| Part VI, Section A, Question 11b |
As stated in the Finance & Audit Committee Charter adopted on August 3, 2006, the Form 990 is reviewed by the Finance & Audit Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees prior to filing with the IRS. A complete copy of the Form 990 was made available on the Museum's web site and a link was provided to each Board Trustee. |
| Part VI, Section B, Question 12c |
A full copy of the Conflict of Interest Statement is provided to each Trustee at the first board meeting of the year. Each Trustee is required to sign an acknowledgement of receipt, indicates any potential conflicts of interest, and returns it to the Museum. A control list is maintained to ensure all acknowledgements are returned. The Museum recognizes a conflict of interest as occurring when an interested person defined as any trustee, principal officer or member of a committee with board-delegated powers has a direct or indirect financial interest or compensation arrangement through business, investment or family. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are substantial in nature. All potential conflicts are reviewed by a committee of the board to determine whether the transaction or arrangement is in the Museum's best interest and for its own benefit and whether the transaction is fair and reasonable to the Museum and shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement in conformity with such determination. If the board committee determines a conflict of interest does exist, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. |
| Part VI, Section B, Question 15a |
Compensation for the President/CEO is determined by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Compensation and benefit information is gathered from human resource consultants pertaining to both museums of comparable size and nature and other regional cultural institutions. The information is reviewed by the Executive Committee and a compensation package is developed and approved. |
| PART VI, SECTION B, QUESTION 15B |
All other officers' compensation is determined in a similar process as to that of the President/CEO; however, the process is performed by Human Resources Staff and all other officers are not under contract. |
| Part VI, Section C, Question 19 |
The Museum's governing documents including Fernbank's Charter and Articles of Incorporation, its mission statement and strategic plan, ethics policy, collections policy, privacy policy, gift policy, investment policy, endowment policy, conflict of interest policy, whistle blower policy, document retention policy and finance committee charter are available upon request through the Finance Department at 767 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30307 for a nominal fee. The Museum's audited financial statements and current Form 990 are available on-line through the Museum's web site. |
| Form 990, Part III, Question 4a |
Exhibits and giant screen movies: Fernbank Museum offers a diversity of programming through a variety of both exhibitions and films. In 2017, Fernbank presented four special exhibitions, Wild Weather, Mammoths and Mastodons, Fernbank Forest: Designed by Nature and Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum. Taking advantage of the Fernbank's newest feature, WildWoods, Fernbank debuted Wild Huts & Hollows, its first outdoor gallery exhibit featuring a variety of woven sculptures. Continuing to offer annual favorites, Fernbank presented its eighth annual Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions from Around the World, a festive holiday exhibit which serves as a unique presentation of cultural celebrations and traditions. Fernbank also offered 20 family-oriented Discovery Days, that offered hands-on activities, demonstrations, STEM experiences and cultural programming that connected to our exhibits, movies, nature and more. In 2017, Fernbank also unveiled a newly updated giant screen theater featuring state-of-the-art 4K digital projection with both 3D and 2D capabilities, providing a truly immersive experience. Films shown utilizing the enhanced 3D capability included Extreme Weather 3D, Amazon Adventure 3D, and Incredible Predators 3D. Other film programming included The Search for Life in Space, Dream Big, Titans of the Ice Age, National Parks Adventure, and Tiny Giants. In 2017, through these interactive exhibits , thought-provoking movies and hands-on experiences, Fernbank continued to introduce visitors to cultures around the globe, create STEM-rich learning experiences and highlight important environmental issues facing the world today to encourage a deeper understanding of our planet and its inhabitants. |
| Form 990, Part III, Question 4b |
Educational Programs: Fernbank is committed to offering the highest-quality educational programming designed to complement the visitors experience at the museum as well as through in-school learning. Programs are designed for a variety of audiences at all stages of life, including adults, families, and school children. In 2017, Fernbank offered more than 500 exploratory science classes and delivered enhanced, on-site laboratory and classroom programs to roughly 12,500 of the 50,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students who visited as part of a field trip. All museum programs, exhibits and films are designed to meet or exceed state and national standards, enhancing the classroom experience and bringing science to life through hands-on experiences. Additionally, Fernbank debuted a new monthly adult science night, Fernbank After Dark reaching a young adult audience of 14,000 visitors. This new series offers the unique opportunity to experience the Museum after-hours and participate in a variety of hands-on science activities led by Fernbank educators during an adults-only environment. One of Fernbanks most innovative on-site programs is Urban Watch Atlanta, a 4-hour hands-on environmental science program for middle and high school students that provides a guided ecological hike, hands-on activities and restoration work in the 65-acre old-growth Fernbank Forest. During implementation of this program, Fernbanks educators served 1,130 students in 2017 alone. Fernbank also reached 375 underserved preschool and pre-K students through the Grow Up Great program that provides integrated art and science programming, including customized field trip opportunities, in-classroom experiences and science resource kits for families and teachers. For families and children, the Museum offered Excellent Experiments, Tadpole Tales, live animal encounters, family exploration days, guided Forest walks and more. These programs provided visitors with new experiences with each visit, allowing them to delve deeper into themes presented throughout the museum at age-appropriate levels. |
| Form 990, Part III, Question 4c |
Strategic Initiatives: Fernbanks strategic plan called for the Museum to fulfill its unique environmental legacy in its preservation and stewardship of Fernbank Forest--the largest old-growth Piedmont forest in a major metropolitan area--by leveraging the entire campus to foster a deeper connection to the natural world. In 2016, the Museum debuted WildWoods, a 10-acre outdoor nature experience featuring paths, elevated walkway, tree pods, exhibitions and an education pavilion that serve as the museums new interpretive entrance into Fernbank Forest. During 2017, Forest Rangers and facilitators engaged visitors along the 1.7 miles of hiking trails and introduced them to the natural wonders of Fernbank Forest and the delicate balance of its eco systems. Fernbank personnel, volunteers and specialists continued to improve the health of the forest by continuing to remove non-native invasive plant species, allowing for regrowth of the natural seed bank and restoration of the Forest. |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.