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 | |||||
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Total |
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Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
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(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | 4,521,964 | 9,049,226 | 8,713,913 | 9,433,538 | 8,632,449 | 40,351,090 |
| 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 | 4,521,964 | 9,049,226 | 8,713,913 | 9,433,538 | 8,632,449 | 40,351,090 |
| 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) .. | 34,413,633 | |||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | 5,937,457 | |||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
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(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | 4,521,964 | 9,049,226 | 8,713,913 | 9,433,538 | 8,632,449 | 40,351,090 |
| 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 | 40,385,429 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal
year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (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)
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(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (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 on 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 2024 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-2024 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Distributable amount for 2024 from Section C, line 6 | ||||
|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2024 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI).
See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2024: | ||||
| a From 2019....... | ||||
| b From 2020....... | ||||
| c From 2021....... | ||||
| d From 2022....... | ||||
| e From 2023....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2024 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2019 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from line 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2024 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2024 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from line 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2024, 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 2024. 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 2025. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2020..... | ||||
| b Excess from 2021..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2022..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2023..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2024..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
|---|
| The mission of Discovery Park of America ("DPA") is to inspire children and adults to "see beyond." DPA is a world class educational experience inside a 100,000 square foot museum with exhibits focused on nature, science, technology, history and art, as well as extensively landscaped 50-acre heritage park. The attached fact sheet gives a glimpse of DPA, its visitors and the facilities that are available to support its mission. While DPA does not presently meet the 33 1/3 percent support test, it satisfies the 10% facts and circumstances test under the relevant Treasury Regulations. Accordingly, DPA should not be classified as a private foundation.Under Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(1)(3), even if an organization fails to meet to meet the 33 1/3 percent support test, it is publicly supported if it normally receives a substantial part of it support from governmental units, from contributions made directly or indirectly by the general public, or from a combination of these sources, and meets the other requirements of subparagraph (f)(3). To satisfy the facts and circumstances test, an organization must meet the requirements of Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(I) and (ii). In addition, the organization must be in the nature of an organization that is publicly supported, taking into account all pertinent facts and circumstances, including the factors listed in subparagraphs (f)(3)(iii)(A) through (f)(3)(iii)(E).I. 10% Support LimitationUnder Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(i), the percentage of support normally received by an organization from governmental units, from contributions made directly or indirectly by the general public, or from a combination of these sources, must be substantial. An organization will not be treated as normally receiving a substantial amount of governmental or public support unless the total amount of governmental and public support normally received equals at least 10 percent of the total support normally received by such organization.DPA normally receives greater than 10 percent of its total support from governmental and public support and its public support percentage for 2024 was 14.70%. As such, DPA satisfies the requirement under Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(i). II. Attraction of Public Support Under Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(ii), an organization must be so organized and operated as to attract new and additional public or governmental support on a continuous basis. An organization will be considered to meet this requirement if it maintains a continuous and bona fide program for solicitation of funds from the general public, community or membership group involved, or if it carries on activities designed to attract support from governmental units or other organizations described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(i) through ((b)(1)(A)(vi). In determining whether an organization maintains a continuous and bona fide program for solicitation of funds from the general public or community, consideration will be given to whether the scope of its fundraising activities is reasonable in light of its charitable activities. Consideration will also be given to the fact that an organization, in its early years of existence, may limit the scope of solicitation to persons deemed most likely to provide seed money in an amount sufficient to enable it to commence its charitable activities and expand its solicitation program.To attract public support, DPA has a continuous and bona fide program for solicitation of funds from the general public, community, and membership groups. DPA has a marketing and development staff that is currently focused on both memberships and capital campaigns. As an example, the recent $1,000,000 development campaign for a new agricultural facility was successfully completed in 2021 soliciting support locally, regionally and nationally in the agricultural