Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Information about Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) and its instructions is at www.irs.gov/form990.
| (i)Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 9 above or IRC section (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
| Total | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2010 | (b) 2011 | (c) 2012 | (d) 2013 | (e) 2014 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") .... | ||||||
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf....... | ||||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | ||||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | ||||||
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f).. | ||||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | ||||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2010 | (b) 2011 | (c) 2012 | (d) 2013 | (e) 2014 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | ||||||
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | ||||||
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | ||||||
| 11 | Total support Add lines 7 through 10. | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2010 | (b) 2011 | (c) 2012 | (d) 2013 | (e) 2014 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | 26,601,004 | 25,494,301 | 22,938,932 | 44,782,063 | 47,916,874 | 167,733,174 |
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose...... | 33,755,253 | 35,412,176 | 38,309,941 | 39,487,351 | 43,451,445 | 190,416,166 |
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513.. | 0 | |||||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | 0 | |||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | 0 | |||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5. | 60,356,257 | 60,906,477 | 61,248,873 | 84,269,414 | 91,368,319 | 358,149,340 |
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons... | 1,266,744 | 1,252,164 | 1,187,684 | 26,611,091 | 743,264 | 31,060,947 |
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | 0 | |||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | 1,266,744 | 1,252,164 | 1,187,684 | 26,611,091 | 743,264 | 31,060,947 |
| 8 | Public support (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | 327,088,393 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2010 | (b) 2011 | (c) 2012 | (d) 2013 | (e) 2014 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | 60,356,257 | 60,906,477 | 61,248,873 | 84,269,414 | 91,368,319 | 358,149,340 |
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | 4,190,912 | 4,330,416 | 5,127,121 | 5,420,675 | 6,399,701 | 25,468,825 |
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | 0 | |||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | 4,190,912 | 4,330,416 | 5,127,121 | 5,420,675 | 6,399,701 | 25,468,825 |
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | 170,064 | 766,657 | 389,050 | 267,710 | 708,527 | 2,302,008 |
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | 64,717,233 | 66,003,550 | 66,765,044 | 89,957,799 | 98,476,547 | 385,920,173 |
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
||||
| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e | Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): | |||||
| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 1-1/2% of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by .035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Check here if the current year is the organization's first as a non-functionally-integrated Type III supporting organization (see instructions) | |||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | ||
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
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| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | ||
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | ||
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required) | ||
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | ||
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | ||
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
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| 9 Distributable amount for 2014 from Section C, line 6 | ||
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | ||
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2014 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2014 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
Distributable amount for 2014 from Section C, line 6 |
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|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2014 (reasonable cause required--see instructions) |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2014: | ||||
| a From 2009.......X | ||||
| b From 2010.......X | ||||
| c From 2011.......X | ||||
| d From 2012.......X | ||||
| e From 2013....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2014 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2009 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2014 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2014 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2014, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2 (if amount greater than zero, see instructions) |
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|
6
Remaining underdistributions for 2014. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1 (if amount greater than zero, see instructions) |
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7 Excess distributions carryover to 2015. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a From 2010.......X | ||||
| b From 2011.......X | ||||
| c From 2012.......X | ||||
| d From 2013....... | ||||
| e From 2014....... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Software ID: | |
