TOTAL REVENUE - FISCAL 2025
$54,351,794
Down 26.9% from $74,375,786 in fiscal 2024.
National Aquarium Inc
Baltimore, Maryland - EIN 52-1121163 - Latest filing: fiscal 2025 (Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025)
HOW TO READ THIS PAGE
How to read this page: every figure below is from the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 17, 2026. People named below are shown as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 17, 2026 - the filing is a snapshot of that fiscal year, not a list of current officeholders.
THE FILING IN ONE PARAGRAPH
National Aquarium Inc reported $54,351,794 in revenue and $60,539,359 in expenses in fiscal 2025, a deficit of $6,187,565 for the year. Program services took $42,069,955 of expenses, or 69.5%. The organization closed the year with $55,995,923 in net assets - about 11.1 months of expenses at the fiscal-2025 spending level.
At a Glance - Fiscal 2025
All values are fiscal 2025 unless a tile says otherwise.
TOTAL EXPENSES - FISCAL 2025
$60,539,359
Revenue minus expenses: -$6,187,565 in fiscal 2025.
PROGRAM EXPENSE SHARE - FISCAL 2025
69.5%
$42,069,955 of $60,539,359 went to program services.
NET ASSETS - END OF FISCAL 2025
$55,995,923
Total assets $92,109,787 minus total liabilities $36,113,864.
TOP EXECUTIVE PAY - FISCAL 2025
$677,165
John Racanelli, President & CEO (Thru 11/28/25), as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 17, 2026. Total across all compensation columns.
PEOPLE REPORTED - FISCAL 2025
412 Employees
Plus 3,058 volunteers reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990.
Money In, Money Out - Fiscal 2025
Revenue and expenses as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 17, 2026. Donated goods are separated from cash so food and supply donations do not read as cash income.
Where the Money Went - Fiscal 2025
Management and general is the figure reported on the filing (Part IX total); where a filing does not carry it, it is computed as the residual of total expenses minus program and fundraising expenses. Cost to raise a dollar in fiscal 2025: $0.42 - $6,805,157 in fundraising expenses divided by $16,060,531 in total contributions. On cash contributions only: $0.43.
Where the Money Came From - Fiscal 2025
| Source | Fiscal 2025 |
|---|---|
| Total Contributions | $16,060,531 |
| Of Which Cash Contributions | $15,815,787 |
| Of Which Donated Goods (Noncash) | $244,744 |
| Membership Dues | $5,778,473 |
| Related Organizations | $1,425,978 |
| Government Grants | $5,083,677 |
| All Other Contributions | $3,772,403 |
| Program Service Revenue | $34,452,003 |
| Investment Income | $350,237 |
| Other Revenue | $3,489,023 |
| Total Revenue (All Sources) | $54,351,794 |
Reserves and Balance Sheet - Fiscal 2025
Reserves and Runway
11.1 Months
of reserves - $55,995,923 in net assets at the end of fiscal 2025, divided by average monthly expenses of about $5,044,946 in fiscal 2025.
Net assets can include donor-restricted funds, buildings and other assets that cannot be spent like cash. Treat months of reserves as a scale measure, not as cash in the bank.
Balance Sheet - End of Fiscal 2025
| Total Assets | $92,109,787 |
| Total Liabilities | $36,113,864 |
| Liabilities as Share of Assets | 39.2% |
| Net Assets | $55,995,923 |
Leadership Pay - Fiscal 2025
Pay is the summed total across all compensation columns on the Form 990 - pay from the organization, pay from related organizations, and other compensation. People are shown as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 17, 2026.
