North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc
The North Carolina Museum of Life & Science is a public charity based in Durham, North Carolina. It supports science learning through exhibits, programs, and experiential learning, and its 2025 filing reports grants totaling $285,828.
Key facts about North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc
In short: North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc gave $286K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), top state Utah. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 56-0938434
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $285,828
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- Average grant
- $19,055
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $26,278,749
- Primary geography
- Utah (25% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$26.3M
+0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$286K
Grant Count
15
Avg Grant Size
$19K
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the Museum’s filing is to create a place of lifelong learning where people of all ages embrace science as a way of understanding themselves, their community, and their world. The filing describes STEM learning experiences and extracurricular programming, with exhibits and activities intended to help children and families engage with science, technology, engineering, and math.
The 2025 filing lists subawards connected to NOAA and NASA agreements. The NOAA-related grants supported a community-driven heat monitoring and observation project, including participant support; NASA-related grants supported a project to spark interest in STEM among Hispanic learners through connections to NASA explorations and discoveries.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing reports 15 grants totaling $285,828. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $60,107, with a median of $10,000. The largest reported awards were $60,107 to Utah State University and $54,252 to the Museum of Science in Boston, both for subawards on the NOAA cooperative agreement concerning community-driven heat monitoring and observation. Other large awards included $25,608 to Catalyst Consulting Group and $24,640 to Garibay Group Inc. for subawards on the NASA grant concerning STEM interest among Hispanic learners, and $21,221 to Arizona State University for that project.
Several $10,000 awards were identified as participant-support stipends under the NOAA agreement. These payments support project participants and are not described as an outside-applicant grant program.
Separately, the Museum’s website says it may donate four guest passes to select North Carolina community events. Requests must be submitted online at least six weeks before the event; eligible requesters are 501(c)(3) nonprofits and schools within 90 miles of the Durham campus. Organizations working with children receive priority, and the Museum can fulfill one donation per organization per calendar year. Passes must be used for fundraising. The Museum says it does not accept requests by phone, fax, mail, or direct email.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Museum is based in Durham and describes serving Durham and the surrounding region and state. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states and Puerto Rico; the largest shares of grant dollars went to Utah (25%), Massachusetts (19%), North Carolina (12%), Arizona (11%), and Illinois (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $286K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Utah State University ($60K). Together the top 10 received $236K.
Grant Size Distribution
15 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 13 grants of 15 (87%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Utah State University Logan, UT | Subaward on noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $60,107 |
| Museum of Science Boston, MA | Subaward on noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $54,252 |
| Catalyst Consulting Group Durham, NC | Subawarad on nasa grant - sparking interest in stem among hispanic learners nationwide through meaningful connections to nasa explorations and discoveries | $25,608 |
| Garibay Group Inc Chicago, IL | Subawarad on nasa grant - sparking interest in stem among hispanic learners nationwide through meaningful connections to nasa explorations and discoveries | $24,640 |
| Arizona State University Tempe, AZ | Subawarad on nasa grant - sparking interest in stem among hispanic learners nationwide through meaningful connections to nasa explorations and discoveries | $21,221 |
| Caribbean Regenerative Community Development Inc Sabana Grande, PR | Participant support (stipend) noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $10,000 |
| City of Moab Moab, UT | Participant support (stipend) noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $10,000 |
| Holly-Grove Dixon Neighborhood Association New Orleans, LA | Participant support (stipend) noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $10,000 |
| The Center for Native Health Inc Whittier, NC | Participant support (stipend) noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $10,000 |
| Groundwork Bridgeport Inc Bridgeport, CT | Participant support (stipend) noaa cooperative agreement - innovating a community-driven approach to heat monitoring and observation | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,278,749 | $16,110,794 | $15,297,824 | $285,828 across 15 grants |
| 2024 | $26,172,097 | $16,298,294 | $14,906,615 | 0 grants |
| 2023 | $24,906,670 | $15,916,916 | $13,137,580 | 0 grants |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $26,278,749 | $26,172,097 | $24,906,670 |
| Revenue | $16,110,794 | $16,298,294 | $15,916,916 |
| Expenses | $15,297,824 | $14,906,615 | $13,137,580 |
| Net Investment Income | $116,970 | $113,413 | $56,707 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 1, 2020)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bernice Bond as board chair, Lilith Anderson as board vice-chair/treasurer, and Brian Tajlili as board secretary. It also lists Nida Allam, Luis Alvarez, Rashid Beyah, Jennings Brody, Chelsea Cook, Scott Nevin Daryani, and Jenny Denney as directors.