| Software Version: |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Information about Schedule O (Form 990 or 990-EZ) and its instructions is at| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Organization's Mission | Form 990, Part I, Line 1 and Form 990, Part III, Line 1: The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans. Calendar year 2014 was a great year for us; we celebrated our 30th anniversary, welcomed over 2 million visitors (our third highest attendance ever), launched a new strategic direction for our Conservation and Science programs, announced our new Ocean Education and Leadership Center project, were named "Best Aquarium in the World" by TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards, and opened a special exhibition unprecedented in its scope and variety of animals - Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes. |
| Program Service Accomplishment Description | Form 990, Part III, Line 4a - Marine Life Exhibition and Care: Marine life exhibition and care costs of $31,776,381 include the cost of operating and maintaining the Aquarium's living exhibit galleries. The debut of Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes in April represented a breakthrough in exhibiting this alluring yet challenging family of marine animals. Tentacles is the largest, most diverse living exhibit ever created to showcase these amazing animals that have gripped the human imagination for thousands of years. Over the life of the exhibit, visitors might see any of up to two dozen species rotating through a dozen living exhibits, from giant Pacific octopus to Hawaiian bobtail squid, the wunderpus and others - including one of the world's smallest squid and one of the world's largest cuttlefishes. With assistance from our partner organization, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, we were the first in the world to exhibit deep-sea cephalopods including the mysterious vampire squid, and among the first to exhibit the flapjack octopus, Japetella octopus and cock-eyed squid. Tentacles also offer visitors interactive exhibits that dramatize the animals' ability to change color and shape and swim with jet propulsion. There are intriguing art pieces highlighting 4,000 years of human fascination: replicas of Minoan pottery and Roman tiles, Victorian-era scientific and literary illustrations and contemporary mechanical sculptures commissioned exclusively for the exhibition. Other Husbandry highlights included news that one of our scalloped hammerhead sharks is both the oldest and longest on exhibit anywhere in the world, and the hatching of our fifth African blackfooted penguin chick. We celebrated the success of our team of jelly biologists, which mapped the elusive life cycle of Olindias formosus - the stunning flower hat jelly, whose multicolored, fluorescent-tipped tentacles are like a living fireworks show. In the process, the team possibly identified what may be key triggers for jelly blooms in the wild. |
| Program Service Accomplishment Description | Form 990, Part III, Line 4b - Education and Outreach: Education and Outreach costs of $11,690,608 include the cost of education programs for both teachers and students, Aquarium Adventures programs to deepen guest experiences, and the Cooking for Solutions event that promotes sustainable seafood practices. With a long-term goal to create a generation of young adults who are inspired, ocean-literate, and ready to act on the ocean's behalf, we announced plans for a new Ocean Education and Leadership Center. Through the Center, we can double the number of visiting schoolchildren who take part in programs led by Aquarium educators, double the number of science teachers we reach through institutes and workshops designed to build their skills, and double the number of teens in leadership programs. We'll nurture their capacity to become part of a science-literate generation that will help solve today's pressing conservation challenges. We began a multi-year fundraising campaign to make the Center a reality. In June, the Noyce Foundation recognized our decade-long collaboration with Watsonville/Pajaro community with a prestigious Bright Lights Community Engagement Award. Our systematic approach combines a series of different education programs designed to engage a broad spectrum of the Watsonville community over time. Those programs range from hosting some 3,500 students in school programs each year to our Splash Zone Head Start program, which we hold both at the Aquarium and in the community. Other initiatives include Young Women in Science, Watsonville Area Teens Conserving Habitats (WATCH), Teacher Professional Development, as well as affordable access programs for low income families and annual events with the Hispanic community in mind (these costs are included in Other program services). Our Project-Based Science Teacher Institute for middle school teachers received a $150,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Science that will benefit over 125 teachers and, by extension, thousands of students they will reach during their careers. Throughout 2014 we reached thousands of visitors through customized Aquarium Adventures programs, ranging from behind-the-scenes tours and overnight sleepovers to educational scuba adventures. In 2014 we added a new behind-the-scenes shark tour where participants discover over a dozen species of sharks, skates and rays, learn what makes sharks different from other fishes and how we're doing cutting-edge great white shark research. Our Aquarium Adventures programs provide enriching experiences for visitors as well as cherished memories. Our active and responsive presence on social media platforms allows visitors to remain connected with us, and us with them, once they leave the Aquarium. We ended the year with 2.3 million followers across all social media platforms and properties, especially Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and a Spanish-language Facebook page called