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11111 W 8TH AVE STE A
Lakewood CO 80215-5516
Lakewood CO | IRS ruling year: 1998 | EIN: 31-1585646
Organization Mission
To further the exploration and settlement of the planet Mars. We will accomplish this through: Public outreach fostering Mars pioneers; worldwide support for governm ... (More)
To further the exploration and settlement of the planet Mars. We will accomplish this through: Public outreach fostering Mars pioneers; worldwide support for government-funded Mars research and exploration; (Less)
Good
This charity's score is 85%, earning it a Three-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores, weighted as follows: 32% Accountability & Finance, 50% Impact & Results, 7% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Mars Society Inc. is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Mars Society Inc. has earned a 55% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 2/2 - 0/35 ptsBoard Composition - 2/2 - 0/35 pts
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - N/A - 0/0 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - N/A - 0/0 pts
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Missing - 0/5 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Missing - 0/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes - Documented - 5/5 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed - 5/5 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Missing - 0/5 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Missing - 0/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Website - Listed - 5/5 ptsWebsite - Listed - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 5.76% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 5.76% - 15/15 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
| Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 84.48% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 84.48% - 25/25 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
| Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
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). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Mars Society Inc.) or EIN (311585646) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Mars Society Inc. reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Balance Sheet
We were forced to put on virtual events instead of in-person, which impacted our donations received by more than 50%.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Our overall operating budget was reduced by approximately half, due to various factors and a lack of donations and other revenue coming in.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Our flagship program, the Mars Desert Research Station, relies on crew fees as a core part of its operating budget. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we were not able to conduct a full field season of 12-15 crews, and were reduced to 2 full crews.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We put on a virtual convention in both 2020 and 2021, and both were well attended. We were able to secure prominent speakers and create high-quality archival recordings because of our use of modern technologies such as Zoom. In addition, we provided new virtual networking opportunities using Attendify, AltspaceVR, and Wonder.me.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We plan to always have a virtual component to our conferences and provide virtual speakers, attendees and networking opportunities for our future in-person events.
Mars Society Inc. has earned a 100% for the Impact & Results beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon estimates the actual impact a charity has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
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Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot Applicable
Program
Mars Analog Research Program
Activities
The nonprofit grants scholarships to beneficiaries.
Program Type
Postsecondary Scholarships
Beneficiaries Served
Program Geography
Time Period of Data
9/1/19 to 8/31/20
Outcomes: Changes in the lives of those served by a nonprofit. They can be caused by the nonprofit.
Costs: The money spent by a nonprofit and its partners and beneficiaries.
Impact: Outcome caused by a nonprofit relative to its cost.
Cost-effectiveness: A judgment as to whether the cost was a good use of resources to cause the outcome.
Outcome Metric
Increase in income for a scholarship recipient
Outcome Data Source
Ratings are based on data the nonprofit itself collects on its work. We use the most recent year with sufficient data. Typically, this data allows us to calculate direct changes in participants' lives, such as increased income.
Output data collected during the program. The nonprofit submitted data on the dollar value of all scholarships it grants and the number of scholarship recipients, which we use to calculate the additional income that the nonprofit's scholarship program generates.
Method for Attributing Outcomes
We don't know if the observed changes were caused by the nonprofit's program or something else happening at the same time (e.g., a participant got a raise). To determine causation, we take the outcomes we observe and subtract an estimate of the outcomes that would have happened even without the program (i.e., counterfactual outcomes).
We estimate the increase in income caused by a nonprofit's scholarship program in two steps. First, we compare the estimated postsecondary graduation rate of its scholars to that of comparable students who did not receive a scholarship (the “counterfactual”). Our estimates are drawn from rigorous social science studies of similar scholarship programs. The result is the number of scholars whose graduation was caused by the nonprofit. Second, we compare the earnings of graduates to non-graduates based on publicly available census data, matching on student demographic characteristics. We apply the earnings boost owing to a degree to those scholars whose graduation was caused by the nonprofit. Both steps are necessary to properly net out counterfactual successes from observed successes. Otherwise, we would be attributing changes (increase in graduation rate and increase in earnings) to the nonprofit when they would have happened anyway. Few nonprofits estimate the counterfactual themselves, so we construct our own counterfactual estimate based on research and publicly available data.
Cost Data Source
After estimating the program's outcomes, we need to determine how much it cost to achieve those outcomes. All monetary costs are counted, whether they are borne by a nonprofit service deliverer or by the nonprofit’s public and private partners.
Program cost data reported by the nonprofit. Partner and beneficiary costs reported by the nonprofit or estimated by Charity Navigator.
Cost Calculation
$52,500 program costs + $11,802 partner costs + $11,802 beneficiary costs = $76,105 total costs
We calculate impact, defined as the change in outcomes attributable to a program divided by the cost to achieve those outcomes.