The Museum’s website identifies Carrie Heinonen as president and CEO, and lists Carly Apple, Kate Booth, Disha Dewan, Roy Griffiths, Betsy Hall, and Lisa Ruth on its executive team. The website lists Lilith Anderson as board chair and Bernice Bond as outgoing board chair.
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc is led by Carrie M. Heinonen, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2021); 8 of 33 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carrie M. Heinonen
President & CEO
President → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$141K (2022) → $213K (2025)
Bernice Bond
Board Chair
Director → Board Vice Chair, 2024
Board Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charlie Moore
Director
Treasurer & Chair → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Erlinger
Director
Director → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beverly Harris
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rashid Beyah
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Robinette
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Luis Alvarez
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maggie Woods
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Neely Shah
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Leininger
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Evian Patterson
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Marks
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennings Brody
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jenny Denney
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Hardin
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kaveh Naficy
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas King
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Trapp
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chelsea Cook
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christy Shaffer
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karl Deonanan
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nida Allam
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Nevin Daryani
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roy A. Griffiths
Vice President for Exhibits
Vice President Exhibits → Vice President for Exhibits, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$107K (2019) → $135K (2025)
Elizabeth D. Hall
Vice President for Guest Experiences
Vice President for Guest → Vice President for Guest Experiences, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$106K (2022) → $132K (2025)
Caroline H. Durham
Vice President of Finance
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$62K (2023) → $102K (2025)
Lisa M. Ruth
Vice President of People & Culture
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$134K (2024) → $133K (2025)
Kate Booth
Chief Financial Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$12K (2025)
Mary C. Apple
Vice President for Education & Engagement
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$115K (2025)
Simone Guthrie
Vice President of Marketing & Communications
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$131K (2025)
Brian Tajlili
Board Secretary
Director → Board Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lilith Anderson
Board Vice Chair & Treasurer
Director → Board Vice Chair & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (38)
- Former: Geoff Keegan (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Melissa Rhodes (2019–2024) — Imm. Past Board Chair
- Former: Nick Dicolandrea (2021–2024) — Board Treasurer
- Former: Nimasheena Burns (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: James Erlinger (2023–2024) — Board Chair
- Former: Leonardo Williams (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Nevin Daryani (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Deborah C. May (2019–2023) — Former CFO & Vice President for Administrator
- Former: Jordan Clark (2019–2023) — Imm. Past Board Chair
- Former: Nakia Hardy (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Sanyin Siang (2019–2023) — Board Secretary
- Former: Scott McGeary (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Tasha Johnson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Jenny Gidley (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Gudrun Parmer (2023) — Director
- Former: Gregg Stave (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jillian Johnson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jodi Miller (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Joseph Pederson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Sheronda Jeffries (2019–2022) — Past Chair
- Former: Gina Loften (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Greg Boone (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Mitchell Sava (2020–2022) — Former Vice President in
- Former: Thomas J. Hill (2020–2022) — Former Vice President Ad
- Former: Barry Vandeman (2022) — Former President
- Former: Barry Van Deman (2019–2021) — Former President
- Former: Ian Huckabee (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: James Hill (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Jon Stonehouse (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Phil Bartos (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Richard Thomas (2019–2021) — Secretary & Chair
- Former: Laurie Reinhardt-Plotnik (2021) — Vice President External
- Former: Claudia Curtis (2019–2020) — Past Chair
- Former: William Bo Ferguson (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Julie Rigby (2019) — Vice President External
- Former: Kim Cameron (2019) — Director
- Former: Lashana Morris (2019) — Director
- Former: Yoell Boyle (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $213K, to Carrie M Heinonen (President/CEO). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 433 W Murray Ave, Durham, NC 27704
Phone: (919) 220-5429
Website: https://lifeandscience.org
Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc
How much does North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc give each year?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc gave $286K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
What is North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's typical grant size?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $19,055, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc give grants?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's top state is Utah, with 25% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Massachusetts (19%) and North Carolina (12%).
Does North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's largest grantees?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Utah State University ($60,107), Museum of Science ($54,252) and Catalyst Consulting Group ($25,608), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc reported $26.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $16.1M.
What does North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc fund?
The mission stated in the Museum’s filing is to create a place of lifelong learning where people of all ages embrace science as a way of understanding themselves, their community, and their world. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check lifeandscience.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's EIN?
North Carolina Museum of Life & Science Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0938434. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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