Nonprofit · EIN 23-7128629
MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY
Tax-exempt · MARINA, CA 93933
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $801,076 | $648,470 | $152,606 | $5,384,000 | $15,034 | $5,368,966 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $397,080 | $461,456 | -$64,376 | $5,040,296 | $26,533 | $5,013,763 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $430,903 | $366,122 | $64,781 | $4,653,331 | $2,347 | $4,650,984 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $691,695
- of which government grants
- $503,626
- Program service revenue
- $7,341
- Investment income
- $72,869
- Net rental income
- $27,991
- Net income from sales of inventory
- $1,180
- Other revenue
- $29,171
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $12,500
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $0
- Other salaries and wages
- $337,491
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $373,074
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $9,508
- Occupancy
- $53,281
- Travel
- $2,420
- Program services (functional)
- $418,179
- Management and general (functional)
- $230,291
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $5,040,296
- Total assets, end of year
- $5,384,000
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $15,034
- Net assets, end of year
- $5,368,966
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $2,185,192
- Publicly traded securities
- $3,162,620
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $5,308,153
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $60,813
- Gross receipts
- $801,076
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 10
- Year formed
- 1972
- State of legal domicile
- CA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Jones | Chairman of the Board Trustee or director, Officer | – | $0 |
| Craig Chester | President Trustee or director, Officer | – | $0 |
| Dennis Mar | Secretary - Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | – | $0 |
| Bruce Weaver | Observatory Director Trustee or director | – | $0 |
| Gary Love | Director Trustee or director | – | $0 |
| Richard Stedman | Director Trustee or director | – | $0 |
| Phyllis Cleveland | Director Trustee or director | – | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 7 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Jones | Chairman of the Board Trustee or director, Officer | 4 | $0 |
| Craig Chester | President Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 |
| Dennis Mar | Secretary - Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 |
| Bruce Weaver | Observatory Director Trustee or director | 60 | $0 |
| Gary Love | Director Trustee or director | 4 | $0 |
| Richard Stedman | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Phyllis Cleveland | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 7 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Jones | Chairman of the Board Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 |
| Craig Chester | President Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 |
| Dennis Mar | Secretary Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 |
| Bruce Weaver | Observatory Director Trustee or director | 60 | $0 |
| Gary Love | Director Trustee or director | 6 | $0 |
| Richard Stedman | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Phyllis Cleveland | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 200 8TH ST, MARINA, CA 93933-6002
- In care of
- % CRAIG CHESTER
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Craig Chester, 9645 Sandbur Place, Salinas, CA 93907
- Signed the 990
- Craig Chester, President
- Phone
- (831) 883-1000
- Website
- mira.org
California records
California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 23-7128629 or by the name MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY.
- Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)
- Secretary of State, bizfile Online
- Corporation status, entity number, agent for service
- Franchise Tax Board
- Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)
Mission
1) Conduct astronomical research.(2) Encourage the advancement of knowledge concerning astronomy by educating the general public.
Program accomplishments
- Upgraded MRA's research facilities, instrumentation, and software: (1) Developed and maintained MIRA's research observatory at a remote dark-sky site. (2) Upgraded the 36-inch telescope's major instrumentation components, including spectrograph, Guidance-Acquisition Package, polarimeters, off-axis guider, etc. (3) Developed computer programs to build and test theoretical models of the spectra of early-type stars.Expenses $188,000
- Performed and published significant astronomical research. MIRA astronomers authored or co-authored four research papers published in refereed journals and nine conference presentations, most of which were published in the conference proceedings. Highlights:(1) high-precision polarimetric studies of stars and planets, published in cooperation with other observatories; (2) high - resolution infra-red observations of hot stars; (3) analysis of stellar interior structures with asteroseismolgy data from MIRA and NASA data; (4)analysis of MIRA and Hubble Space Telescope observations of cometary ejecta from the NASA Deep Impact mission.Expenses $194,500 · grants $12,500
- Public Education in Astronomy: (1) Published a quarterly newsletter. (2) Provided educational research opportunities and guidance for ten high school and college summer interns. 3) Sponsored a local astronomy club. (4) Provided maintenance and access to the Student Observatory. (5) Supported Monterey County Free Libraries telescope borrowing program. (6) Maintained an astronomical education website. (7) Conducted star parties, classroom visits and tours, and adult education classes. (8) Sponsored public lectures by eminent visiting astronomers and MIRA astronomers on topics of interest to the public.Expenses $4,910 · revenue $7,341
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 23-7128629
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1972
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Science and technology (U31Z)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $5,384,000
- Income (IRS master file)
- $801,076
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $801,076 | $648,470 | $5,384,000 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2024 | $397,080 | $461,456 | $5,040,296 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $430,903 | $366,122 | $4,653,331 | XML |
| 990-T | December 2023 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2022 | $224,132 | $586,844 | $4,324,792 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 23-7128629).
Questions about MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY
- What is the EIN of MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY is 23-7128629.
- Is MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1972.
- Are donations to MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Craig Chester.
- Who are the officers and directors of MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 7 people; 0 received compensation from the organization.
- How much revenue does MONTEREY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $801,076, expenses of $648,470 and total assets of $5,384,000 at year end.
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