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Fountain Hills & Lower Verde River
Fountain Hills, AZ · EIN 860670640 · Form 990 · FY2022 · NTEE A82M · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · www.rotmuseum.org
revenue
$168K
expenses
$217K
net assets
$455K
employees
3
program ratio
84%
mission · from form 990

See Schedule O

profile · synthesized from sources

Museum and exploration center dedicated to educating and inspiring visitors about the Lower Verde Valley, the river that flows through it, and the desert ecosystem it supports. Offers exhibits, educational programs, and tours focused on local history, culture, and natural environment. Located in Fountain Hills, Arizona, and serves as a nonprofit cultural attraction.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $0
    The organization hosts meetings, tours, events and outings, creating an awareness and interest in artifacts and other historical matters. Serves all interested citezens and visitors of Fountain Hills and Lower Verde River Valley area.
  2. #2 $0
    N/A
named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Explorer Membership Program
Membership program providing unlimited free admission, discounts, and reciprocal access to over 1,300 North American museums through NARM
Group Tours
Docent-led tours for groups of 10 or more, available by reservation
River of Time Museum Admission
General admission program offering access to museum exhibits on the Lower Verde Valley, its river, and desert ecology
School Tours
Free educational tours for student groups in the Maricopa County school system, including docent-led visits to the museum
Volunteer Program
Opportunities for community members to assist with guest services, exhibits, education, events, and marketing
activities · 8 groups

