Cincinnati Observatory Center

Analysis

Cincinnati Observatory Center is a registered charity in United States, based in Cincinnati, OH. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in December 1999, 27 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts, culture and humanities, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Cincinnati Observatory Center reported income of $756k and spending of $872k, spending 115% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $556k to $756k (+36%), an average of +8.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 29%. Over the whole period it spent 176% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Cincinnati Observatory Center sits at the 83rd percentile: it is larger than about 83% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 76th percentile, and in the 76th percentile within OH. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Sanctuary of the Arts ($756k), Participant Incorporated ($756k) and Sphere Institute ($755k).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 73% and program service revenue 17% of the total. Other salaries and wages came to $468k. At year end it held assets of $1.2m against liabilities of $469k, net assets of $779k. It reported 16 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.