Creative Discovery Museum

Analysis

Creative Discovery Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Chattanooga, TN. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in September 1997, 29 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, Creative Discovery Museum reported income of $5.3m and spending of $5.9m, spending 111% of what it took in. Across the 6 years on record, from December 2018 to December 2023, income fell from $7.7m to $5.3m (-31%), an average of -7.2% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income dropped by 33%. Over the whole period it spent 69% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Creative Discovery Museum sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile, and in the 93rd percentile within TN. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Merola Opera Program ($5.3m), Naval History Foundation of South Texas ($5.3m) and Life Christian Outreach Inc ($5.3m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 37% and program service revenue 60% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $174k (3.0% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $2.1m. At year end it held assets of $25.1m against liabilities of $4.5m, net assets of $20.6m. It reported 114 employees.