Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for instructions and the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (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 |
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Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2016 | (b) 2017 | (c) 2018 | (d) 2019 | (e) 2020 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | 8,110,637 | 4,545,054 | 4,841,999 | 4,608,768 | 7,362,271 | 29,468,729 |
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf.... | 0 | |||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | 0 | |||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | 8,110,637 | 4,545,054 | 4,841,999 | 4,608,768 | 7,362,271 | 29,468,729 |
| 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).. | 3,502,469 | |||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | 25,966,260 | |||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2016 | (b) 2017 | (c) 2018 | (d) 2019 | (e) 2020 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | 8,110,637 | 4,545,054 | 4,841,999 | 4,608,768 | 7,362,271 | 29,468,729 |
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | 129,125 | 134,203 | 148,230 | 215,047 | 139,091 | 765,696 |
| 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.).. | 0 | |||||
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | 30,234,425 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2016 | (b) 2017 | (c) 2018 | (d) 2019 | (e) 2020 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | ||||||
| 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 | ||||||
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | ||||||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | ||||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | ||||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | ||||||
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | ||||||
| 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. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | ||||||
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2016 | (b) 2017 | (c) 2018 | (d) 2019 | (e) 2020 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | ||||||
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | ||||||
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | ||||||
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | ||||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | ||||||
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | ||||||
| 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) |
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| 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): |
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| 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 0.015 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 0.035 | 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 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | 1 | |
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
2 | |
| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | 3 | |
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | 4 | |
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required - provide details in Part VI) | 5 | |
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | 6 | |
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | 7 | |
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
8 | |
| 9 Distributable amount for 2020 from Section C, line 6 | 9 | |
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | 10 | |
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2020 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2020 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Distributable amount for 2020 from Section C, line 6 | ||||
|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2019 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI). See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2020: | ||||
| a From 2015....... | ||||
| b From 2016....... | ||||
| c From 2017....... | ||||
| d From 2018....... | ||||
| e From 2019....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2020 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2015 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from line 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2020 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2020 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from line 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2020, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
6
Remaining underdistributions for 2020. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
7 Excess distributions carryover to 2021. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2016..... | ||||
| b Excess from 2017..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2018..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2019..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2020..... | ||||
| 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.
Go to www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Part VI, Section A, Question 11b | As stated in the Finance & Audit Committee Charter adopted on August 3, 2006, the Form 990 is reviewed by the Finance & Audit Committee, a sub- committee of the Board of Trustees prior to filing with the IRS. A complete copy of the Form 990 was made available to each Board Trustee. |
| Part VI, Section B, Question 12c | A full copy of the Conflict of Interest Statement is provided to each Trustee at the first board meeting of the year. Each Trustee is required to sign an acknowledgement of receipt, indicates any potential conflicts of interest, and returns it to the Museum. A control list is maintained to ensure all acknowledgements are returned. The Museum recognizes a conflict of interest as occurring when an interested person defined as any trustee, principal officer or member of a committee with board-delegated powers has a direct or indirect financial interest or compensation arrangement through business, investment or family. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are substantial in nature. All potential conflicts are reviewed by a committee of the board to determine whether the transaction or arrangement is in the Museum's best interest and for its own benefit and whether the transaction is fair and reasonable to the Museum and shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement in conformity with such determination. If the board committee determines a conflict of interest does exist, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. |
| Part VI, Section B, Question 15a | Compensation for the President/CEO is determined by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Compensation and benefit information is gathered from human resource consultants pertaining to both museums of comparable size and nature and other regional cultural institutions. The information is reviewed by the Executive Committee and a compensation package is developed and approved. |
