Salzburg Global Seminar Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SALZBURG GLOBAL IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO CREATING SPACES THAT OVERCOME BARRIERS AND OPEN UP A WORLD OF BETTER POSSIBILITIES. SINCE 1947, WE HAVE GATHERED OVER 40,000 FELLOWS FROM 170 COUNTRIES FOR 1,100 SESSIONS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERS OF EVERY KIND TO CHANGE THE CONVERSATION ON THE PRESSING ISSUES OF OUR TIME.
- Income
- $16.5 million
- Spending
- $14.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- -8.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 84
- Volunteers
- 42
- Highest pay
- $512,810, president & ceo
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
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (social science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (social science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 28 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
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or 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 (1)
- $11.4 million spent. SALZBURG GLOBAL SEMINAR, INC. ("SGS") IS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND BASED AT SCHLOSS LEOPOLDSKRON IN SALZBURG, AUSTRIA. SGS WAS FOUNDED IN 1947 BY THREE YOUNG VISIONARIES AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY AS THE "SALZBURG SEMINAR IN AMERICAN STUDIES" TO ENCOURAGE THE REVIVAL OF INTELLECTUAL DIALOGUE IN POST-WAR EUROPE. SGS CONVENES OUTSTANDING TALENT ACROSS GENERATIONS, CULTURES AND SECTORS TO INSPIRE NEW THINKING AND ACTION, AND TO CONNECT LOCAL INNOVATORS WITH GLOBAL RESOURCES. OUR PROGRAMS COVER CHALLENGES FACING THE WORLD IN EDUCATION, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCE, RULE OF LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIA AND THE ARTS. WE FOSTER LASTING NETWORKS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR CREATIVE, JUST AND SUSTAINABLE CHANGE. OVER 40,000 FELLOWS FROM MORE THAN 170 COUNTRIES HAVE COME TOGETHER THROUGH OUR WORK, WITH MANY RISING TO SENIOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. OUR HISTORIC HEADQUARTERS AT SCHLOSS LEOPOLDSKRON IN SALZBURG, AUSTRIA, BUILT IN 1736 BY THE ARCHBISHOP OF SALZBURG, RESTORED BY THE SALZBURG FESTIVAL'S CO-FOUNDER MAX REINHARDT, USED BY HOLLYWOOD FOR SETS IN THE SOUND OF MUSIC, AND NOW AN AWARD-WINNING HOTEL ALLOWS US TO WELCOME ALL PARTICIPANTS IN CONDITIONS OF TRUST AND OPENNESS.
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 October 1950.
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.