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Research and Public Policy : Non-Medical Science & Technology Research

The Planetary Society

Your place in space

three stars

80.31

60 South Los Robles Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101
tel: (626) 793-5100   Web Site
EIN: 95-3423566

Board Leadership
Jim Bell
President

CEO
Bill Nye
Chief Executive Officer

 
 

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  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 80.31 three stars
  Financial 72.33 two stars
  Accountability & Transparency 97.00 four stars
This rating was published 09/03/2019 and includes data from FY2018, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

The Planetary Society, founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, inspires and involves the world's public in space exploration through advocacy, projects, and education. Today, The Planetary Society is the largest and most influential public space organization group on Earth and is dedicated to exploring the solar system and seeking life beyond Earth. The Planetary Society leads by example: through private ventures, such as the solar sail; through public-private partnerships, such as the Mars Microphone; through promoting grand and ambitious adventures, such as human missions to Mars. We continue to find more ways for members of the public to participate directly in humanity's evolution into a multi-planet species - as we inspire the people of Earth to explore other worlds and seek other life.

The Planetary Society, founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, inspires and involves the world's public in space exploration through advocacy, projects, and education. Today, The Planetary Society is the largest and most influential public space organization group on Earth and is dedicated to exploring the solar system and seeking life beyond Earth. The Planetary Society leads by example: through private ventures, such as the solar sail; through public-private partnerships, such as the Mars Microphone; through promoting grand and ambitious adventures, such as human missions to Mars. We continue to find more ways for members of the public to participate directly in humanity's evolution into a multi-planet species - as we inspire the people of Earth to explore other worlds and seek other life.

Impact Information

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GlobalGiving Status
Partner Status
This organization holds GlobalGiving Partner Status. GG Rewards is the system GlobalGiving uses to reward nonprofits that demonstrate listening to the people they serve, learning, and improving their impact. Organizations receive points which translate into their Status: 52% of organizations are Partner, 22% are Leader, and the top 26% of organizations are Superstar. GlobalGiving is a trusted Impact Information partner of Charity Navigator.
Additional Badges from GlobalGiving
Vetted
This organization has been vetted by GlobalGiving.
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GlobalGiving is the largest global crowdfunding community connecting nonprofits, donors, and companies in nearly every country. For donors, GlobalGiving provides an additional layer of vetting and due diligence for each of its nonprofit partners every two years, which may include site visit verification. For nonprofits, GlobalGiving works to provide nonprofits access to the tools, training, and support they need to be more effective. GlobalGiving's aim is to drive more donations to more effective, community-led organizations. GG Rewards is the system that GlobalGiving uses to recognize and reward its nonprofit partners for their efforts to learn, improve, and grow their impact. Within the GG Rewards system, organizations receive points for their Effectiveness (commitment to learning) and Engagement (participation on the GlobalGiving community). These points will translate into the GG Rewards Status (Partner, Leader, or Superstar). GlobalGiving's nonprofit partners also receive badges (visible on their Charity Navigator profile) when they are verified by a GlobalGiving site visit, when they have demonstrated exceptional efforts to learn from feedback, improve, and grow their impact, or when they have been named as an exceptional nonprofit through GlobalGiving's Project of the Month program.
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This impact information is current as of March 2019, when it was provided to us by GlobalGiving. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology. Further, the availability of GG Rewards information for charities on our site has no effect on Charity Navigator's evaluation of GlobalGiving.

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

Financial

two stars

72.33

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

97.00

This rating was published 09/03/2019 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)		 67.6%
  Administrative Expenses 16.0%
  Fundraising Expenses 16.3%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.20
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 0.42
  Program Expenses Growth 5.3%
  Liabilities to Assets 18.8%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by The Planetary Society on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by The Planetary Society 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
The Planetary Society (CA) 80.31 three stars
Woods Hole Research Center (MA) 91.69 four stars
Earthwatch Institute (MA) 88.23 three stars
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (ME) 96.10 four stars
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (NY) 92.85 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $2,124,065
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $2,697,364
   Fundraising Events $0
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $0
Total Contributions $4,821,429
   Program Service Revenue $0
Total Primary Revenue $4,821,429
   Other Revenue $123,837
TOTAL REVENUE $4,945,266
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $3,375,559
   Administrative Expenses $737,483
   Fundraising Expenses $772,013
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $4,885,055
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $60,211
   
Net Assets $2,296,496

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
Education & Communication $1,839,993 54.5%
Membership $699,563 20.7%
Science & Technology $396,142 11.7%

Ratings History

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2018-09 09/03/2019 80.31 three stars
2017-09 08/01/2018 83.60 three stars
2016-09 03/01/2018 87.91 three stars
2015-09 03/01/2017 89.87 three stars
2014-09 06/01/2016 83.27 three stars
 
CN 2.0
2014-09 03/01/2016 87.85 three stars
2014-09 02/01/2016 87.71 three stars
2014-09 11/01/2015 85.73 three stars
2013-09 03/01/2015 73.92 two stars
2013-09 12/01/2014 72.55 two stars
2012-09 10/01/2013 79.00 two stars
2011-09 08/01/2012 85.64 three stars
2010-09 09/20/2011 84.35 three stars
 
CN 1.0
2009-09 11/01/2010 77.19 two stars
2008-09 09/01/2009 72.47 two stars
2007-09 10/01/2008 70.52 two stars
2006-09 05/01/2007 68.66 one star
2005-09 07/01/2006 67.58 one star
2004-09 07/01/2005 67.62 one star
2003-09 08/01/2004 70.03 two 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 95-3423566
Name in IRS Master File THE PLANETARY SOCIETY
NTEE Code A33
NTEE Classification Printing, Publishing
NTEE Type Arts, Culture and Humanities
Classification Educational Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (120) Publishing activities
(124) Study and research (non-scientific)
(125) Giving information or opinion (see also Advocacy)
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
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 March, 1980
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End September
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • September, 2017
  • September, 2016
  • September, 2015
  • September, 2014
  • September, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$156,817 3.21% William Nye Chief Executive Officer

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
The Planetary Society (CA) 80.31 three stars
Earthwatch Institute (MA) 88.23 three stars
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (ME) 91.10 four stars
Botanical Research Institute of Texas (TX) 85.94 three stars
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (MA) 92.08 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

The Planetary Society
60 South Los Robles Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
tel: (626) 793-5100
fax: (626) 793-5528
EIN: 95-3423566

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Jim Bell
President

CEO

Bill Nye
Chief Executive Officer

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