Project Exploration

Analysis

Project Exploration is a registered charity in United States, based in Chicago, IL. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in September 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 August 2023, Project Exploration reported income of $1.3m and spending of $1.5m, spending 116% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2019 to August 2023, income grew from $744k to $1.3m (+71%), an average of +14% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2021, when income rose by 50%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Project Exploration sits at the 88th percentile: it is larger than about 88% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 82nd percentile, and in the 81st percentile within IL. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Aspenfilm ($1.3m), Women in Bio Inc ($1.3m) and Brattle Film Foundation Inc ($1.3m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending August 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 92% and program service revenue 8.0% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $128k (8.7% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $538k. At year end it held assets of $397k against liabilities of $233k, net assets of $163k. It reported 13 employees.