Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Ludington, Michigan, registered in 2008, with $291,033 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B.
Revenue (FY2024)
$291K
▼ 1.6% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2024)
$317K
Net assets
$837K
Employees
—
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. Not scored for Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc: 32 mo reserves · -9% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. Not scored for Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc: 2 of 5 disclosure signals earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Revenue grew from $142K (FY2012) to $291K (FY2024) across 13 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
-9.1%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$842K
Total liabilities
$4,903
Net assets
$837K
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $291,033▼1.6% | $317,449▲9.6% | $836,736▼1.8% | $841,639▼1.7% | 990 |
| 2023 | $295,915▲4.0% | $289,587▲7.6% | $851,720▲4.5% | $856,252▲4.5% | 990 |
| 2022 | $284,663▲18.5% | $269,103▲38.3% | $815,371▼3.1% | $819,497▼3.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $240,158▲139% | $194,574▲37.4% | $841,388▼2.8% | $847,679▼2.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $100,378▼65.3% | $141,635▼43.4% | $865,908▼3.5% | $865,908▼3.9% | 990 |
| 2019 | $289,604▲27.5% | $250,149▲29.4% | $897,308▲32.0% | $901,472▲31.6% | 990 |
| 2018 | $227,214▼22.8% | $193,349▼7.4% | $679,964▼11.6% | $684,866▼11.7% | 990 |
| 2017 | $294,180▲32.5% | $208,890▲10.9% | $769,398▲12.5% | $775,232▲12.9% | 990 |
| 2016 | $222,010▼17.1% | $188,352▲18.0% | $684,108▲5.2% | $686,867▲5.3% | 990 |
| 2015 | $267,852▲36.0% | $159,607▲17.4% | $650,450▲20.0% | $652,024▲18.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $196,998▲27.8% | $135,999▲29.2% | $542,205▲12.7% | $548,356▲13.3% | 990 |
| 2013 | $154,109▲8.7% | $105,229▲19.0% | $481,206▲11.3% | $484,033▲5.7% | 990EZ |
| 2012 | $141,736 | $88,398 | $432,326 | $458,042 | 990EZ |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
3 grants to Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc totaling $39K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corewell Health | Create an interactive nursery exhibit | 2016 | $19,685 |
| National Association For the Exchange of Industrial Resources I | Care of ill, needy, or minor | 2015 | $9,666 |
| National Association For the Exchange of Industrial Resources I | Care of ill, needy, or minor | 2014 | $9,628 |
Explore more
Data for Sandcastles A Lake Michigan Childrens Museum Inc (EIN 35-2340348) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.