Better Business Bureau Report for
Louisville Science Center

Better Business Bureau Report issued July 2010
Better Business Bureau Report expires July 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Louisville Science Center
Address: 727 West Main Street
  Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-561-6100
Web Address: www.louisvillescience.org
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1980, Kentucky
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: The Louisville Science Center is a not-for-profit organization that encourages people of all ages to enjoy science, mathematics, and technology in a stimulating and engaging environment that is educational as well as entertaining. The Science Center works to achieve this mission by making science personal, fun, participatory and relevant and by being ambassadors of scientific values. The Science Center serves approximately 400,000 persons annually, including 150,000 students and teachers.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Louisville Science Center meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Already recognized as a leader in inquiry-based learning, the Louisville Science Center is advancing a science literacy campaign to encourage people of all ages to explore science in everyday life. The Science Center has a rich history, from its founding as a “cabinet of curiosities” in the Public Library System of Kentucky in 1871 to its current status as the region’s leading resource for informal science education. Boasting at one time little more than an Egyptian mummy and a 16,000-piece mineral collection, the Science Center is now the largest hands-on science center in Kentucky, with about 150 interactive exhibits and activity stations, teaching laboratories, educational programs, the states only four-story IMAX Theatre, and distance learning capabilities. Through interactive exhibits and engaging programs for children, families and adults, the Louisville Science Center is committed to growing a scientifically literate community that investigates, questions, and challenges. Programs for students and teachers correspond to the core curriculum areas of physical, natural and life sciences that are treated in the Science Center’s permanent exhibits. Over the past year, the Science Center had increased partnerships and enhanced programmatic efforts and offerings, including seasonal Family Science Drop-In events, science camps, the introduction of a new Science Education Wing and an overall ramped up commitment to science literacy.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, Louisville Science Center's program expenses were:

  
Depreciation - IMAX and exhibits 929,023
Exhibits 707,327
Facilities 677,453
Marketing 558,852
Educational programs 455,251
IMAX Theatre 411,961
Visitor services 255,473
Gift shop 167,203
Membership 48,118
Rentals 5,476
Total Program Expenses: $4,216,137
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Joanna E. Haas, Executive Director
Compensation*:

Chair of the Board: William Strench
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Attorney

Board Size: 35

Paid Staff Size: 61

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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Fund raising methods include direct mail, telephone, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals, internet, and memberships.
Fund raising costs were 8% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $1,673,958, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on the Louisville Science Center’s audited financial statements for the year that ended June 30, 2009.

Net assets as reported below include $8,765,072 in unrestricted net assets, $667,082 in temporarily restricted net assets, and $407,507 in permanently restricted net assets. Assets include $8,647,922 invested in property and equipment, net.

Source of Funds  
Corporate/Private Support 943,141
City Government 906,000
Admissions 895,443
State/Federal Grants 653,428
School groups/programs 470,777
Memberships 410,751
Gift Shop 208,069
Parking 181,138
Rentals 113,929
Fund raising event - net 46,929
Contributed Services/Property 30,460
Concessions 17,605
Interest/Investment Income 6,559
Other Income 4,620
Net gain/(loss) on investments -79,337
Total Income $4,809,512


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 78%  Fund Raising: 3%  Administrative: 19%  Other Expenses: Less than 1%

Total income   $4,809,512
  Program expenses $4,216,137
  Fund raising expenses 135,177
  Administrative expenses 1,000,921
  Other Expenses 2,800
Total expenses   $5,355,035
Expenses in Excess of Income   (545,523)
Beginning net assets   10,385,184
Ending net assets   9,839,661
Total liabilities   359,797
Total assets   $10,199,458


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This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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