HIGHER ORBITS FOUNDATION
Cite this
Plain text HIGHER ORBITS FOUNDATION. Strategy Studio, nonprofit organization profile, tax years 2017–2024. https://strategystudio.org/org/463550618. Retrieved 2026-10-19.
APA Strategy Studio. (n.d.). HIGHER ORBITS FOUNDATION [Nonprofit organization profile; tax years 2017–2024]. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://strategystudio.org/org/463550618
MLA “HIGHER ORBITS FOUNDATION.” Strategy Studio, tax years 2017–2024, https://strategystudio.org/org/463550618. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.
Retrieved 2026-10-19; covers tax years 2017–2024. Data: Strategy Studio, CC BY 4.0.
2024 · Form 990 · revenue $1.2M · expenses $1.1M · assets $796K
- EIN
- 46-3550618
- Address
- 5892 PERTH ST, AURORA, CO 80019-2229
- Website
- WWW.HIGHERORBITS.ORG
- NTEE code
- U20
- Subsection
- 501(c)(3)
- Ruling year
- 2015
- Cross-check
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Mission
HIGHER ORBITS IS A NON-PROFIT WITH THE MISSION TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH THE USE OF SPACEFLIGHT, IN HANDS-ON, PROJECT BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATH (STEAM) AND PREPARE THEM FOR FUTURE ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS BY BUILDING CONFIDENCE, PERSEVERANCE, TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, CRITICAL THINKING, CREATIVITY, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
Each tax year counts once: when a return was amended, only the latest return for that period is used below (superseded returns stay listed, greyed, under Finances).
People paid by the organization
1 person paid across every filing: current people first, then by total pay from this organization. Organizations counts every nonprofit each person appears on.
| Name | Latest title | Years | Latest year pay | Total pay from here | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Lucas | PRESIDENT | 2017-2024 | $0 | $130,250 | 1 |
Officers and directors, no compensation reported
14 people listed on the returns with $0 (or no amount) in every compensation column: current people first. Hours are as filed on the latest return each person appears on.
| Name | Latest title | Years | Hrs/wk (latest) | Compensation | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Braun | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Jason Artner | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Jennifer Ginsburg | BOARD MEMBER | 2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Kim Despain | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Marissa Gonzalez | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Natalie Christian | BOARD MEMBER | 2020-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Nicole Stott | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Phil Smith | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Richard Pruss | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Sean Wilson | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Victoria Mechtly | BOARD MEMBER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Jason Hopkins | BOARD MEMBER | 2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Jenni Ginsburg (former) | BOARD MEMBER | 2023 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Katie Kubitskey (former) | SECRETARY | 2017 | 2 | $0 reported | 1 |
People by year
2024 · 13 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUSTIN BRAUN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JASON ARTNER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JENNIFER GINSBURG | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| KIM DESPAIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MARISSA GONZALEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| NATALIE CHRISTIAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| NICOLE STOTT | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| PHIL SMITH | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| RICHARD PRUSS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| SEAN WILSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| VICTORIA MECHTLY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JASON HOPKINS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MICHELLE LUCAS | PRESIDENT | 60 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2023 · 12 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUSTIN BRAUN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JASON ARTNER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JENNI GINSBURG | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| KIM DESPAIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MARISSA GONZALEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| NATALIE CHRISTIAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| NICOLE STOTT | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| PHIL SMITH | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| RICHARD PRUSS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| SEAN WILSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| VICTORIA MECHTLY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MICHELLE LUCAS | PRESIDENT | 60 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2021 · 1 person listed · 1 paid, $75K · 0 employees · 45 volunteers
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELLE LUCAS | PRESIDENT | 60 | $75,000 | $0 | $0 | $75,000 | 1 |
2020 · 2 people listed · 1 paid, $37K
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELLE LUCAS | PRESIDENT/TREASURER/PROGRAM DIR | 60 | $36,750 | - | $0 | $36,750 | 1 |
| NATALIE CHRISTIAN | SECRETARY | 2 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2017 · 2 people listed · 1 paid, $18K
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELLE LUCAS | PRESIDENT | 50 | $18,500 | - | $0 | $18,500 | 1 |
| KATIE KUBITSKEY | SECRETARY | 2 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
Highest-paid independent contractors
No independent contractors reported.
Who gave
Contributor names are not public for this form type.
Public charities filing Form 990 or 990-EZ report large donors on Schedule B, but the IRS withholds their names and addresses from public copies. Private foundations (990-PF) are different: their contributors are public.
Finances
Newest first. Each filing: its name on one row, its figures on the row beneath. Greyed filings are superseded by a later return for the same period and are left out everywhere else on this page.
| Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Net assets | Contributions | Program revenue | Officer pay | Employees | Volunteers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $1,158,465 | $1,074,574 | $795,653 | $775,047 | $143,262 | $984,005 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $998,789 | $1,202,045 | $723,749 | $691,156 | $159,000 | $839,023 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $1,658,940 | $674,293 | $1,099,476 | $1,023,976 | $1,034,438 | $617,533 | $75,000 | 0 | 45 |
| 2020 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $181,972 | $145,400 | $121,751 | $39,329 | $49,099 | $132,864 | - | - | - |
| 2017 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $187,330 | $164,279 | $33,862 | $33,862 | $143,933 | $43,395 | - | - | - |
Funders of this organization
2 grantors reported grants to this organization, $40,100 in all, tax years 2023 to 2024. Exact: the grantor wrote this organization's EIN. Fuzzy: the grantor wrote only a name (foundations' 990-PF has no EIN field), matched to the same or a near-identical name in the same state; the name as filed is shown. From the latest return for each grantor and year, so amended returns aren't counted twice. CSV
| Grantor | Type | Match | Years given | Grants | Total | Latest year | Latest year's amount | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE HS LOPEZ FAMILY FOUNDATION | Private foundation | Fuzzy filed as “HIGHER ORBITS FOUNDATION” | 2023 | 1 | $35,000 | 2023 | $35,000 | show |
| CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA | DAF sponsor | Exact | 2024 | 1 | $5,100 | 2024 | $5,100 | show |
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Who funds organizations like this
Grantors that funded the 100 most similar organizations. Ranked by total given to them. Foundations (990-PF) and donor-advised fund sponsors only. Same matching as Funders above (by EIN, or by name for foundations).
The full list · all similar organizations
Where the money went
Every expense line on each return, biggest first: Form 990 Part IX (with its program, management and fundraising columns), 990-EZ Part I, or 990-PF Part I. Event marks lines the organization itself describes as events. “Events” in each summary adds those lines, conferences and meetings, and the direct costs of fundraising events. Unusual is not the same as improper. Many of these patterns have ordinary explanations. Check the filing.
2024 · Form 990 · $1,074,574 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $248
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | DIRECT EXPENSE TRANSFER | $540,000 | $540,000 | - | - | 50.3% |
| Other (as described) | DIRECT EXPENSES | $118,596 | $72,883 | - | $45,713 | 11.0% |
| Fees: management | $105,000 | $105,000 | - | - | 9.8% | |
| Travel | $104,199 | $103,534 | - | $665 | 9.7% | |
| Other (as described) | APPEARANCE FEE | $59,750 | $59,750 | - | - | 5.6% |
| Office expenses | $37,252 | $13,414 | $22,453 | $1,385 | 3.5% | |
| Other (as described) | DIRECT CONTRACTORS | $30,825 | $30,825 | - | - | 2.9% |
| All other expenses | $30,049 | $28,200 | $1,849 | - | 2.8% | |
| Interest | $27,889 | - | $27,889 | - | 2.6% | |
| Advertising and promotion | $19,236 | $19,236 | - | - | 1.8% | |
| Information technology | $1,530 | - | $1,530 | - | 0.1% | |
| Conferences, conventions and meetings | $248 | - | - | $248 | 0.0% | |
| Total | $1,074,574 | 100% |
2023 · Form 990 · $1,202,045 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $2,019
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | DIRECT EXPENSE TRANSFER | $720,000 | $720,000 | - | - | 59.9% |
| Other (as described) | DIRECT EXPENSES | $134,629 | $114,845 | - | $19,784 | 11.2% |
| Fees: management | $91,667 | $91,667 | - | - | 7.6% | |
| Travel | $75,587 | $73,375 | - | $2,212 | 6.3% | |
| Other (as described) | APPEARANCE FEE | $49,750 | $49,750 | - | - | 4.1% |
| Other (as described) | DIRECT CONTRACTORS | $43,735 | $43,735 | - | - | 3.6% |
| All other expenses | $34,291 | $22,901 | $11,390 | - | 2.9% | |
| Office expenses | $29,261 | $8,836 | $19,548 | $877 | 2.4% | |
| Advertising and promotion | $17,057 | $17,057 | - | - | 1.4% | |
| Information technology | $4,049 | - | $4,049 | - | 0.3% | |
| Conferences, conventions and meetings | $2,019 | - | - | $2,019 | 0.2% | |
| Total | $1,202,045 | 100% |
2021 · Form 990 · $674,293 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $1,532
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | DIRECT EXPENSE TRANSFER | $360,000 | $360,000 | - | - | 53.4% |
| Other (as described) | DIRECT EXPENSES | $79,796 | $73,718 | - | $6,078 | 11.8% |
| Fees: management | $75,000 | $75,000 | - | - | 11.1% | |
| Other (as described) | DIRECT CONTRACTORS | $47,747 | $47,747 | - | - | 7.1% |
| Travel | $36,681 | $35,179 | - | $1,502 | 5.4% | |
| All other expenses | $29,578 | $27,244 | $2,334 | - | 4.4% | |
| Other (as described) | APPEARANCE FEE | $22,425 | $22,425 | - | - | 3.3% |
| Office expenses | $14,755 | $577 | $13,407 | $771 | 2.2% | |
| Advertising and promotion | $3,088 | $3,052 | - | $36 | 0.5% | |
| Information technology | $2,773 | - | $2,773 | - | 0.4% | |
| Conferences, conventions and meetings | $1,532 | - | - | $1,532 | 0.2% | |
| Insurance | $918 | $459 | $459 | - | 0.1% | |
| Total | $674,293 | 100% |
2020 · Form 990EZ · $145,400 spent · pay $36,750 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $97,749 | 67.2% | |
| Salaries, other pay and benefits | $36,750 | 25.3% | |
| Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance | $10,687 | 7.4% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $114 | 0.1% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $100 | 0.1% | |
| Total | $145,400 | 100% |
2017 · Form 990EZ · $164,279 spent · pay $18,500 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $144,039 | 87.7% | |
| Salaries, other pay and benefits | $18,500 | 11.3% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $1,500 | 0.9% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $240 | 0.1% | |
| Total | $164,279 | 100% |