| Name and Title, as Reported | Total Pay - Fiscal 2025 | Share of Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| John Racanelli - President & CEO (Thru 11/28/25) | $677,165 | 1.12% |
| Virginia Y Newton - SVP, Coo/cfo | $377,622 | 0.62% |
| Jennifer Driban - Svp/cmo/interim CEO | $357,231 | 0.59% |
| Margot Amelia - Svp/chief Strategy Officer | $299,640 | 0.49% |
| Scott Melton - Svp/chief Philanthropy Officer | $264,973 | 0.44% |
| Alison Dinger - VP Of Hr And Administration | $195,993 | 0.32% |
| Lauren Nguyen - VP Of Finance And Controller | $182,317 | 0.30% |
| Kristen Rosenberger - VP Of Financial Planning & Analysis | $171,954 | 0.28% |
| Sean Beattie - VP Of Philanthropy | $167,175 | 0.28% |
| Kimberly Lacomare - VP Of Communications | $157,377 | 0.26% |
| Stephanie Allard - Former Svp/chief Animal Welfare Off | $122,908 | 0.20% |
The full Part VII table lists every officer, director, trustee and key employee named on the filing, with hours and the same summed total. Compensation is reported for the calendar year ending within the fiscal year, per the Form 990.
Board and Governance - Fiscal 2025
Board and policy answers as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 17, 2026.
Board Roster - as Reported on the Fiscal-2025 Form 990
21 voting members, 20 independent - independence count as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990.
| Name, as Reported | Role, as Reported |
|---|---|
| John Racanelli | President & CEO (Thru 11/28/25) |
| Virginia Y Newton | SVP, Coo/cfo |
| Jennifer Driban | Svp/cmo/interim CEO |
| Margot Amelia | Svp/chief Strategy Officer |
| Scott Melton | Svp/chief Philanthropy Officer |
| Alison Dinger | VP Of Hr And Administration |
| Lauren Nguyen | VP Of Finance And Controller |
| Kristen Rosenberger | VP Of Financial Planning & Analysis |
| Sean Beattie | VP Of Philanthropy |
| Kimberly Lacomare | VP Of Communications |
| Stephanie Allard | Former Svp/chief Animal Welfare Off |
| Adam Borden | Board Member |
| Victor Abiamiri | Board Member |
| Todd Chester Thru 3125 | Board Member |
| Celine Cousteau | Board Member |
| David Dardis | Board Member |
| Colleen Dilenschneider | Chair |
| Jack Dwyer | Board Member |
| Nancy Grasmick | Board Member |
| Chris Griffith | Treasurer |
| Kathryn Matthews | Board Member |
| Robert Matthews | Board Member |
| Maggie McIntosh | Board Member |
| Merrie Mowen | Board Member |
| Roy Prather III | Secretary |
| Jennifer Reynolds | Vice Chair |
| Enric Sala | Board Member (Thru 3/1/25) |
| Jayson Williams | Board Member |
| Marc Wyatt | Board Member |
| Chuck Tildon | Board Member |
| Marc Bunting | Board Member |
| Carolyn Howell | Board Member |
| Sam O'Neil | Board Member (Thru 5/1/25) |
| Sameer Sidh | Board Member (Thru 12/1/25) |
| Mark Wasserman | Board Member |
| Kerry Watson | Board Member |
Governance Policy Flags - Fiscal 2025
Conflict of Interest PolicyYes - Reported
Whistleblower PolicyYes - Reported
Document Retention PolicyYes - Reported
Audited Financial StatementsYes - Reported
Audit CommitteeYes - Reported
Board Size and Independence21 voting / 20 independent
Flags report what the organization answered on the Form 990. A Yes means the policy was reported on the filing; it is not an outside review of how the policy works in practice.
Grants - Fiscal 2025
Grants Made - Fiscal 2025
This organization reported $50,604 in grants paid in fiscal 2025.
Trend - Revenue
Years are shown only where a filing is held. Missing years are absent, never filled in.
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal 2024 (Prior-Year Column on the Fiscal-2025 Filing) | $74,375,786 | - |
| Fiscal 2025 | $54,351,794 | -26.9% |
This table grows to a 10-year view (revenue, expenses, net assets and top pay) as earlier filings for this organization are added to the record. Missing years are absent, never filled in.
Filings on Record
| Tax Period | Form | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025 | Form 990 | In Force - Filed Sep 17, 2026 | Original Filing at the IRS |
If an amended return is filed, the newest amended return supersedes the earlier one and the table marks which filing is in force.