CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Inspiring Nature Champions
CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
EIN: 36-0895575
as of October 2024
as of October 15, 2024
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
The mission of the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (“Nature Museum") is to create a positive relationship between people and nature through collaborations, education, research and collections, exhibitions, and public forums to grow our region's urban connection to the world of nature and science. The Nature Museum is dedicated to serving as an environmental leader in our community, offering year-round educational programs, public programs, exhibits, and events.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educational Programs
The Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert
Nature Museum offers more than 50 unique programs both in
the museum and out in community schools. Each year, museum
educators provide more contact hours than any other museum
in the city to over 50,000 students, 1,500 teachers, and 500
Chicago–area schools.
Key Programs include:
Science on the Go - quarter-long education program featuring in-class instruction, professional development, curriculum tools and more.
Nature on the Go - Two part program: our educators visit the school for a lesson, then students visit the Nature Museum to reinforce what they have learned.
Field Trips and Field Trip Workshops - Unique, on-site learning experiences for students of all ages.
School Science Partnerships (grant funded) - Fosters a school-wide culture of science teaching and learning through professional development, model teaching, resources, and field trips to the Nature Museum.
Science Teaching Network (grant funded) - Free program featuring a summer institute and follow up professional development for teachers.
TEENS (grant funded) - Teenagers Exploring & Explaining Nature & Science - free program for Chicago high school students, focused on urban ecosystems and conservation.
After School Science Club (grant funded) - after school science enrichment program at local schools.
Museum Exhibits
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is the "museum" of the Academy. As such, it is the teaching, learning, and exhibition center that supports the mission of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Exceptional exhibits bring nature right to visitors' fingertips. The Museum's iconic exhibit, the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven delights all who enter with a kaleidoscope of 1,000 butterflies, plus colorful birds. From live native animals to nature-inspired art, from toddler-friendly play spaces to dozens of exotic butterfly species, our exhibits are sure to entertain, educate, and excite guests of all ages.
Collections & Biology
Founded in 1857, the Chicago Academy of Sciences is one of America’s oldest scientific institutions. Our scientific collections have been built since that time and have been used to help define human understanding of nature, ecology, and the diversity of life in the United States. The Academy’s collections include herpetology, mammalogy, ornithology, oology, entomology, malacology, paleontology, mineralogy, botany, photography and film, manuscripts and archives, and cultural artifacts.
Specimens in a collection are like a physical snapshot in time, containing irreplaceable information. Often, the knowledge that can be obtained through careful study of these authentic artifacts was not anticipated when the specimen was collected.
Through natural history specimens, we have a physical, empirical record of the past. We can use these specimens to interpret our present place in history which then allows us to anticipate future conditions. This power to hold the past, understand the context of the present, and predict the future makes natural history collections an important and unique human resource.
Scientists and historians frequently access the collections while working on research projects. The museum collections have never been more accessible, thanks to grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. As of August 2012, every specimen in our collections was inventoried and digitally catalogued.
Where we work
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of works in collection
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of children who have access to education
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Related Program
Educational Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of teachers trained
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Related Program
Educational Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Related Program
Collections & Biology
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The Chicago Conservation Corps has worked with community partners to recruit, train, and support a network of volunteer leaders who have led sustainability projects in all 50 wards of Chicago.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Nature Museum is focused on aligning all activity with the mission, vision, and institutional goals of the organization. Institutional goals include:
1. Create Museum visitor experiences inside and outside the facility that engage, educate, and inspire people of all ages to better understand and appreciate nature and to take action to care for it.
2. Be recognized as a leader in environmental science education by creating and evaluating formal and non-formal educational programs and learning opportunities at the Museum, in schools, and other forums that reach diverse audiences.
3. Be recognized for scientific expertise for our 165-year-old collection and for outstanding conservation research programs that benefit regional wildlife, natural areas, and the environment.
4. Through innovative and collaborative initiatives, be recognized as the urban gateway to nature and as experts in urban ecology and science.
5. Establish a strong financial position supported by increased visibility, attendance, donor support, and revenue generating programs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
EXHIBITS AND COLLECTIONS
As stewards of the Chicago Academy of Sciences’ 390,000-piece collection, the Nature Museum is dedicated to increasing the accessibility of the entire collection. Our collection provides vital resources to students and offers the public access to an abundance of valuable data on natural history in the Great Lakes region.
The celebrated Judy Istock Butterfly Haven is a permanent exhibit featuring more than 40 species of exotic butterflies, as well as several bird species from the Southern hemisphere. The 2,700 square-foot greenhouse includes tropical flora and a vibrant population of more than 1,000 butterflies. Both educational and beautiful, the Butterfly Haven is a key part of the Nature Museum’s appeal and success.
