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Animals : Zoos and Aquariums

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Inspiring conservation of the oceans

four stars

97.26

886 Cannery Row Monterey, CA 93940
tel: (800) 840-4880   Web Site
EIN: 94-2487469

Board Leadership
Steve Neal
Chairman of the Board

CEO
Julie Packard
Executive Director

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 97.26 four stars
  Financial 97.55 four stars
  Accountability & Transparency 97.00 four stars
This rating was published 05/01/2020 and includes data from FY2018, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Opened in 1984, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the oceans. We know that bringing people face-to-face with living marine animals is a powerful way to move them to care about the oceans and ocean life. From the beginning, we planned our permanent exhibits as a walk through Monterey Bay's beautiful natural communities. In 1996, we almost doubled our exhibit space with the opening of the Outer Bay Wing, devoted to the open ocean and deep sea. The main feature is the Outer Bay Waters exhibit, the one-million-gallon tank containing tuna, sharks and sea turtles. The aquarium has an active research program. We have groups working on sea otter conservation and tuna conservation biology. About 1.8 million people visit us each year.

Opened in 1984, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the oceans. We know that bringing people face-to-face with living marine animals is a powerful way to move them to care about the oceans and ocean life. From the beginning, we planned our permanent exhibits as a walk through Monterey Bay's beautiful natural communities. In 1996, we almost doubled our exhibit space with the opening of the Outer Bay Wing, devoted to the open ocean and deep sea. The main feature is the Outer Bay Waters exhibit, the one-million-gallon tank containing tuna, sharks and sea turtles. The aquarium has an active research program. We have groups working on sea otter conservation and tuna conservation biology. About 1.8 million people visit us each year.

Impact Information

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Reported Results
Total in 2019
Total number of paid admissions
1,590,550
Total number of free admissions
357,657
Number of free participants on field trips
107,724
This organization has earned a GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency by voluntarily sharing the measures of progress and results they use to pursue their mission. Organizations earn Platinum Seals by selecting from a catalog of over 900 expert recognized metrics or by creating a new metric that best fits their work. This information is reported by the organization and displayed publicly on their GuideStar Nonprofit Profile. With over 1.6 million Nonprofit Profiles, 9 million annual visitors and over 200 data partners, GuideStar is the world's leading source of information about nonprofit organizations. A nonprofit itself, GuideStar is dedicated to providing better data for better decisions for a better world.
This impact information is current as of August 2020, when it was provided to us by GuideStar. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

four stars

97.55

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

97.00

This rating was published 05/01/2020 and includes data from FY2018, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 83.4%
  Administrative Expenses 12.0%
  Fundraising Expenses 4.4%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.07
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 4.68
  Program Expenses Growth 6.0%
  Liabilities to Assets 4.8%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Monterey Bay Aquarium on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Monterey Bay Aquarium on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Monterey Bay Aquarium (CA) 97.26 four stars
The Florida Aquarium (FL) 90.70 four stars
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation (VA) 90.66 four stars
Seattle Aquarium (WA) 90.97 four stars
Clearwater Marine Aquarium (FL) 92.47 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $40,715,245
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $13,858,188
   Fundraising Events $3,661,749
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $22,844
Total Contributions $58,258,026
   Program Service Revenue $54,578,000
Total Primary Revenue $112,836,026
   Other Revenue $12,040,110
TOTAL REVENUE $124,876,136
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $81,491,606
   Administrative Expenses $9,493,727
   Fundraising Expenses $5,620,168
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $96,605,501
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $28,270,635
   
Net Assets $461,647,479

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Marine Life Exhibition and Care $50,283,297 61.7%
Education and Outreach $18,278,264 22.4%
Conservation and Research $12,930,045 15.9%

Ratings History
Monterey Bay Aquarium has received 7 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator.

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2018-12 05/01/2020 97.26 four stars
2017-12 06/01/2019 95.80 four stars
2016-12 06/01/2018 97.27 four stars
2015-12 06/01/2017 97.03 four stars
2014-12 06/01/2016 96.71 four stars
 
CN 2.0
2014-12 04/01/2016 95.92 four stars
2013-12 07/01/2015 96.96 four stars
2012-12 04/01/2014 91.28 four stars
2011-12 04/01/2013 89.51 three stars
2010-12 04/01/2012 96.05 four stars
2009-12 09/20/2011 95.64 four stars
 
CN 1.0
2009-12 05/01/2011 95.32 four stars
2008-12 05/01/2010 97.18 four stars
2007-12 07/01/2009 92.91 four stars
2006-12 06/01/2008 90.13 four stars
2005-12 07/01/2007 90.96 four stars
2004-12 04/01/2006 95.82 four stars
2003-12 05/01/2005 87.27 three stars
2002-12 05/01/2004 84.35 three stars
2001-12 06/09/2003 98.65 four stars

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 94-2487469
Name in IRS Master File MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION
NTEE Code D11
NTEE Classification Single Organization Support
NTEE Type Animal-Related
Classification Charitable Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (602) Gifts, grants, or loans to other organizations
Foundation Status Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes.  509(a)(2)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
Affiliation Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date August, 1978
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End December
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • December, 2017
  • December, 2016
  • December, 2015
  • December, 2014
  • December, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$318,210 0.32% Julie Packard Executive Director

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Monterey Bay Aquarium (CA) 97.26 four stars
The Florida Aquarium (FL) 90.70 four stars
Shedd Aquarium (IL) 94.32 four stars
North Carolina Aquarium Society (NC) 88.29 three stars
Texas State Aquarium (TX) 92.25 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

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Charity Contact Info

Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
tel: (800) 840-4880
fax: (831) 644-7554
EIN: 94-2487469

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Steve Neal
Chairman of the Board

CEO

Julie Packard
Executive Director

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