Tu Monterey Bay Aquarium. We're considered one of the social media leaders among zoos and aquariums across the country, not only in the number and engagement with our followers, but also in our innovative approaches to content. In May we hosted our 13th Cooking for Solutions event, which featured more than 90 chefs and 70 wineries and breweries. Renowned chefs and personalities who participated included Alton Brown, Michelle Bernstein, Sam Choy, Carla Hall, Jose Garces, Nathan Lyon, Cindy Pawlcyn, and Educator of the Year John Ash. Reaching over 19,500 attendees, including environmental and food writers, major seafood buyers and restaurateurs, the multi-day event strengthens the connection between what we eat and the health of the planet. As part of Cooking for Solutions, the 2014 Sustainable Foods Institute featured over 50 journalists and 35 speakers and panelists, including Chipotle marketing executive Chris Arnold, Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown, Walmart Sustainability Director Brittni Furrow, International Seafood Sustainability Foundation President Susan Jackson, Los Angeles Food Policy Council Chair Paula Daniels, James Beard Award-winning chef and author Hugh Acheson, and WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights. Sessions were moderated by top journalists from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, National Public Radio, Huffington Post, Guardian Sustainable Business, Salon.com, Harvest Public Media, and The Los Angeles Times, as well as Four Fish author Paul Greenberg. Topics at the 2014 Institute included: models for seafood traceability on a local, regional, national and global scale; reinventing food through new technology; the changing face of aquaculture; and the role of major buyers in shifting the market toward sustainability. |
| Program Service Accomplishment Description | Form 990, Part III, Line 4c - Conservation and Research Conservation and Science costs of $6,315,215 represent expenses for marine policy and advocacy efforts, the Seafood Watch program and field research. Our Conservation and Science programs are having greater impact than ever. Under a new set of strategic priorities we adopted in 2014, we're integrating our research programs with our growing influence in ocean policy, and coupling that with our leadership work with businesses and consumers to reshape the global seafood supply chain. We're influencing leaders in government, business and the nonprofit sector, and transforming fishing practices and aquaculture around the world. Our advice is sought by the White House, international fisheries management bodies and seafood certification programs, by major businesses and by millions of consumers for whom Seafood Watch is a trusted guide for daily purchasing decisions. Seafood Watch celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2014 with recognition that it has become the world's most recognized - and respected - source of science-based sustainable seafood information. Seafood Watch science now informs purchasing standards for more than 100,000 business locations across North America, including the majority of big U.S. foodservice and retail companies. Their growing commitment to buy only sustainably caught and farmed seafood is driving change in the way fishing fleets and aquaculture farms operate around the world. Our team provides guidance to the international bodies that certify aquaculture and fishing practices and to governments - including the ASEAN nations of Southeast Asia that intend to reshape their aquaculture policies around Seafood Watch sustainability criteria. We're also helping colleagues in Japan and other countries build home-grown sustainable seafood movements. Our team also advised U.S. policymakers on a range of critical issues, from recovering Pacific bluefin tuna stocks to illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing on the high seas. We briefed a presidential task force about critical policy changes needed to end those damaging practices, which helped inform a bold White House plan to block the import of illegally caught fish and improve traceability in the $500 billion global seafood industry. Our effectiveness was recognized in a significant way when a donor made a five-year, $10 million gift to support the global expansion of our sustainable seafood program. We are so grateful for their generous support and commitment to our work. Our growing Conservation and Science team is bringing our strengths to bear strategically: to protect critical ocean ecosystems off the California coast and beyond; support recovery of key species like sea otters, white sharks and Pacific bluefin tuna; promote market-based seafood solutions; and address threats to ocean health from climate change and plastic pollution. Speaking alongside former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to open The Economist World Ocean Summit, Executive Director Julie Packard challenged business leaders to get more involved in developing market-based solutions to pressing conservation problems. In the fall, we were one of five sites to host a first-ever U.S. State Department-sponsored Fishackathon to develop simple technological solutions for sustainable seafood challenges in the developing world. The team we hosted from UC Berkeley won the top national award. Our conservation and science work with ocean wildlife is at the heart of all that we do. In 2014, we welcomed a new chief scientist from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He brings strong leadership to our science programs and partnerships, including our work to understand the ecological impacts of sea otters, great white sharks and Pacific bluefin tuna, which are among the world's most vulnerable marine species. We're committed to research and conservation action that will ensure these animals thrive and continue to