EDUCATION
Nature Museum educators provide more hands-on contact hours with students and teachers than any other museum in the city: nearly 80,000 hours each year, with fourteen full-time school program staff members who teach a combined total of more than 35,000 students and 1,500 teachers from schools throughout Chicago, most of which serve high percentages of low-income students. These hands-on school programs are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and feature the Nature Museum’s unique resources: from live animals to our vast preserved scientific collection.
BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
A leader in local wildlife conservation and restoration, the Nature Museum assists in rebuilding populations of threatened and endangered local species, and serves as a center for public engagement with ecology and environmental concerns. Community-based science programs include the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, Calling Frog Survey, and the Illinois Odonate Survey, generating large amounts of data across Illinois that is useful for conservation professionals. The Nature Museum’s Butterfly and Blanding’s Turtles Restoration Projects work to protect and restore local species.
GUEST EXPERIENCE & ENGAGEMENT
The Guest Experience and Engagement department develops daily programming, regular family events, special events, and the annual Summer Nature Fest, which brings more than 2,000 people to the Nature Museum’s grounds for food, drinks, live animals, live music, hands-on activities, and interactions with our scientists.
CHICAGO CONSERVATION CORPS (C3)
The Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) is the Nature Museum’s flagship sustainability program. Since its founding in 2006, C3 has worked with more than 20 community partners to recruit, train, and support a network of 670 volunteer leaders who have led sustainability projects in all 50 wards of Chicago.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
With its strategic plan as its guide, the Nature Museum continues to build on its solid financial position and generate positive cash flows from operations. The Nature Museum’s revenue streams are both robust and diverse, with new or increased revenue from both contract work and grants. Our major fundraising event, the Butterfly Ball, supports our education programs, conservation efforts, and overall commitment to nature and science. Operations revenue fully funds capital expenditures as well as an annual payment into a debt service reserve fund.
The Nature Museum’s management and Board carefully monitor its operational results and cash flows. Senior management reviews financial results on a monthly basis, and then reviews those results with the Board Chair and the Treasurer. Detailed financial reports are provided quarterly to the Board.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
• Nature Museum educators provide more hands-on education hours than any other museum in Chicago.
• The Chicago Academy of Sciences holds a 390,000-piece collection – featuring an amazing cross-section of the region’s natural history.
• Our community-based science programs have more participants than ever before – with more than 120 different data collection routes.
• The Chicago Conservation Corps has trained volunteers from every one of Chicago’s 50 wards.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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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, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2023 info
1.50
Months of cash in 2023 info
9.8
Fringe rate in 2023 info
13%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
This snapshot of CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
Profitability info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $173,558 | -$778,982 | $2,875,209 | $4,678,291 | $3,160,335 |
As % of expenses | 2.9% | -13.4% | 65.4% | 86.3% | 53.3% |
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$397,455 | -$1,309,445 | $2,353,397 | $4,148,824 | $2,365,823 |
As % of expenses | -6.1% | -20.6% | 47.8% | 69.7% | 35.2% |
Revenue composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $5,993,527 | $5,427,241 | $7,149,259 | $10,675,098 | $8,552,779 |
Total revenue, % change over prior year | -8.4% | -9.4% | 31.7% | 49.3% | -19.9% |
Program services revenue | 28.4% | 23.9% | 4.4% | 7.3% | 21.5% |
Membership dues | 3.2% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Investment income | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.0% |
Government grants | 23.4% | 22.0% | 51.3% | 41.8% | 40.8% |
All other grants and contributions | 41.9% | 49.7% | 42.6% | 49.3% | 35.5% |
Other revenue | 2.4% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.2% |
Expense composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses before depreciation | $5,945,654 | $5,829,012 | $4,397,506 | $5,419,571 | $5,933,556 |
Total expenses, % change over prior year | 0.3% | -2.0% | -24.6% | 23.2% | 9.5% |
Personnel | 59.9% | 64.6% | 68.1% | 60.4% | 61.1% |
Professional fees | 10.9% | 9.6% | 9.2% | 21.4% | 18.1% |
Occupancy | 7.8% | 8.0% | 9.4% | 4.6% | 3.6% |
Interest | 2.8% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 3.0% |
Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
All other expenses | 18.6% | 16.0% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 14.3% |
