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Nonprofit · EIN 63-1265839

U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Tax-exempt · HUNTSVILLE, AL 35805

Financials

$23M$20.2M2022$22.2M$25.9M2023$35.3M$31.3M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
September 28, 2025990$35,286,439$31,285,830$4,000,609$26,130,462$2,746,341$23,384,121
September 29, 2024990$22,154,182$25,873,309-$3,719,127$21,122,110$1,857,044$19,265,066
September 24, 2023990$22,966,153$20,155,505$2,810,648$24,398,384$1,612,158$22,786,226
Financial details: 990 for the year ended September 28, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$18,584,398
of which government grants
$1,287,793
Program service revenue
$16,132,593
Investment income
$329,739
Net income from fundraising events
$239,709
Other revenue
$239,709

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$14,971,427
Other salaries and wages
$13,853,038
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$15,970,777
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$9,765
Accounting fees
$5,180
Travel
$3,255
Depreciation
$3,907
Program services (functional)
$31,216,316
Management and general (functional)
$67,842
Fundraising (functional)
$1,672

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$21,122,110
Total assets, end of year
$26,130,462
Total liabilities, end of year
$2,746,341
Net assets, end of year
$23,384,121
Land, buildings and equipment
$35,102
Publicly traded securities
$3,576,981
Gross receipts
$35,321,011
Employees
1,138
Year formed
2000
State of legal domicile
AL

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended September 28, 2025, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
MS BRENDA CARREXECUTIVE DI
Officer
40$128,584
DR DEBORAH BARNHARTDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MS JO ANNE BARNHARTDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1.5$0
MR RYAN A BRUKARDTCHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MR WILLIAM B CHANDLERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
3$0
DR CHARLES R CHAPPELLDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
DR VIRGINIA DAVIESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
DR GRETCHEN GREENSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MS REBECCA TORZONE KUSTOMDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR PETER MARQUEZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1.5$0
MR ROBERT C MAYESTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MS MICHELE O'SHAUGNESSYAAB CHAIR
Trustee or director
2$0
MR IAN RICHARDSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
MR JEFFREY H SAMZVICE CHAIRMA
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MR KEITH SCHONROCKDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
4 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
MS SASHA M SEALYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0$0
MS KATHI TEWDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
4$0
MR AVI TURETSKYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR TONY ZANADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
3$0
990 for the year ended September 29, 2024: 16 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
MS BRENDA CARREXECUTIVE DI
Officer
40$133,529
MS JO ANNE BARNHARTDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1.5$0
MR RYAN A BRUKARDTCHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
24$0
MR WILLIAM B CHANDLERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
10$0
DR CHARLES R CHAPPELLDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
4.5$0
DR GRETCHEN GREENSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
7.5$0
MS REBECCA TORZONE KUSTOMDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
6$0
MR PETER MARQUEZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1.5$0
MR ROBERT C MAYESTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
8.5$0
MS MICHELE O'SHAUGHNESSYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
9$0
IAN RICHARDSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
MR JEFFREY H SAMZVICE CHAIRMA
Trustee or director, Officer
9.5$0
MS SASHA M SEALYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0$0
MR TIM SHEEHYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0$0
MS KATHI TEWDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
6$0
MR TONY ZANADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
3.5$0
990 for the year ended September 24, 2023: 18 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
MS BRENDA CARREXECUTIVE DI
Officer
40$128,584
MS JO ANNE BARNHARTDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR RYAN A BRUKARDTCHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
MR WILLIAM B CHANDLERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
DR CHARLES R CHAPPELLDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
DR GRETCHEN GREENSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
MR HOMAR HICKMANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MS REBECCA TORZONE KUSTOMDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR PETER MARQUEZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR ROBERT C MAYESTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
MR JOE NEWBERRYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MS MICHELE O'SHAUGHNESSYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR JEFFREY H SAMZVICE CHAIRMA
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
MS SASHA M SEALYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR TIM SHEEHYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MS KATHI TEWDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
DR VIRGINIA YOUNGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MR TONY ZANADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
1 TRANQUILITY BASE, HUNTSVILLE, AL 35805-3371
In care of
% BRENDA D PEREZ
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
MR RYAN A BRUKARDT, 78 SW 7TH STREET SUITE 1000, MIAMI, FL 33130
Signed the 990
MS BRENDA CARR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Phone
(256) 430-6702
Return prepared by
FRAZIER & DEETER ADVISORY LLC

Mission

THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OF THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER AND SPACE CAMP THROUGH GRANTS, FUNDRAISING, SCHOLARSHIPS, EVENTS AND CORPORATE PROGRAMS.

