TOTAL REVENUE - FISCAL 2025
$21,509,307
Up 28.4% from $16,753,478 in fiscal 2024.
The North Carolina Aquarium Society
Raleigh, North Carolina - EIN 56-1512990 - 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 Aug 4, 2026. People named below are shown as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Aug 4, 2026 - the filing is a snapshot of that fiscal year, not a list of current officeholders.
THE FILING IN ONE PARAGRAPH
The North Carolina Aquarium Society reported $21,509,307 in revenue and $8,166,994 in expenses in fiscal 2025, a surplus of $13,342,313 for the year. Program services took $5,980,196 of expenses, or 73.2%. The organization closed the year with $55,638,523 in net assets - about 81.8 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
$8,166,994
Revenue minus expenses: $13,342,313 in fiscal 2025.
PROGRAM EXPENSE SHARE - FISCAL 2025
73.2%
$5,980,196 of $8,166,994 went to program services.
NET ASSETS - END OF FISCAL 2025
$55,638,523
Total assets $57,673,309 minus total liabilities $2,034,786.
TOP EXECUTIVE PAY - FISCAL 2025
$226,247
Elizabeth Baird, President / Chief Executive Officer, as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Aug 4, 2026. Total across all compensation columns.
PEOPLE REPORTED - FISCAL 2025
137 Employees
Plus 60 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 Aug 4, 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: $0.05 - $763,803 in fundraising expenses divided by $14,474,738 in total contributions. On cash contributions only: $0.05.
Where the Money Came From - Fiscal 2025
| Source | Fiscal 2025 |
|---|---|
| Total Contributions | $14,474,738 |
| Of Which Cash Contributions | $14,462,764 |
| Of Which Donated Goods (Noncash) | $11,974 |
| Membership Dues | $1,659,438 |
| Government Grants | $3,243,007 |
| All Other Contributions | $9,572,293 |
| Program Service Revenue | $537,179 |
| Investment Income | $1,273,461 |
| Other Revenue | $5,223,929 |
| Total Revenue (All Sources) | $21,509,307 |
Reserves and Balance Sheet - Fiscal 2025
Reserves and Runway
81.8 Months
of reserves - $55,638,523 in net assets at the end of fiscal 2025, divided by average monthly expenses of about $680,582 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 | $57,673,309 |
| Total Liabilities | $2,034,786 |
| Liabilities as Share of Assets | 3.5% |
| Net Assets | $55,638,523 |
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 Aug 4, 2026.
| Name and Title, as Reported | Total Pay - Fiscal 2025 | Share of Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Baird - President / Chief Executive Officer | $226,247 | 2.77% |
| Shana Barclay - Former Chief Finance Officer | $152,706 | 1.87% |
| Emily Bruce - Chief Philanthropy Officer | $118,326 | 1.45% |
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 Aug 4, 2026.
Board Roster - as Reported on the Fiscal-2025 Form 990
41 voting members, 41 independent - independence count as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990.
| Name, as Reported | Role, as Reported |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth Baird | President / Chief Executive Officer |
| Shana Barclay | Former Chief Finance Officer |
| Emily Bruce | Chief Philanthropy Officer |
| Jordy Whichard | Chair-Elect |
| MS Brick Brown III | Chair |
| Dana O'Donovan | Treasurer |
| Deborah Albert | Board Member |
| Harry Archer | Board Member |
| Bill Belk | Board Member |
| Bill Berry | Board Member |
| Myra Best | Board Member |
| Joye Blount | Board Member |
| Jay Briley | Board Member |
| Judson Pope | Board Member |
| Steve Coggins | Board Member |
| Virginia Cuthrell | Board Member |
| Carolyn Green | Board Member |
| Thomas B Hackney | Board Member |
| Allan Harvin | Board Member |
| Olivia Holding | Board Member |
| Tess Judge | Board Member |
| Art Keeny | Board Member |
| Joyce Sullivan | Board Member |
| Pamela Cashwell NC DNCR | Board Member |
| Bob Mattocks | Board Member |
| Suzanne Pecheles | Board Member |
| Adrienne Moore | Board Member |
| Greg Nichols | Board Member |
| Ronnie Sloan | Board Member |
| Caroline Perry | Board Member |
| Wes Seegars | Board Member |
| Charles Pierce | Board Member |
| Edythe Poyner | Board Member |
| Chuck Revelle | Board Member |
| Bruce Roberts | Board Member |
| Christy Hancock | Board Member |
| Jake McClease | Board Member |
| Eileen Goldgeier | Board Member |
| Johnny Tillett | Board Member |
| Drew Covert | Board Member |
| Latia Banks | Board Member |
| Patrick Boykin | Board Member |
| Hope Williams | Board Member |
| G Dale McGee | Board Member |
| Marvin L Barnes | Board Member Emeriti |
| Frank L Block | Board Member Emeriti |
| Alice Bost | Board Member Emeriti |
| Charles Evans | Board Member Emeriti |
| Charlton Burns | Board Member Emeriti |
| Alex MacFadyen Jr | Board Member Emeriti |
| Besty Oakley | Board Member Emeriti |
| Connie Parker | Board Member Emeriti |
| Walter Phillips | Board Member Emeriti |
| Buck Suiter | Board Member Emeriti |
| Bill Taft | Board Member Emeriti |
| George W Taylor | Board Member Emeriti |
| David Womack | Board Member Emeriti |
| Jane Smith Patterson | Board Member Emeriti |
| Rick Willetts | Board Member Emeriti |
| Mary K Lawrence | Board Member Emeriti |
| Susan Moffat-Thomas | Board Member Emeriti |
| Mary C Watzin | Board Member Emeriti |
| Jon Segal | Board Member Emeriti |
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 Independence41 voting / 41 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 $2,348,025 in grants paid in fiscal 2025.
| Recipient, as Reported | Amount |
|---|---|
| North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island The Society provides support for various projects at the Aquarium such as new exhibits, education programs, conservation and sustainability efforts, etc. | $531,289 |
| North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores The Society provides support for various projects at the Aquarium such as new exhibits, education programs, conservation and sustainability efforts, etc. | $474,702 |
| North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher The Society provides support for various projects at the Aquarium such as new exhibits, education programs, conservation and sustainability efforts, etc. | $362,950 |
| Jennette's Pier The Society provides support for various projects at the Pier such as new exhibits, education programs, conservation and sustainability efforts, etc. | $174,248 |
| North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NC DNCR) The Society provides support for various projects at the NC DNCR such as education programs, conservation efforts, personnel supplements, professional fees, workshops, etc. | $804,836 |
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) | $16,753,478 | - |
| Fiscal 2025 | $21,509,307 | +28.4% |
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 Aug 4, 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.