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TMT International Observatory LLC

Public charity · Grantmaker Pasadena, CA EIN: 30-0833462 Website

Key facts about TMT International Observatory LLC

In short: TMT International Observatory LLC reported $20K in grants paid in 2024 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.

EIN
30-0833462
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024
Grants paid (2024)
$20,158 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
Total assets
$227,866,179

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$227.9M

-1.4% YoY

Grants Paid (reported total)

$20K

-79.0% YoY

Revenue

$13.2M

-56.1% YoY

Net Investment Income

$789K

-48.5% YoY

How TMT International Observatory LLC gives

  • Giving fell 52% from 2020 to 2023. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

About TMT International Observatory LLC

Based on IRS filings

TMT International Observatory LLC is a public charity focused on Science & Technology, based in Pasadena, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $227.9M in total assets. In 2024, it reported $20K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list. Net investment income was $789K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

States

Cities

HiloHonoluluAieaKailua KonaKapaauKapoleiLihue

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K3 grants2020 2 grants2021 4 grants2022 4 grants2023 Total only2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2024) to $199K (2020). In 2024 it reported $20K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.

Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

13 grants across all recorded years

9<$50K2$50–100K2$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 13 (69%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for 2024.

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$20M$40M$60M$80M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$227,866,179$231,193,423$225,068,605
Revenue$13,198,485$30,051,390$58,918,459
Expenses$16,449,330$16,100,316$15,439,309
Net Investment Income$788,761$1,532,089$442,569

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

TMT International Observatory LLC is led by Robert Kirshner, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2022); 8 of 25 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Robert Kirshner

    Executive Director

    Executive Director - Start Date → Executive Director, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $667K (2022) → $838K (2024)

  • Benjamin Gallagher

    Telescope Optics Group Leader

    M1 Segment Lead Engineer → Telescope Optics Group Leader, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $233K (2020) → $280K (2024)

  • Eric Hansen

    Deputy Project Manager

    Opto Mechanical Engineer → Telescope Department Head, 2021

    Telescope Department Head → Deputy Project Manager, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $237K (2020) → $313K (2024)

  • Fengchuan Liu

    Project Manager

    Deputy Project Manager → Project Manager, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $265K (2020) → $373K (2024)

  • Jose Teran

    Facilities Department Head

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $262K (2021) → $291K (2024)

  • Corinne Boyer

    Adaptive Optics Group Leader

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $242K (2022) → $265K (2024)

  • Kyle Kinoshita

    Telescope Struct. Group Leader

    Telescope Struct Group Leader → Telescope Struct. Group Leader, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $229K (2022) → $246K (2024)

  • Gelys Trancho

    Project Systems Engineer

    New on the 2024 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $252K (2024)

  • An Ramaprakash

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Diana Jergovic

    Secretary & Governor

    Secretary & Governor → Secretary, Governor & Act Treasurer, 2021

    Secretary, Governor & Act Treasurer → Secretary & Governor, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eswar Reddy

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Feng Yuan

    Governor -

    Governor -Start Date → Governor, 2021

    Governor → Governor -, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Henry Yang

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Luc Simard

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Bolte

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Saku Tsuneta

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Suijian Xue

    Governor -

    Governor → Governor -, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tomonori Usuda

    Governor

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Xuefeng Wu

    Governor -

    Governor -Start Date → Governor, 2021

    Governor → Governor -, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Soifer

    Governor

    On filings since 2021

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bruce Macintosh

    Governor

    Governor - Start Date → Governor, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michitoshi Yoshida

    Governor

    Governor - Start Date → Governor, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christopher Martin

    Governor

    Governor - Start Date → Governor, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gilles Joncas

    Governor

    Governor - Start Date → Governor, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Balogh

    Governor - Start Date

    New on the 2024 filing

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (17)
  • Former: Christophe Dumas (2020–2023) — Observatory Scientist
  • Former: Donald Brooks (2020–2023) — Governor -
  • Former: Jonas Zmuidzinas (2020–2023) — Governor -
  • Former: An Ramaparkash (2023) — Governor
  • Former: James Johnson (2023) — Telescope Ctrl. Group Leader
  • Former: Edward Stone (2020–2022) — Executive Director -
  • Former: Kim Venn (2020–2022) — Governor -
  • Former: Satori Iguchi (2020–2022) — Governor -
  • Former: Gregg Goldman (2021–2022) — Governor -
  • Former: Paul Jenny (2020–2021) — Governor & Act Treas-
  • Former: Ravinder Bhatia (2020–2021) — Associate Project Manager
  • Former: B Thomas Soifer (2020) — Governor
  • Former: Gang Zhao (2020) — Governor-
  • Former: Gary Sanders (2020) — Project Manager
  • Former: Mark Sirota (2020) — Telescope Ctrls Group Leader
  • Former: Praveer Asthana (2020) — Governor
  • Former: Shude Mao (2020) — Governor -

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Robert Kirshner — Executive Director: $838KRobert KirshnerExecutive Director$838KFengchuan Liu — Project Manager: $373KFengchuan LiuProject Manager$373KEric Hansen — Deputy Project Manager: $313KEric HansenDeputy Project Manager$313KJose Teran — Facilities Department Head: $291KJose TeranFacilities Department Head$291KBenjamin Gallagher — Telescope Optics Group Leader: $280KBenjamin GallagherTelescope Optics Group Leader$280KCorinne Boyer — Adaptive Optics Group Leader: $265KCorinne BoyerAdaptive Optics Group Leader$265KGelys Trancho — Project Systems Engineer: $252KGelys TranchoProject Systems Engineer$252KKyle Kinoshita — Telescope Struct. Group Leader: $246KKyle KinoshitaTelescope Struct. Group Leader$246K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $838K, to Robert Kirshner (Executive Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about TMT International Observatory LLC

How much does TMT International Observatory LLC give each year?

TMT International Observatory LLC reported $20K in grants paid in 2024 on its 2024 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2023 it gave $96K across 4 grants.

How large is TMT International Observatory LLC?

TMT International Observatory LLC reported $227.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.2M.

What is TMT International Observatory LLC?

TMT International Observatory LLC is a public charity focused on Science & Technology, based in Pasadena, CA. It holds $227.9M in total assets as of 2024.

Where does TMT International Observatory LLC operate?

TMT International Observatory LLC has awarded grants in Hawaii.

What is TMT International Observatory LLC's EIN?

TMT International Observatory LLC's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0833462. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

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