contribute to healthy marine ecosystems. We brought our scientific and policy expertise to the table as part of the U.S. delegation to international management conferences for Pacific bluefin tuna. By the end of 2014, fishing quotas were cut in half, in the face of a 96 percent decline in bluefin numbers from historic levels. After more than 30 years of pioneering research, we've learned that as California's sea otters make a comeback, so do critically important coastal habitats like kelp forests and estuaries. Our work with this threatened species - at the Aquarium and in the wild - has contributed to a greater understanding of their vital role in shaping healthy ocean habitats. Our exhibit sea otters serve as successful surrogate mothers; to date, more than 30 pups have been born in the wild to animals they raised behind the scenes. In 2014, one pup we rescued and nursed back to health became a sensation in its new home at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, and news coverage highlighted the important research contributions of our sea otter program. After a two-year stay at the Aquarium, our first "Traveling Turtle" was successfully released into the Atlantic Ocean by colleagues at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. We received another rescued baby loggerhead sea turtle that will also be on exhibit for two years before it is returned to the wild. Having these animals on exhibit helps us share the story of this endangered species while youngsters grow large enough for release. We returned 21 Western snowy plover chicks to the wild in 2014 - the most of any season so far. To date, we've raised and released over 120 of these threatened shorebirds, which face many risks in the wild. We've also placed seven birds at other accredited zoos and aquariums. With colleagues at Stanford University, we've deployed electronic tracking tags and learned that adult white sharks make epic voyages from California's coast to Hawaii and back. Now we're collaborating with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to place video cameras on the sharks' dorsal fins. We hope to document what they're doing when they aggregate in the mid-Pacific at what scientists have dubbed the "White Shark Caf." |
| Program Service Accomplishment Description | Form 990, Part III, Line 4d - Other Program Services: Other program services of $16,288,120 represent the costs of activities to provide a high-quality experience for the over 2 million people who visited the Aquarium in 2014. Included in this category are costs for marketing, guest services and membership services, as well as costs associated with foodservices and retail. Marketing includes costs associated with the creation, production and placement of advertising in various media for the purpose of building awareness about the opportunity to connect with marine life and ocean conservation through an Aquarium visit. An allocation of marketing costs is included in management and general expenses to represent the costs associated with soliciting admission revenue. In early 2014 we announced that we selected Service Systems Associates (SSA), one of the country's leading hospitality management companies, to be our new culinary operator. Under a multi-year agreement, the Denver based company took over the service operations for Cindy's Waterfront restaurant and the Monterey Bay Aquarium caf, as well as catering operations for private events at the Aquarium. We retained James Beard Award-winning culinary partner, Chef Cindy Pawlcyn, and her indelible culinary stamp with a farm-to-table menu and inspiring seasonal dishes in both the caf and restaurant. SSA's proven track record in managing cultural organization culinary operations is expected to bring an exciting and fresh perspective to an essential part of the Aquarium's lauded guest experience. We also announced that we are the official conservation partner of Titans of Mavericks, the world's premier big wave surfing event. Under the direction of Cartel Management Inc., Titans of Mavericks is the newly re-faced name and event held annually in Half Moon Bay at the most iconic big wave surfing spot in the nation. And we joined the White House, Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, and other global landmarks to be featured in Google Maps Street View, and are the first aquarium on the iconic site to offer both interior and exterior images. As California's demographics change, we continue to attract and inspire visitors who reflect the new face of the state. In 2014, 27 percent of all Aquarium visitors from California were Hispanic - nearly a 50 percent increase since 2012. Market research indicates the Aquarium has the highest favorability ranking by Hispanic audiences among California non-profit visitor-serving organizations with an annual attendance of 1 million or higher. In 2014, the Aquarium admitted 108,259 people in our community free of charge, a 51 percent increase over 2013. These guests included underserved audiences visiting through our Free to Learn (12,904 visitors), Shelf to Shore (30,123), Student Ocean Stewards (1,589) and annual Community Open House (63,643) programs. We expanded our Community Open House in 2014 to include residents of Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, and introduced the new approach to tri-county residents by offering a one-time event in February in addition to the annual December event. Membership households totaled 76,708 and membership visits exceeded 500,000 as of December 31, 2014. In addition to the essential processing and customer service functions, membership services hosts several member events each year including sleepovers, a Halloween dance party and holiday wine tasting event. Aquarium members also receive Shorelines, the Aquarium's member magazine and targeted monthly e-newsletters. Membership services include other efforts to serve, retain and communicate with members about our conservation mission. The Aquarium's overall outreach wouldn't have the impact it does without the dedication of our many volunteers, who do more than make the Aquarium better - they make our work possible. For each staff member, we have two volunteers sharing their energy and enthusiasm for the ocean. In 2014, approximately 1,260 individuals volunteered nearly 160,000 hours of their time. Over our 30 years, we've had the support of 9,000 volunteers who devoted more than 3.6 million hours, working with visitors and behind the scenes. |
