASE ONE OF A FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO CATALOG AND PRESERVE THE OBSERVATORY'S EXTENSIVE ARCHIVE. AN EXPERIENCED PROCESSING ARCHIVIST WAS ENGAGED TO SURVEY THE ARCHIVE AND CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR ITS LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.