Fernbank Inc.

“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.”

“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 and return 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.”

“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. The minutes of the Executive Committee reflect the process observed in determining the compensation arrangement under signed contract through December 31, 2017.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Exhibitions and films: In 2015, Fernbank Museum presented four special exhibitions, The Power of Poison, Brain: The Inside Story, Searching for the Queen of Sheba and Women of Vision. Additionally, the Museum hosted more than a half-dozen films in its IMAX Theatre, including the new films Galapagos: Nature's Wonderland, Humpback Whales, Mysteries of the Unseen World, Jean-Michel Cousteau's Secret Ocean, Robots and Wonders of the Arctic. In 2015, Fernbank presented its sixth annual Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions from Around the World, a festive holiday exhibit which serves as a unique presentation of cross-cultural symbolism bolstered by vibrant enrichment programs on the weekends. Through these interactive exhibits and thought-provoking films, Fernbank introduces visitors to cultures around the globe and highlights important environmental issues facing the world today to encourage a deeper understanding of our planet and the human discourse.”

“Educational Programs: The Museum is committed to offering the highest quality educational programming designed to complement the visitors experience at the museum as well as in-school learning. Programs are designed for a variety of audiences at all stages of life including adults, families, children and school children. In 2015, Fernbank offered more than 500 exploratory science classes and delivered enhanced, on-site laboratory and classroom programs to roughly 15,000 of the 60,000 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 partnering with teachers to bring science to life through hands-on experiences with students. Additionally, the Museum presented two signature environmental programs, UrbanWatch and City Scientists, serving schools with a focus on students from underserved, low income populations. Fernbanks UrbanWatch program connects middle and high school students with nature and biodiversity through an immersive ecology experience in Fernbank Forest and across the museum campus. The program focuses on the importance of native plant species, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems providing Title 1 students the opportunity to actively participate in a restoration project on the museum campus. City Scientists, an after school program, serves 300 3rd, 4th and 5th graders attending Atlantas Title 1 schools. This highly interactive program introduces underserved students to regional ecology, geology and natural history themes, providing them with meaningful challenges in education and providing them with a foundation to perform well in science. Fernbank also reaches underserved preschool and pre-K students through the Grow Up Great program that provides comprehensive STEAM education, including customized field trip opportunities, in-classroom experiences and science resource kits for the teachers. For families and children, the Museum offers Excellent Experiments, Tadpole Tales, live animal encounters, family exploration days, guided Forest walks and more. These programs provide visitors with new experiences with each visit, allowing them to delve deeper into themes presented throughout the museum at age-appropriate levels.”

“Strategic Initiatives: Fernbanks strategic plan calls for the Museum to fulfill on its unique environmental legacy in its preservation and stewardship of Fernbank Forest, as well as to leverage the entire campus in Fernbanks mission to foster a deeper connection to the natural world. In 2015, the Museum continued its work to bring the plans identified through its campus and forest stewardship plans to fruition. Fundraising efforts continued for support of the restoration of Fernbank Forest and introduction of new guest experiences elsewhere on the campus. Under the guidance of a new museum ecologist, restoration efforts inside Fernbank Forest began with the strategic removal of non-native invasive species as part of the effort to restore a healthy balance to the forest ecosystem. Adjacent to the museum building, construction began for new paths, elevated walkway, tree pods, exhibits and a pavilion in late summer 2015. These plans and new experiences will inform longer term initiatives at the museum.”