community for a project that will explore past, present and future technologies for agriculture. Additionally, development campaigns in 2024 approaching $1 million dollars will be successfully completed for a new greenhouse facility and wildlife exhibit. Both these projects will expand DPAs focus on agriculture. As such, DPA is organized and operated to attract new and additional public or governmental support on a continuous basis and, as a consequence, satisfies the requirement under Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(ii).III. Additional Pertinent Facts and CircumstancesAs noted above, the 10% facts and circumstances test requires that all pertinent facts and circumstances will be taken into consideration in determining whether an organization is "publicly supported." Relevant factors are outlined in Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(iii)(A) (f)(3)(iii)(E). In each case, the relevant facts show that DPA is publicly supported. Each of the factors is addressed below.Percentage of Financial SupportUnder Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(iii)(A), the percentage of support received by an organization will be taken into consideration in determining whether an organization is "publicly supported." The higher the percentage of support above the 10 percent requirement from public or governmental sources, the lesser the burden of establishing the publicly supported nature through other factors. DPA's public support percentage was 14.70 percent in 2024.Sources of SupportUnder Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(iii)(B), the fact that an organization meets the requirement of subparagraph (f)(3)(i) through support from governmental units or directly or indirectly from a representative number of persons, rather than receiving almost all of it support from the members of a single family, will be considered evidence of an organization being "publicly supported." In determining what is a "representative number of persons," consideration will be given to the type of organization involved, the length of time it has been in existence, and whether it limits its activities to a particular community or region or to a special field which can be expected to appeal to a limited number of persons.DPA is not exclusively supported by members of a single family. DPA has received significant support from governmental units and individuals not related to its founders, philanthropists Robert and Jenny Kirkland. As an example, the City of Union City, Tennessee, has contributed in excess of $1 million in support of DPA. Individuals and businesses also contribute in excess of $250,000 annually in support of DPA. In 2021, the $1 million agriculture facility was funded with support by numerous businesses and individuals, as were the $1 million for the Greenhouse and Wildlife Exhibits in 2024. These significant contributions by these individuals and businesses, unrelated to the Kirkland Family, demonstrate that the DPA is supported by a broad representative number of persons. This is particularly true in light of DPA's relatively short existence.Representative Governing BodyUnder Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(iii)(C), the fact that an organization has a governing body which represents the broad interests of the public, rather that the personal or private interests of a limited number of donors (or individuals related to donors), will be considered in determining whether an organization is "publicly supported." An organization will be treated as having a representative governing body if it has a governing body which is comprised of public officials, acting in their capacities as such; of individuals selected by public officials acting in their capacities as such; of persons having special knowledge or expertise in the particular field or discipline in which the organization is operating; of community leaders, such as elected or appointed officials, clergymen, educators, civic leaders, or other such persons representing a broad cross-section of the views and interests of the community.The Board of Directors of DPA represents broad interests of the public, with no members of the Kirkland family on the 17-member board. In addition to local leaders of business and industry, the Board is comprised of City and County Public officials and their representatives, individuals with specific expertise in museums, and state tourism officials, as well as community and civic leaders. As such, the composition of DPA's Board of Directors is evidence that DPA is publicly supported.Availability of Public Facilities or Services; Public Participation in Programs or PoliciesUnder Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3)(iii)(D)(1), the fact that an organization generally provides facilities or services directly for the benefit of the general public on a continuing basis (such as a museum or library which holds open its building or facilities to the public, a symphony orchestra which gives public performances, a conservation organization which provides educational services to the public throu |
| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Software ID: | |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7a | The Board of Directors of the corporation currently consists of 17 members including the President. Vacancies in the Board are filled through nominations by a six-member Nominating Committee consisting of 6 directors including the President and Chairperson of the Board. These nominations are elected to office by the vote of the full Board of Directors for three-year terms that are staggered to provide continuity in the oversight of the corporation. Since 2019, directors have been limited to two consective three-year terms of office. Directors collectively are to represent the broad interests of the residents of the Obion County, Tennessee area with emphasis on persons who have particular experience in the corporation's various activities. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b | Copy of return provided to board for approval. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c | Files are reviewed annually to ensure compliance. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15b | No officers or board members receive any compensation except for the President. The budget, including salaries for all employees including the president, is created by the President with the board passing the budget including salaries. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 | Documents are available upon request. |
| Form 990, Part XI, line 9: | Book/Tax differences -1,434,144. |
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