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Union of Concerned Scientists Inc

EIN 04-2535767 · Cambridge, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS PUTS RIGOROUS, INDEPENDENT SCIENCE INTO ACTION, DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS AND ADVOCATING FOR A HEALTHY, SAFE, AND JUST FUTURE.

Income
$55.5 million
Spending
$49.8 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
14.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
254
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$332,676, former president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 (7)
  1. $19.0 million spent. THE CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAM WORKS TO LIMIT THE MAGNITUDE AND IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, TO HELP COMMUNITIES BUILD RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF UNAVOIDABLE CLIMATE IMPACTS, AND TO ACCELERATE A RAPID AND FAIR SHIFT IN THE WAY WE POWER OUR LIVES BY MODERNIZING OUR ELECTRICITY GRID SO IT CAN OPERATE RELIABLY WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY. IN ADDITION, UCS WORKS TO MAKE SURE THE MAJOR FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES FACE LEGAL, FINANCIAL, REPUTATIONAL, AND POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES FOR MISLEADING THE PUBLIC ABOUT CLIMATE SCIENCE AND SOLUTIONS. WE ADVANCE THESE EFFORTS BY COMBINING RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ANALYSIS WITH ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.
  2. $6.5 million spent. THE CLEAN TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM SEEKS TO ADVANCE AN AMBITIOUS AND FAIR CLEAN TRANSPORTATION AGENDA. WE ANALYZE ADVANCED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES, BIOFUELS, AND RELATED OIL-REDUCTION STRATEGIES, AND WORKING WITH A BROAD SET OF STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS ADVOCATE FOR EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS THAT CREATE NEW JOBS AND INDUSTRIES, SAVE CONSUMERS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT THE GAS PUMP, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING.
  3. $5.9 million spent. GLOBAL SECURITY PROGRAM SEEKS TO BUILD A MORE SECURE AND EQUITABLE FUTURE BY REDUCING THE RISK OF A NUCLEAR WAR STARTING BY ACCIDENT OR MISCALCULATION, AND ULTIMATELY ELIMINATING THESE POTENTIALLY CIVILIZATION-ENDING WEAPONS. WE SERVE AS AN INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG ON A RANGE OF NUCLEAR AND WEAPONS ISSUES, COMBINING TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND POLICY EXPERTISE TO REDUCE THE THREATS POSED BY NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
  4. $4.6 million spent. THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY WORKS FOR STRONG, INDEPENDENT PUBLIC SCIENCE, A ROBUST, TRANSPARENT DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE FOR OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES, THE EFFECTIVE USE OF SCIENCE IN MAKING POLICY THAT SERVES THE COMMON GOOD, AND ADVOCATES FOR SCIENCE-BASED ELECTION AND REDISTRICTING RULE. THE CENTER PRODUCES ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS AND BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES SUCH AS ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION, KEEPING SCIENCE FREE FROM DISTORTION AND MANIPULATION BY SPECIAL INTERESTS, AND PROMOTING MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF SCIENCE IN POLICY MAKING.
  5. $4.5 million spent. THE FOOD AND ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM WORKS TO SECURE A MORE RESILIENT AND JUST FOOD SYSTEM THAT MANAGES LAND IN A WAY THAT RELIABLY DELIVERS NUTRITIOUS FOOD, SAFE AND DIGNIFIED JOBS, HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. OUR SCIENCE AND ADVOCACY AIMS TO TRANSFORM THE FOOD SYSTEMS TO MAKE HEALTHY FOOD AVAILABLE TO ALL AND FOR FAIR TREATMENT OF FARMERS AND FARMWORKERS, WITHOUT DEPLETING FARMLANDS OR POLLUTING OUR COMMUNITIES.
  6. $3.2 million spent. THE WESTERN STATES PROGRAM HELPS DESIGN, INFORM AND SUPPORT MANY GROUNDBREAKING SCIENCE-BASED POLICIES TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLUTION IN THE TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND LAND-USE SECTORS IN CALIFORNIA AND IN OTHER US WESTERN STATES. THE PROGRAM COORDINATES AND COLLABORATES ACROSS ISSUES STATES IN THE WESTERN REGION TO CRAFT POLICIES AND STANDARDS THAT SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER REGIONS, STATES, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - AN APPROACH THAT MULTIPLIES POLICIES IN PUBLIC INTEREST.
  7. $319,065 spent. LEGISLATIVE - APPEARANCES BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES, AS WELL AS MEETING WITH INDIVIDUAL CONGRESSMEN AND WRITING, PRINTING, AND MAILING OF LEGISLATIVE ALERTS TO UCS SPONSORS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1974.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 2026.

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