Association of Universities for Research
The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1957. Based in Washington, D.C., with an additional office in Tucson, Arizona, AURA is a consortium of 49 U.S. institutions and 3 international affiliates. The organization operates major astronomical research facilities and employs over 1,500 staff members.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$125.9M
-16.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$56.2M
+14.9% YoY
Grant Count
154
+0.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$365K
+14.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: AURA provides innovative, open resources to enable discovery and excellence in research, to unify the astrophysics communities, and to promote public understanding of our universe and the benefits of scientific exploration.
Primary Programs and Facilities:
AURA operates the following major facilities under federal cooperative agreements:
- National Optical Infrared Laboratory (NOIRLab) — operated under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation
- National Solar Observatory (NSO) — operated under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation
- Vera C. Rubin Observatory Construction (Rubin Construction/LSSTPO) — operated under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation
- Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) — operated under an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
AURA is also committed to public and educational outreach, diversity throughout the astronomical and scientific workforce, and creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.
Grantmaking
AURA makes grants to support scientific research. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AURA operates facilities and serves the international scientific community. The organization has institutional members across the United States and maintains 3 international affiliates. Operations are based in Washington, D.C. and Tucson, Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Revenues: $450,393,254
- Total Expenses: $447,255,915
- Total Assets: $125,924,044
- Number of Employees: 1,581
Previous Year (2023):
- Total Revenues: $421,000,000
- Total Expenses: $419,000,000
- Total Assets: $151,000,000
- Total Liabilities: $151,000,000
Tax Status: AURA has been tax-exempt since July 1961 and is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
Rating: AURA received an 81% rating (Three-Star out of Four Stars) from independent charity evaluators, indicating solid performance in accountability and finance.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $125,924,044 | $150,950,841 | $108,725,911 |
| Revenue | $450,393,254 | $420,912,916 | $380,284,932 |
| Expenses | $447,255,915 | $419,441,241 | $382,669,172 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $950,664 | $649,445 | $878,581 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include California Institute of Technology ($2,508,484), Gmto Corporation Inc ($1,455,307), Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($1,370,784).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $173,487 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $69,641 |
| AMHERST COLLEGE AMHERST, MA | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $38,140 |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY PHOENIX, AZ | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $1,094,403 |
| ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES INC WASHINGTON, DC | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $56,504 |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY AUBURN, AL | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $186,609 |
| BATES COLLEGE LEWISTON, ME | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $15,874 |
| BAY AREA ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE MOFFETT FIELD, CA | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $76,690 |
| BENEDICTINE COLLEGE ATCHISON, KS | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $14,651 |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DATA FROM HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE | $374,923 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Charles Mountain is listed as the Principal Officer of the organization.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES MOUNTAIN | PRESIDENT | 40 | $566,893 |
| KAREN BJORKMAN | CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| ANDREW BAKER | VICE CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| ELIZABETH BARTON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| EMILY COBABE-AMMANN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JAMES CROCKER | DIRECTOR (THRU 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| KELLE CRUZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROGER DAVIES | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MEGAN DONAHUE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BRENNA FLAUGHER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MAURA HAGAN | DIRECTOR (THRU 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JEFF HALL | DIRECTOR (THRU 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| TODD HOEKSEMA | DIRECTOR (THRU 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| LEOPOLDO INFANTE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DAN JAFFE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JAMES MCATEER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SALLY OEY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JEROME OGLESBY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID REITZE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIE ROCKWARD | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MONICA RUBIO | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARIA TERESA RUIZ | DIRECTOR (THRU 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JAMES YECK | DIRECTOR (THRU 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| BARBARA LAM | VP OF OPERATIONS/CFO | 40 | $312,905 |
| NANCI REICH | DIRECTOR - CORP GOVERNANCE | 40 | $154,219 |
| LEE CURTIS | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $150,961 |
| JEAN EISEN | VP FOR CORPORATE STRATEGY | 40 | $296,165 |
| NEILL REID | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - SCIENCE | 40 | $269,361 |
| HEIDI HAMMEL | VP FOR SCIENCE | 40 | $340,990 |
| INGER JORGENSEN | CSO (THRU 8/24) | 24 | $184,820 |
| DANA LEHR | VP PROGRAMS | 40 | $287,937 |
| NANCY LEVENSON | INTERIM DIRECTOR, STSCI | 40 | $392,185 |
| JENNIFER LOTZ | NOIRLAB - GEMINI/STSCI DIRECTOR | 40 | $277,519 |
| PATRICK MCCARTHY | NOIRLAB DIRECTOR | 40 | $359,483 |
| STUARTT CORDER | NORILAB DEPUTY DIRECTOR | 40 | $277,921 |
| VALENTIN PILLET | DIRECTOR, NSO (THRU 7/24) | 40 | $331,690 |
| PHILIP PUXLEY | VP FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS | 40 | $295,373 |
| MARC POSTMAN | ACTING DEP. DIR. - STSCI (THRU 2/24) | 40 | $296,162 |
| DAVE LISKA | ASSOICATE DIR. ENG. & IT (THRU 9/24) | 40 | $267,663 |
| JEDEDIAH MCCORMICK | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - ADMIN | 40 | $195,285 |
| KENNETH SEMBACH | ASTRONOMER | 40 | $386,984 |
| ZELIJKO IVEZIC | RUBIN OPS CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR | 40 | $292,232 |
| VICTOR KRABBENDAM | VR CONSTRUCTION - PROJECT | 40 | $277,130 |
| THOMAS RIMMELE | NSO - ASSOC. DIRECTOR - DK | 40 | $274,842 |
| ROBERT BLUM | OPERATIONS DIRECTOR | 40 | $256,487 |
Contact Information
Washington, D.C. Office: 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20004 Phone: (202) 483-2101 Fax: (202) 483-2106 Email: info@aura-astronomy.org
Tucson, Arizona Office: 950 N Cherry Ave Tucson, AZ 85719
Website: www.aura-astronomy.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Association of Universities for Research fund?
**Mission Statement:** AURA provides innovative, open resources to enable discovery and excellence in research, to unify the astrophysics communities, and to promote public understanding of our universe and the benefits of scientific exploration. **Primary Programs and Facilities:** AURA operates the following major facilities under federal cooperative agreements: • **National Optical Infrared Laboratory (NOIRLab)** — operated under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation •…
How do I apply for a grant from Association of Universities for Research?
AURA makes grants to support scientific research. Recent grant activity includes: | Grantee | Grant Description | Year | Amount | |---------|-------------------|------|--------| | California Institute of Technology | Scientific Research on Data From Hubble Space Telescope | 2024 | $2,508,484 | | Associated Universities Inc. | Scientific Research on Data From Hubble Space Telescope | 2023 | $50,930 |
Where does Association of Universities for Research make grants?
AURA operates facilities and serves the international scientific community. The organization has institutional members across the United States and maintains 3 international affiliates. Operations are based in Washington, D.C. and Tucson, Arizona.
What size grants does Association of Universities for Research award?
In 2024, Association of Universities for Research awarded 154 grants totaling $56.2M — an average of about $365K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Association of Universities for Research's EIN?
Association of Universities for Research's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0138043. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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