Full cost components (estimated) info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses (after depreciation) | $6,516,667 | $6,359,475 | $4,919,318 | $5,949,038 | $6,728,068 |
One month of savings | $495,471 | $485,751 | $366,459 | $451,631 | $494,463 |
Debt principal payment | $1,016,552 | $0 | $42,532 | $1,360,022 | $219,669 |
Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,576,539 | $2,391,111 |
Total full costs (estimated) | $8,028,690 | $6,845,226 | $5,328,309 | $11,337,230 | $9,833,311 |
Capital structure indicators
Liquidity info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Months of cash | 5.9 | 6.6 | 11.7 | 13.3 | 9.8 |
Months of cash and investments | 7.9 | 8.8 | 14.9 | 14.5 | 11.8 |
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 6.2 | 4.7 | 14.0 | 12.2 | 12.3 |
Balance sheet composition info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash | $2,915,436 | $3,193,886 | $4,273,230 | $6,000,291 | $4,826,926 |
Investments | $985,110 | $1,080,570 | $1,181,989 | $566,349 | $1,000,152 |
Receivables | $1,821,573 | $1,513,665 | $2,746,849 | $2,589,490 | $3,137,240 |
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $32,600,310 | $32,597,797 | $32,594,190 | $32,915,771 | $35,230,818 |
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 68.3% | 69.9% | 71.3% | 62.4% | 60.3% |
Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 30.8% | 38.7% | 31.5% | 23.2% | 20.3% |
Unrestricted net assets | $8,994,928 | $7,685,483 | $10,038,880 | $14,187,704 | $16,553,527 |
Temporarily restricted net assets | $1,362,833 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Permanently restricted net assets | $1,559,189 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Total restricted net assets | $2,922,022 | $2,544,708 | $3,056,257 | $3,249,621 | $3,002,556 |
Total net assets | $11,916,950 | $10,230,191 | $13,095,137 | $17,437,325 | $19,556,083 |
Key data checks
Key data checks info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President & CEO
Ms. Erin Amico
Erin Amico began as President & CEO of Chicago’s oldest museum and foremost scientific institution on July 18, 2022. A Chicago native, she is the first African American CEO to lead the 165-year-old institution. Amico joined the Nature Museum from P33, a nonprofit driving inclusive growth for Chicago’s tech sector, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. At P33, Amico partnered with corporate, civic, and academic leaders across Chicagoland to direct the strategy and positioning of Chicago’s tech brand in partnership with World Business Chicago. Amico graduated from Latin School of Chicago and Middlebury College. She also earned Master of Business Administration degrees from both Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management in marketing and the University of Cambridge Judge Business School in entrepreneurship. Erin serves on the Midwest Board of UNICEF and The French American Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board, and she is a mentor to mHUB’s Climate and Energy Tech.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Board of directorsas of 07/16/2024
Board of directors data
Robert Frentzel
CIBC
Term: 2023 - 2026
Kaidi Johnson
Motorola Solutions
Leslie Henner Burns
Independent Futures Trader
Lisa Brown Tribbett
Civic Leader
Peggy Notebaert
Civic Leader
Leslie A. Coolidge
Civic Leader
Susan D. Whiting
Kemper Corp., Edelman
Greg Case
Aon Corporation
Richard J. Williams
Hlustik, Huizenga, Williams & Vander Woude, Ltd.
Joan H. Walker
Civic Leader
Rakesh Khanna
Citadel
David P. Hackett
Baker & McKenzie LLC
James C. Murray
PJT Partners
Tasha R. G. Cruzat
Children's Advocates for Change
Nadalie Bosse
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Joel S. Brown
University of Illinois, Chicago
Robert Frentzel
CIBC
Michelle Hawver
Civic Leader
Meredith Mendes
Gresham Partners
James A. Montgomery
DePaul University
Gail Moss
Civic Leader
Erin Ohlms
Fernwood Management
Robert E. Sarazen
Goldman Sachs
Christina Speh
Wintrust
Peggy Mathy Diamond
Civic Leader
Joseph V. Dolan
PNC Financial Services Group
Todd Jensen
KPMG
Nicole Lacy
Civic Leader
Sheila Mulligan
Edelman
Stacie Selinger
GCM Grosvenor
Ben Settle
Civic Leader
Marianne Stanke
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Alison Taylor
Archer Daniels Midland Company
Nancy Tuchman
School of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University
Colleen Zambole
Civic Leader
John Edelman
Edelman
Dana Arnett
VSA Partners
Michael Babbitt
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Charles Douglas, Jr.
Quinn Emanuel Urguhart & Sullivan
Teresa George
McKinsey & Company
Tanya Jaeger de Foras
Ingredion Inc.
Denise Lintz
UScellular
Joanne Rodriguez
Mycocycle, Inc.
Jennie Bennett
University of Chicago
Bill Jackson
Chicago Associates
Samantha Lerner
Winston & Strawn
Jaclyn Trovato-Wickersham
ComEd
Jeff Zdenahlik
SCB
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/15/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- 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 use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- 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 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.
Contractors
Fiscal year endingProfessional fundraisers
Fiscal year endingSOURCE: IRS Form 990 Schedule G