what they do

  • Museum Collection & Exhibit Management 4 activities
    • Manage museum collections and displays
      Organizes and identifies items in its collections, assists in designing new displays, helps with maintenance and repair, and rotates artifacts and activities on the museum floor.
    • Manage museum collections and exhibit maintenance
      Organizes and catalogs museum collections, assists in designing new displays, rotates artifacts and activities on exhibit floors, and supports maintenance and repair of exhibits to ensure quality visitor experiences.
    • Manage museum collections and exhibits
      Organizes and identifies items in its collections, assists in designing new displays, helps with maintenance and repair, and rotates artifacts and activities on the museum floor.
    • Museum Collections Management
      Organizes and identifies items in its collections, assists in designing new displays, helps with maintenance and repair, and rotates artifacts and activities on the museum floor.
  • Guided and Self-Guided Museum Tours 4 activities
    • Provide guided tours and educational programming for visitors and school groups
      Offers docent-guided tours for the general public and private groups of 10 or more, lasting 30 to 90 minutes. Provides free, thirty-minute docent-led museum experiences for Maricopa County K-12 school groups, along with outreach activities and educational programming focused on the Verde River’s history and sustainability.
    • Provide guided tours and educational programs
      Offers guided tours, including private docent-guided tours for groups of 10 or more, and free thirty-minute docent-led museum experiences for Maricopa County school groups (grades K-12). They also host events and educational programs related to the history and sustainability of the Verde River.
    • Provide guided tours and educational programs
      Offers guided tours, including private docent-guided tours for groups of 10 or more, and free docent-led museum experiences for Maricopa County school groups (grades K-12), as part of its educational programming related to the history and sustainability of the Verde River.
    • Providing Guided Tours
      Offers guided tours, including private docent-guided tours for groups of 10 or more, and free thirty-minute docent-led museum experiences for Maricopa County school groups (grades K-12).
  • Cultural Heritage Festivals & Celebrations 3 activities
    • Host events and exhibits
      Hosts various events, including the annual Holiday Mart and Family Free Days, and organizes exhibit openings to entertain, educate, and generate revenue.
    • Host public and member events
      Hosts various events such as the annual Holiday Mart and Family Free Days, and provides free member-only events and exhibit openings to entertain, educate, and generate revenue.
    • Host public events and community programs
      Hosts recurring events such as the annual Holiday Mart and Family Free Days, designed to entertain, educate, and generate revenue for operations. Also organizes member-only events and exhibit openings to engage supporters and promote programming.
  • Museum Membership Benefits Program 2 activities
    • Provide membership benefits
      Offers benefits to members including unlimited free admission, free admission for Fountain Hills students and children under 5, special discounts on tours, events, programs, and shop purchases, and invitations to member-only events and exhibit openings.
    • Provide membership benefits
      Offers benefits to members including unlimited free admission, free admission for Fountain Hills students and children under 5, a 10% discount in the River of Time shop and partner museum shops, and special discounts on tours, select events, and programs.
  • Museum Exhibits & Educational Tours 1 activity
    • Hosting Educational Programs and Events
      Hosts events and educational programs related to the history and sustainability of the Verde River, including annual events like the Holiday Mart and Family Free Days, and offers special discounts and free access to members for select events and exhibit openings.
  • Association Communications & Membership Management 1 activity
    • Manage digital communications and content
      Manages social media campaigns, updates website calendars, writes blogs, and develops digital content to promote museum events, programs, and exhibits.
  • Visitor-Facing Educational Retail Operations 1 activity
    • Operate museum visitor services and retail functions
      Greets visitors, manages admissions, sells memberships, registers participants for events and programs, and operates the River of Time shop, including offering a 10% discount to members at the museum shop and partner locations.
  • Uncategorized 4 activities
    • Operate a museum and exploration center
      Operates The River of Time Museum & Exploration Center in Fountain Hills, Arizona, focusing on the history of the Verde River and water sustainability in the Lower Verde Valley. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Operate a museum and exploration center
      Operates The River of Time Museum & Exploration Center in Fountain Hills, Arizona, focused on the history of the Verde River and water sustainability in the Lower Verde Valley, open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Operate museum with public hours and exhibits on Verde River history and water sustainability
      Operates the River of Time Museum & Exploration Center with regular public access Wednesday through Saturday, featuring permanent and rotating exhibits on the history of the Verde River and water sustainability in the Lower Verde Valley. Provides free admission to members, local students, and children under 5, and offers unlimited free admission to members for one calendar year.
    • Operating a Museum
      Operates The River of Time Museum & Exploration Center, focused on the history of the Verde River and water sustainability in the Lower Verde Valley, open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$168K
Contributions & grants$109K65%
Program service revenue$58K34%
Investment income$1K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$217K
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$123K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$455K
Cash$99K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$455K
Liquid reserves5.5 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +55.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Cherie Koss-Waldo Executive Dir. 40 $60K
board members · 7
  • Barbara Hansen — Member
  • Bernadine Burnette — Member
  • Bill Myhr — Member
  • Brent Cruskshank — Member
  • Linda Kuehne — Member
  • Sharon Grzbowski — Member
  • Yvonne Prater — Operations Coor
relationships · 12

who they work with

  • Arizona Community Foundation Partner — All legacy gifts to the River of Time Museum & Exploration Center are invested through the Arizona Community Foundation.
  • Cave Creek Museum Partner — Provides unlimited free visits to members.
  • Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden Partner — Joint recipient of the 2026 Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame Legacy Award alongside Fountain Hills & Lower Verde River.
  • Fountain Hills Library Partner — Located adjacent to the Fountain Hills Library in the Town Center Complex.
  • Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame Partner — Recognized Fountain Hills & Lower Verde River organization through induction of its members and awarding a Legacy Award.
  • Maricopa County school system Partner — Collaborates with schools in the Maricopa County school system for student group visits and educational tours.
  • North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM) Network — Provides Explorer level members with free access to more than 1,300 museums, cultural centers, zoos, and aquariums all over North America.
  • Rio Verde Country Club Partner — Hosted the 2026 Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame Reception where Fountain Hills & Lower Verde River was recognized.
  • River of Time Museum & Exploration Center Partner — Offers business memberships to support its mission.
  • Rosson House Museum Partner — Provides unlimited free visits to members.
  • Superstition Mountain Museum Partner — Provides unlimited free visits to members.
  • The Rim Country Museum Partner — Provides unlimited free visits to members.