| PART VI, SECTION B, QUESTION 15B | All other officers' compensation is determined in a similar process as to that of the President/CEO; however, the process is performed by Human Resources Staff and all other officers are not under contract. |
| Part VI, Section C, Question 19 | The Museum's governing documents including Fernbank's Charter and Articles of Incorporation, its mission statement and strategic plan, ethics policy, collections policy, privacy policy, gift policy, investment policy, endowment policy, conflict of interest policy, whistle blower policy, document retention policy and finance committee charter and current Form 990 are available upon request through the finance Department at 767 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30307 for a nominal fee. The Museum's audited financial statements are available on-line through the Museum's web site. |
| Form 990, Part III, Question 4a | Exhibits and giant screen movies: Fernbank Museum offers a diversity of programming, including a variety of exhibitions and films which were temporarily suspended in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. On March 15, 2020, the Museum closed for an 11-week period to demonstrate social responsibility and remain in compliance with shelter in place orders from Georgia Governor Kemp. During 2020, Fernbank presented blockbuster special exhibitions including: Senses: An Immersive Experience and Amazing Animals: Built to Survive; and, popular seasonal exhibitions like Habitats (spring), Games in the Gallery (summer), Woodland Spirits (Fall) and the perennial favorite, Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions from Around the World (winter). Fernbank's Giant Screen Theater continued to provide state-of-the-art 4K digital projection. Films shown included Australia's Great Wild North; Back from the Brink; Hidden Pacific; Volcanoes and Pandas. |
| Form 990, Part III, Question 4b | Fernbank is committed to offering the highest-quality educational programming designed to complement a visit, support in-school learning and reach new audiences. Programs are designed for a variety of guests at all stages of life, including adults, families, and school children. All museum programs, exhibits and documentary-style movies are designed to meet or exceed Georgia Standards of Excellence, enhancing the classroom experience and bringing science to life through hands-on experiences. Prior to the pandemic, Fernbank welcomed 430,000 visitors including 60,000 students who visited on field trips. In 2020, Fernbank closed its doors for an 11-week period in compliance with shelter in place orders by Georgia Governor Kemp. After opening its doors, Fernbank continued to operate under severe public health constraints. Consequently, visitation fell to 148,000 in 2020 with 12,300 students visiting on a field trip during the earliest months of the year. With the shuttering of schools and businesses, Fernbank quickly pivoted to online programs that reached 15,453 viewers and launched a new virtual platform that served 5,120 students with science content. As visitors made their way back to the campus and with safety guidelines in place, Fernbank premiered a brand new STEAM Lab, a new special exhibition, 'Amazing Animals: Built to Survive," science festivals including 'Summer Science Festival"Supernatural Science Fest,' seasonal exhibits including 'Woodland Spirits'Winter Wonderland,family enrichment programs like Family Discovery Days. Additionally, Fernbank continued its monthly adult science night, Fernbank After Dark, which offers the unique opportunity to experience the Museum after-hours and participate in a variety of hands-on science activities led by Fernbank educators during an adults-only environment. When schools are permitted to return, Fernbank will continue its long tradition of serving students with its exceptional K-12 Exploratory Science Classes as well as highly specialized programs like CORE (Connecting, Observing, Researching Ecosystems), Creature Features, Campus-Wide Investigations and more. Further, Fernbank will return to community outreach with its afterschool program, Science Explorers, and its brand new Fernbank on the Go mobile museums. |
| Form 990, Part III, Question 4c | STRATEGIC INITIATIVES: IN 2016, FERNBANK BECAME A UNIFIED CAMPUS WITH THE ADDITION OF WILDWOODS, A 10-ACRE WOODLAND AND IMMERSIVE PATH INTO A RESTORED AND HEALTHY FERNBANK FOREST. GUIDED BY A NEW 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, ADOPTED IN 2019, FERNBANK IS ADVANCING NEW EDUCATION AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT WILL ADDRESS STEAM LITERACY AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BIODIVERSITY TO OUR SHARED GLOBAL HOME. THE STRATEGIC PLAN EMBRACED A NEW MISSION TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR SCIENCE, NATURE AND HUMAN CULTURE THROUGH EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY; INTRODUCED THESE CORE VALUES-SCIENCE AND THE NATURAL WORLD INSPIRE US; CURIOSITY DRIVES US; INCLUSIVITY STRENGTHENS US; COMMUNITY EMPOWERS; RESOURCEFULNESS ADVANCES US; AND INTEGRITY GROUNDS US; AND, ESTABLISHED THESE STATED GOALS AND STRATEGIES-BE KNOWN AS THE PLACE FOR SCIENCE, NATURE AND CULTURE; MODERNIZE OUR EXPERIENCES TO SERVE THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY; EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY OUR REACH TO REFLECT THE VIBRANCY AND MULTI-CULTURAL HERITAGE OF OUR SHARED COMMUNITY; AND STRENGTHEN OUR FINANCIAL BASE SO FERNBANK THRIVES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS |
| FORM 990, PART VIII, Line 1e | In April 2020, the Organization obtained a Small Business Administration ("SBA") loan under the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act ("PPPFA") in the amount of $843,900. The Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loan bears interest at 1% and will follow the repayment terms outlined by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act (the "CARES Act") and PPPFA. In June 2021, the Organization obtained PPPFA loan forgiveness and recorded the funds within other changes in the accompanying statement of activities and changes in net assets. In March 2021, the Organization obtained a second Small Business Administration loan under the PPPFA in the amount of $849,000. The second PPP loan has the same provisions as the PPPFA first loan mentioned above. The Organization intends to apply for forgiveness in 2021. As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stabilization Act (the "CARES" Act), employers are provided the Employee Retention Credit ("ERC"). The ERC is a benefit provided through payroll tax credits to encourage maintaining employee headcounts throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. The Organization is treating the ERC as a conditional grant and revenue is recorded when the conditions are substantially met. During 2020, the Organization met the conditions required by the ERC and recognized grant revenue of $376,521. FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 8 -2,543 WRITE-OFF OF PRIOR YEAR PLEDGES. |
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