Impact Calculation
$76,105 total costs / $275,981 additional income = roughly $2,600 increases income for a scholarship recipient by $9,300.
Benchmark for Rating
Impact & Results scores of postsecondary scholarship programs are based on income generated relative to cost. Programs receive an Impact & Results score of 100 if they increase income for a recipient by more than $1.50 for every $1 spent and a score of 80 if income increases by more than $0.85 for every $1 spent. If a nonprofit reports impact but doesn't meet the benchmark for cost-effectiveness, it earns a score of 65.
Determination
Highly cost-effective
Mars Society Inc. reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
The 22st Annual International Mars Society Convention brought together over 397 scientists, students, engineers, educators and space enthusiasts to discuss how to achieve human exploration and settlem ... (More)
The 22st Annual International Mars Society Convention brought together over 397 scientists, students, engineers, educators and space enthusiasts to discuss how to achieve human exploration and settlement of Mars in our lifetime. (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Mars Desert Research Station season was held from December 2019 - May 2020 at Mars Analogue site outside of Hanksville UT. Crews of Mars enthusiasts, students, scientists and volunteers spent 2 or 33 ... (More)
Mars Desert Research Station season was held from December 2019 - May 2020 at Mars Analogue site outside of Hanksville UT. Crews of Mars enthusiasts, students, scientists and volunteers spent 2 or 33 week rotations living, working and conducting experiment (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
The University Rover Challenge is held each year near Hanksville, UT to challenge teams of students to design the next Mars Rover. The teams spend months on the design and fabrication of a vehicle tha ... (More)
The University Rover Challenge is held each year near Hanksville, UT to challenge teams of students to design the next Mars Rover. The teams spend months on the design and fabrication of a vehicle that is tested in the desert. The winning team receives a $ (Less)
Mars Society Inc. has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
We serve the general public to promote the benefits of the human exploration of Mars, space exploration in general, and the benefits of scientific literacy.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees, Suggestion box/email
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
Yes, it shifted the mindset of our members to be more ready to offer feedback and send in ideas.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
We were provided feedback that our membership offerings were not well defined, and people did not understand the benefits of becoming a member. We created a membership drive that offered new benefits and articulated how memberships support the organization.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 100/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 100/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 12 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (6/7) | |
|---|---|
We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race. | |
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. | |
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served. | |
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support. | |
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. | |
We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured | |
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Equity Policies and Procedures (6/7) | |
|---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Mars Society Inc. has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
The purpose of the Mars Society is to further the exploration and settlement of the planet Mars. We work to educate the public, the media and the government on the benefits of exploring Mars and creating a permanent human presence on the Red Planet. In order to accomplish this, the organization actively seeks to: 1. Organize public outreach with the aim of fostering a deep interest in Mars, 2. Promote broad international support for government-funded Mars research and exploration, and 3. Advocate the establishment of commercial space ventures that will help achieve Mars exploration and settlement. Society activities include Mars analog simulations in the Utah desert and the Canadian Arctic, public outreach and educational programs such as the MarsVR virtual reality simulations.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
The time has come for humanity to journey to the planet Mars. The reasons for going to Mars are powerful. We must go for the knowledge of Mars. Mars may have life and has many scientific discoveries awaiting. We must go for the knowledge of Earth. By learning about Mars, we can learn about Earth and how to preserve it. We must go for the challenge. Civilizations, like people, thrive on challenge and decay without it. We must go for the youth. Settling Mars would challenge young people to develop their minds to participate in the pioneering of a new world. We must go for the opportunity. The settling of Mars is an opportunity to carry forward the best aspects of life on Earth and leave the worst behind. We must go for our humanity. We alone have the ability to bring life to Mars, and Mars to life. We must go for the future, for a people who are yet to be. We must do it for the Martians.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Develop analog research bases to provide facilities where all aspects of humans-to-Mars research and technology development can be conducted.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Conduct broad public outreach to instill the vision of settling Mars.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Three: Create educational programs to inform and inspire young people about the possibilities of a human future on Mars.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
We created an Internship program to support the Mars Desert Research Station by providing hands-on training, support and accommodations (room & board) for a group of interns at our facility in southern Utah. The program is administered by the Program Director of the MDRS project and also overseen by the Deputy Director.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
We provide a variety of ways that our organization can facilitate discussions amongst the space science community and the general public, including our annual conference which was conducted virtually for the past two years and was free to attend. We also provide many social media and networking channels which allow the general public and our members to interact with Mars scientists and advocates.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, we were forced to move our conference to a virtual event, but we did not limit its scope of a four-day event with over 150 speakers. In addition, we have created the MarsVR project and its digital twin of our Mars Desert Research Station which we hope will be an important research and public outreach tool moving forward.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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