| Family or Business Relationships Among Officers, Trustees & Key Employees | Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 2: Trustees Julie Packard and Susan Orr are sisters. Chris Scholin, a Trustee, is the CEO of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute ("MBARI"), of which Julie Packard and Barbara Wright are Board members. |
| Form 990 Review Process | Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 11b: The Form 990 is prepared by Grant Thornton LLP based on audited financial statements and with the assistance of the Aquarium's finance and accounting staff. The final draft of the Form 990 is reviewed by the CFO and provided to each member of the Board for review prior to filing. |
| Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflict of Interest Policy | Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c: The Aquarium regularly and consistently monitors and enforces compliance with its conflict of interest policies, including assuring the ongoing efectiveness of the policies Trustees and officers Conflict of Interest Policy -- The Executive Director's office assures that all disclosures forms (and mitigation plans, if applicable) have been received by January 31 of each year from all trustees and officers, prepares a summary of disclosures, and forwards the completed forms and the summary to the Aquarium's Conflicts Review Panel, consisting of the Executive Director, Legal Counsel, VP of Human Resources, and Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"). Trustees and officers also acknowledge receipt and understanding of the Aquarium's conflict of interest policy in conjunction with providing the annual disclosures. Following review by the Panel, the Panel's findings and the disclosures are provided to the Board's Audit Committee, which reviews the disclosures and makes a report to the Board at its March Board meeting. Both the Panel and the Audit Committee annually evaluate the effectiveness of the process. The CFO assures appropriate reporting to the external auditors and tax filings preparer. Trustees and officers have a continuing duty to make additional disclosures throughout the year if warranted. Employees Code of Ethical Conduct Policy -- The VP of Human Resources forwards the Code, which includes a section on conflicts of interest, to all managers in early January each year, and assures that each manager responds that they have read it and are in compliance by January 31. Managers are also required to disclose any interests which could give rise to conflict, and to assure that any staff in their areas with interests which could give rise to conflict has done the same. Disclosures (and mitigation plans, if applicable) are reviewed by the Executive Director, VP of Human Resources and CFO by March. This team also evaluates the effectiveness of the process. The CFO assures appropriate reporting to the external auditors and tax filings preparer. Employees have a continuing duty to make additional disclosures throughout the year if warranted. |
| Process for Determining Compensation of CEO, Officers, and Key Employees | Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Lines 15a and 15b: The Board of Trustees maintains a performance evaluation process for the Chief Executive Officer, referred to as the Executive Director, who is a member of the Board. The Board's Executive Compensation Committee, comprised of independent directors, reviews the CEO's performance with input from the other Board members, and recommends the compensation of the CEO to the Board. The Committee obtains and reviews market survey data from several independent organizations (in 2014 this was several national and regional firms, including one custom survey) containing data for comparable positions at comparable organizations. The Committee provides the performance review and comparable salary information to the Board and recommends the CEO's compensation. Based upon the performance review and comparable salary information, the independent members of the Board determine that the compensation is fair, just and reasonable and then approves total compensation for the CEO. The Board delegates to the Executive Compensation Committee the performance review and compensation approval of the CFO, who is not a member of the Board, and any other Officers or key employees. Based upon the performance review and comparable salary information, the Committee determines that the compensation is fair, just and reasonable and approves total compensation for the CFO and all other officers and highly compensated senior staff. In each case, the review and approval is contemporaneously documented in the minutes of the Committee and the Board, respectively. |
| Documents Made Available to the Public | Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19: The Aquarium makes its audited financial statements and Form 990 for the most recent three years available to the public by posting on its website. The conflicts of interest policy and governing documents are provided upon request within two business days. |
| Other Changes in Net Assets | Form 990, Part XI, Line 9: Impairment of Real Estate: ($285,000) Reversal of Prior Year Pledge: ($6,672) |
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