Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To improve human health by discovering fundamental mechanisms of tissue repair, aging and regeneration, translating our discoveries for the benefit of medicine and society, and developing the next generation of scientific leaders.
- Income
- $20.5 million
- Spending
- $18.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 51%
- Employees
- 118
- Volunteers
- 37
- Highest pay
- $406,546, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $10.6 million spent. Research: Our scientists study a broad array of research models to identify the cellular basis for regeneration and aging in humans and how environmental toxins such as arsenic and PFAS impact our susceptibility to disease. Our goal is to develop new therapeutic approaches to enhance our ability to repair cellular damage and resist the degenerative changes that occur with age.In 2024, we welcomed a new faculty member Dr. Emily Spaulding, whose outstanding research on the cellular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health. We were awarded a total of $30,821,832 in multi-year federal grant funding in 2024, including renewal of the largest state-wide research and training network connecting 17 academic and research institutions in Maine. Our scientists collaborated with 20 visiting scientists and continued to expand our early-stage drug discovery and translational research activities through MDI Biosciences.
- $2.8 million spent. Education:The MDI Biological Laboratory provides hands-on biomedical training to hundreds of students and professional from all around the world each year. 2024 was a milestone year for MDI Biological Laboratory as we celebrated the renewal of our Maine INBRE grant, a collaborative effort of 17 education and research institutions working to boost the State's research capacity and create a bioscience workforce in Maine.In 2024, we welcomed a new innovative course to campus, ReBilD: Emerging Leaders in Regenerative Biology and Development which explored multiple models for both developmental and regenerative biology through comparative biology experiments. This course was one of 21 courses and conferences hosted by MDI Bio Lab over the course of the year. We welcomed 27 master's and Ph.D. students from 14 countries, in addition to 22 undergraduate summer fellowship students. Our citizen science program facilitated 328 projects through Anecdata.org, identifying harmful algal cells in Frenchman Bay, testing well water and soil samples for the presence of arsenic, and other toxins.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1954.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.