Coastal Discovery Museum

Analysis

Coastal Discovery Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Hilton Head, SC. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in July 1986, 40 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 June 2024, Coastal Discovery Museum reported income of $2.4m and spending of $1.8m, leaving 27% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2020 to June 2024, income grew from $1.6m to $2.4m (+57%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2022, when income rose by 22%. Over the whole period it spent 79% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Coastal Discovery Museum sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 87th percentile, and in the 90th percentile within SC. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Symphony San Jose ($2.4m), Breckenridge History ($2.4m) and Heyday ($2.4m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending June 2024, revenue came from contributions and grants 68% and program service revenue 15% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $251k (14% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $582k. At year end it held assets of $9.1m against liabilities of $264k, net assets of $8.8m. It reported 23 employees.