The Stanley Medical Research Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO FIND THE CAUSE(S) OF AND BETTER PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA AND BIPOLAR DISORDER.
- Income
- $6.3 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 100%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 4
- Highest pay
- $278,759, executive director
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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 36% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 252 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (4)
- $3.2 million spent. INFECTIOUS AND NEUROVIROLOGY: SMRI IS THE MAJOR RESEARCH INSTITUTION IN THE WORLD FOCUSING ON INFECTIOUS AGENTS AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND BIPOLAR DISORDER. THE CENTER FOR THIS RESEARCH IS THE STANLEY LABORATORY OF DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROVIROLOGY AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN BALTIMORE. THIS LABORATORY WORKS CLOSELY WITH SMRI-FUNDED RESEARCHERS AT SEVERAL OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THE MAIN TARGETS OF THIS RESEARCH ARE TOXOPLASMA GONDII, THE HERPES FAMILY OF VIRUSES, AND ENDOGENOUS RETROVIRUSES.
- $1.5 million spent. TREATMENT TRIALS: DURING 2024, SMRI SUPPORTED 20 TRIALS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA OR BIPOLAR DISORDER. MOST OF THESE WERE DRUGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO TREAT OTHER CONDITIONS AND FOR WHICH THERE WAS REASON TO BELIEVE THEY MIGHT ALSO BE EFFECTIVE FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. IN ALMOST ALL CASES, PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE UNLIKELY TO SUPPORT SUCH TRIALS BECAUSE THE DRUG IS ALREADY GENERIC OR CANNOT BE PATENTED. SMRI IS SUPPORTING MORE SUCH TREATMENT TRIALS THAN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD.
- $1.5 million spent. NEUROPATHOLOGY: BRAIN TISSUE REPOSITORY AND NEUROPATHOLOGY LABORATORY: STORES AND PROCESSES POSTMORTEM BRAIN TISSUE, LIVER, SPLEEN, SERUM AND CSF FROM PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, BIPOLAR DISORDER, MAJOR DEPRESSION AND FROM NORMAL CONTROL SUBJECTS. SAMPLES ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO SCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD. ALL RESEARCH DATA COLLECTED ON THE SPECIMENS IS RETURNED TO THE SMRI PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE WEB-BASED INTERACTIVE NEUROPATHOLOGY DATABASE FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS.
- $99,005 spent. TREATMENT ADVOCACY CENTER
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.