Overview
What is Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo?
Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, an early years' science education facility. With nearly 200,000 annual visitors and 13,000 elementary students served through its science education program, the JMZ specializes in hands-on learning and child-centric exploration techniques. The Friends collaborate with the City of Palo Alto to provide free science education classes to students in East Palo Alto, where budgetary cuts have eliminated many science programs. Approximately 2,000 elementary school students participate in the program. In fiscal year 2018, the Friends finalized the design of the new $25 million facility and agreed with the City of Palo Alto to rebuild and modernize the JMZ. The new and improved facilities, which opened in November 2021, provide larger, greener spaces that correct structural and safety deficiencies and are scalable to meet the growing needs of the community. The enhanced visitor experience caters to all ages and learning styles, retaining the intimate environment that makes the JMZ a beloved community resource.
Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator Rating: 97%, Four-Star out of Four Star Rating
Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is recognized for its strong accountability and finance practices, achieving a high score of 97%. This rating reflects the organization's commitment to transparency, with all board members being independent and no material diversion of assets reported. The organization effectively manages its resources, evident from a favorable liabilities to assets ratio and a significant program expense ratio of 78.5%, indicating that most funds are directed towards its programs.
User reviews highlight the Junior Museum and Zoo as a beloved community resource, particularly for families with young children. Visitors appreciate the museum's engaging and varied exhibits, which include both animals and interactive science displays. The accessible location next to a park enhances its appeal for families looking for convenient recreational options.
Limitations noted in the data are minimal, with no significant drawbacks reported by users. The positive feedback from both general members of the public and board members emphasizes the invaluable role the Friends organization plays in supporting educational outreach and community engagement events, further solidifying its status as a vital part of the Palo Alto community.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator and Great Nonprofits.
Is Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo legitimate?
Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $0
Professional Fundraising Fees: $0
Other Salaries and Wages: $82,473
For more financial information, click here
Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
What is the mission statement of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo?
The Friends of Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo aim to support and enhance the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, whose mission is to engage a child's curiosity in science and nature. The Friends organization works closely with the city to provide free science education classes to students, primarily in underfunded schools, reaching nearly 2,000 elementary school students annually. In addition to this initiative, they continue to raise funds for exciting new exhibits. In fiscal year 2018, they finalized the design of a new $25 million facility and secured an agreement with the city to rebuild and modernize the Junior Museum & Zoo. The new facility opened in November 2021, offering larger, greener spaces and improved facilities to accommodate the growing needs of the community. The updated Junior Museum & Zoo enhances the visitor experience for all ages and learning styles while retaining its intimate, beloved community resource character.
Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
Who is the CEO of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo?
Lauren Angelo is the Treasurer of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo.
Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
What is the revenue of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo?
Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo's revenue in 2022 was $830,168.
Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
Who are the executives of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo during 2022 was $20,618. There are 4 employees and 32 volunteers at Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo.
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Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
Where can I find the form 990 for Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo?
Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2022 and can be accessed here.
Official website here: www.friendsjmz.org
Learn more at the official website: www.friendsjmz.org
Mission Statement of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo
Friends of Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is a dedicated organization that works to support and enhance the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo. This esteemed institution is committed to engaging a child's curiosity in science and nature. With an annual attendance of nearly 200,000 people and 13,000 elementary students served through its science education program, the Junior Museum & Zoo is a popular early years' science education facility.
The Friends organization plays a crucial role in providing free science education classes to students in under-resourced schools, where budgetary cuts have eliminated many science programs. Close to 2,000 students participate in the program, ensuring they receive valuable hands-on learning experiences. In addition, Friends continues to fundraise for captivating exhibits, contributing to the evolution of the Junior Museum & Zoo.
In fiscal year 2018, Friends finalized the design of the new $25 million facility and reached an agreement with the City of Palo Alto to rebuild and modernize the Junior Museum & Zoo. This collaborative effort led to the groundbreaking and demolition shortly after the close of the year. The larger, greener facility opened in November 2021, addressing structural and safety deficiencies that inhibited the museum's outreach and hampered its essential science education program. With enlarged space and improved facilities, the new Junior Museum & Zoo is scalable to meet the growing needs of the community. The new building, science exhibits, and zoo enhance the visitor experience for all ages and learning styles, while retaining the intimate environment that makes the Junior Museum & Zoo a beloved community resource.
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Impact
October, 2024
Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo significantly enhances the community by supporting the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo (JMZ), an important facility for early science education. Each year, nearly 200,000 visitors engage with the JMZ, which specializes in hands-on learning experiences, catering particularly to young children. The museum’s educators serve approximately 13,000 elementary students annually, fostering curiosity and exploration in science through innovative and child-centric methods.
The Friends organization plays a crucial role in addressing educational disparities, especially in East Palo Alto, where budgetary constraints have limited access to science programs for local schools. By providing free science education classes to nearly 2,000 elementary students in underserved areas, they help to ensure that all children have opportunities to engage with science, despite financial barriers.
With the opening of a new and improved facility in November 2021, the JMZ not only corrected previous structural issues but also expanded its capacity to offer a richer visitor experience. The collaborative effort between the Friends and the City of Palo Alto to modernize the JMZ has resulted in exciting new exhibits and enhanced zoo facilities, making science and nature accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages and learning styles. This revitalization aligns with the mission to ignite a child's curiosity in science and nature, solidifying the JMZ's status as a cherished community resource.
This information is meant to be a general summary of Friends Of The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2022.
- Investment Income: $72,043
- Gross Receipts: $5,519,465
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $3,281,178
- Total Liabilities: $16,073
- Net Assets: $3,265,105
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Organization Details
Founding Year
1962
Phone
(650) 326-6338Principal Officer
Lauren Angelo
Main Address
1451 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD, PALO ALTO, CA, 94301
Website
www.friendsjmz.orgNTEE Category
Code: D115 - Animals
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