American Mensa Ltd
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
TO IDENTIFY AND FOSTER HUMAN INTELLIGENCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY; TO ENCOURAGE RESEARCH IN THE NATURE, CHARACTERISTICS, AND USES OF INTELLIGENCE; AND TO PROVIDE A STIMULATING INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS MEMBERS.
- Income
- $5.2 million
- Spending
- $5.3 million
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 2,000
- Highest pay
- $145,128, executive director thru 7/24
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)
- $1.7 million spent. MEMBERSHIP: MEMBERSHIP WAS 46,145 AT THE END OF THE YEAR. WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION,MORE THAN 130 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, 122 CHAPTERS, AND NUMEROUS ONLINE COMMUNITIES PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCES FOR MENSA MEMBERS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS SUCH AS GIFTED YOUTH, INCLUDING A MENSA HONOR SOCIETY FOR VOLUNTEERING, A BOOK PARADE PROGRAM, AND SUPPORT FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS. SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO THE MENSA FOUNDATION AND TO OTHER RELATED ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT AREAS OF EDUCATION, GIFTEDNESS, AND RESEARCH. PROGRAMS SUCH AS MIND GAMES PROVIDE A VENUE NOT ONLY FOR MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE, BUT EXTEND PAST THE ORGANIZATION TO GIVE THE PUBLIC A MENSA SEAL OF APPROVAL FOR BOARD GAMES. THE MENSA HOME TEST PROVIDES AN AVENUE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO GAUGE THEIR INTELLIGENCE LEVEL IN A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO RECOGNIZE THEIR APTITUDE. IN ADDITION TO ADMISSIONS TESTING, MORE THAN 1,500 MENSA EVENTS ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. MENSA PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS OF ALL AGES TO GIVE BACK TO THE ORGANIZATION IN VOLUNTEER ROLES. OVER 2,000 MEMBERS ARE VOLUNTEERING FOR MENSA AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
- $1.1 million spent. LOCAL GROUP SUPPORT: AS THE KEY CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR MEMBERS AND THE ORGANIZATION, OUR LOCAL CHAPTERS PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ADMISSIONS TESTING ON THE ORGANIZATION'S BEHALF. MANY LOCAL CHAPTERS SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH CHARITABLE AND SOCIAL WORK.
- $850,890 spent. PUBLICATIONS: THE MENSA BULLETIN PROVIDES MEMBERS WITH INFORMATIONAL AND INTRIGUING ARTICLES, AS WELL AS WAYS TO INTERACT WITH OTHER MEMBERS VIA POLLS AND OTHER FEEDBACK. THE MENSA BULLETIN IS GENERATED 10 TIMES A YEAR IN BOTH PRINT AND ELECTRONIC FORMATS FOR THE MEMBERS. A VAST MAJORITY OF THE CONTENT (ARTICLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS) IN EACH ISSUE IS CREATED BY THE MEMBERS THEMSELVES. ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS ARE ALSO USED TO SUPPLEMENT THE PRINT PUBLICATIONS. THE YOUNG MENSA MAGAZINE (YM2) IS GENERATED QUARTERLY BY THE YOUTH MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND DISTRIBUTED TO ALL YOUTH MEMBERS. THE WWW.US.MENSA.ORG WEBSITE PROVIDES MORE THAN 4,000 PAGES OF CONTENT ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, ITS LOCAL GROUPS, TESTING, PROGRAMS AND MEMBERSHIP. ADDITIONALLY, MENSA SUPPORTS WEB SITES FOR MANY OF ITS SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
- $497,645 spent. PUBLIC RELATIONS: MENSA HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE A FAMOUS MARK AND OUR MARKETING EFFORTS FOCUS ON GROWING THE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND RESPECT FOR THE ORGANIZATION. EFFORTS SUCH AS MENSA TESTING DAY, THE ANNUAL MIND GAMES COMPETITION, AS WELL AS THE MENSA BRAND ON BOOKS AND CALENDARS, INCREASES THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION IN A POSITIVE WAY. MENSA CONTINUES TO FIND WAYS THAT ALIGN OUR BRAND WITH OTHER PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET THAT STRENGTHEN OUR IMAGE IN A POSITIVE WAY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)(4) social welfare 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? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.
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 May 1965.
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.