990 for the year ended September 28, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • THE FOUNDATION RAISES FUNDS FOR THE COMPLETION OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER. THESE FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED TO ASSIST IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SKILLS TRAINING CENTER AND A NEW ROCKET PARK THAT DISPLAYS THE CENTER'S COLLECTION OF ROCKET ARTIFACTS.
    Expenses $12,370,783 · grants $12,370,783
  • THROUGH THE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OF THE FOUNDATION, DONATIONS ARE MADE AND ALLOCATED TO THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER FOR SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND SPACE CAMP AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MUSEUM PROGRAMS. SPACE CAMP AND AFFILIATED PROGRAMS PROVIDE HANDS ON LEARNING OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) IN AN IMMERSIVE SETTING USING SPACE EXPLORATION AS THE THEME AND BACKDROP. THE SAME TECHNIQUE IS APPLIED TO OUR EDUCATOR PROGRAMS AND NOT ONLY TEACHES OUR EDUCATORS BUT PROVIDES LEARNING TOOLS AND INSPIRATION THAT THEY CAN TAKE BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.
    Expenses $1,687,582 · grants $1,683,675
  • THE FOUNDATION SOLICITS FUNDS FROM CORPORATE AND PRIVATE DONORS TO SPONSOR SEVERAL MAJOR EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE EVENTS ARE HOSTED BY THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER BUT UNDERWRITTEN BY FUNDS RAISED BY THE FOUNDATION. THESE EVENTS SUPPORT THE MISSIONS OF THE FOUNDATION AND THE CENTER AND KEEP THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ENGAGED AND UP TO DATE ON WHAT IS CURRENT IN THE MUSEUM.
    Expenses $283,408 · grants $283,408
  • OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES - THE FOUNDATION GRANTS FUNDS TO THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER TO FUND ADDITIONAL MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS. IN ADDITION FUNDS ARE GRANTED TO PAY FOR LABOR, TAXES AND BENEFITS TO SUPPORT THE MANY PROGRAMS OF THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER.
    Expenses $16,874,543 · grants $633,561 · revenue $16,132,593

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025September 30, 2026February 16, 2027Not due yet
2024September 30, 2025February 17, 2026990 on file
2023September 30, 2024February 18, 2025990 on file

IRS record

EIN
63-1265839
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
2015
Accounting year ends
September
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Category (NTEE)
Human services (P20)
Assets (IRS master file)
$26,130,462
Income (IRS master file)
$35,321,011

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990September 2025$35,286,439$31,285,830$26,130,462XML
990September 2024$22,154,182$25,873,309$21,122,110XML
990September 2023$22,966,153$20,155,505$24,398,384XML
990September 2022$26,134,184$13,257,382$18,280,145IRS
990September 2021–––IRS
990September 2018–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 63-1265839).

Questions about U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION

What is the EIN of U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION?
The employer identification number (EIN) of U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION is 63-1265839.
Is U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2015.
Are donations to U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.
Who is the principal officer of U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION?
The 990 for the year ended September 28, 2025 names MR RYAN A BRUKARDT.
Who are the officers and directors of U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION?
The 990 for the year ended September 28, 2025 lists 19 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $128,584 (MS BRENDA CARR, EXECUTIVE DI).
How much revenue does U S SPACE & ROCKET CENTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION have?
On its 990 for the year ended September 28, 2025 it reported revenue of $35,286,439, expenses of $31,285,830 and total assets of $26,130,462 at year end.

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