American Institute of Physics Incorporated
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 72 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
AIP ADVANCES THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES AS A FEDERATION AND AN INSTITUTE. AS A FEDERATION, AIP WORKS TO ADVANCE THE SUCCESS OF ITS MEMBER SOCIETIES AND AFFILIATES SO THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE THEIR DIVERSE EXPERTISE AND CONTRIBUTIONS IN ADVANCING THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES IN THE RESEARCH ENTERPRISE, IN THE ECONOMY, IN EDUCATION AND IN SOCIETY. THROUGH THEIR SHARED GOALS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH AIP, MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS BROADEN THEIR IMPACT AND ACHIEVE RESULTS BEYOND THEIR INDIVIDUAL MISSIONS AND MANDATES. AIP ALSO ACTS AS AN INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE THAT EMPOWERS PHYSICAL SCIENTISTS WITH JOURNALISM; SOCIAL SCIENCE, DEMOGRAPHICS AND POLICY RESEARCH; AND HISTORY AND STUDENT PROGRAMS. AIP ALSO ADVANCES THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES THROUGH THE MISSIONS AND OPERATIONS OF AIP PUBLISHING AND OF AIP FOUNDATION. AIP RECOGNIZES AND HONORS EXCELLENCE IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES, RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OUR COMMUNITY MAKES TO SOCIETY WITH SEVERAL NAMED AWARDS.
- Income
- $92.4 million
- Spending
- $92.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 27.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 78%
- Employees
- 330
- Volunteers
- 95
- Highest pay
- $713,115, aipp, 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
Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 27.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 72 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 47% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 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 (2)
- $54.1 million spent. AIP PUBLISHING LLC (AIPP) IS A SINGLE MEMBER, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OWNED BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS (AIP). AIPP IS A SCHOLARLY PUBLISHER IN THE PHYSICAL AND RELATED SCIENCES, PROVIDING THE GLOBAL SCIENCE COMMUNITY WITH A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF CITED, PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND OTHER INFORMATION. ACCESSED BY RESEARCHERS AT NEARLY 4,000 INSTITUTIONS WORLDWIDE, AIPP'S PORTFOLIO OF 42 JOURNALS INCLUDES PRESTIGIOUS TITLES SUCH AS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, PHYSICS OF FLUIDS, THE JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, AND THE AIP CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. AIPP SUPPORTS THE SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL MISSION OF AIP THROUGH ITS SCHOLARLY PUBLISHING ACTIVITIES AND ALSO WORKS WITH SEVERAL OF AIP'S MEMBER SOCIETIES AND OTHER PUBLISHING PARTNERS TO HELP ADVANCE THEIR PUBLISHING MISSION. PHYSICS TODAY, AIP'S FLAGSHIP PUBLICATION, PROVIDES A UNIFYING INFLUENCE FOR THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES THROUGH ITS BROAD AND AUTHORITATIVE COVERAGE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, NEWS, AND OPINIONS OF RELEVANCE TO THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE IS RECEIVED BY THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF AIP'S 10 CONSTITUENT SOCIETIES, LIBRARIES, AND INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS. PHYSICS TODAY PUBLISHES ADDITIONAL NEWS, REVIEWS, AND COMMENTARY ON ITS WEBSITE, WHICH GETS NEARLY 140 THOUSAND PAGEVIEWS A MONTH. PHYSICS TODAY ALSO HAS A STRONG PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH NEARLY 3 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK AND MORE THAN 500 THOUSAND ON X.
- $18.3 million spent. IN KEEPING WITH ITS MISSION TO ADVANCE, PROMOTE AND SERVE THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY, AIP OFFERS UNIQUE EXPERTISE AND PRODUCTS IN: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT; PRESERVATION AND PROMULGATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES; CONTENT DELIVERY; MAGAZINE PUBLISHING; STATISTICAL RESEARCH; AND PUBLIC POLICY REPORTING, RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS. THE SOCIETY OF PHYSICS STUDENTS (SPS) IS A SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY FOR PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY UNDERGRADUATES AND THEIR MENTORS, WITH MORE THAN 6,400 MEMBERS SPREAD OVER MORE THAN 900 CHAPTERS NATIONWIDE AND 36 INTERNATIONAL CHAPTERS. SPS EXISTS TO SUPPORT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY, PROMOTING INCLUSIVITY AND COLLEGIALITY, SUPPORTING PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENTS, AND REACHING OUT IN SERVICE TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. SIGMA PI SIGMA, THE PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY HONOR SOCIETY, RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING SCHOLARS IN PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY, ENCOURAGES INTEREST IN THE FIELD, AND PROMOTES AN ATTITUDE OF SERVICE AMONG ITS OVER 90,000 LIFE-LONG MEMBERS AND 599 CHAPTERS TOWARDS THE ENTIRE PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC. SIGMA PI SIGMA PROVIDES A NETWORK OF PEOPLE SPANNING FROM UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH RETIRED PROFESSIONALS. THE CONNECTION OF ALUMNI WITH CURRENT STUDENTS PROVIDES RICH OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT OF BOTH STUDENTS AND DEPARTMENTS. THE SOCIETY OF PHYSICS STUDENTS AND SIGMA PI SIGMA PROVIDE ENRICHING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES THROUGH INTERNSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND STUDENT PROGRAMS AT SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS - OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE VITAL TO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALL UNDERGRADUATE PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY STUDENTS. THE HISTORY PROGRAMS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS ENSURE THAT THE HERITAGE OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES IS SAFEGUARDED AND THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO THE HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD. THE HISTORY OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES OFFERS A RICH FRAMEWORK OF EXCITING PAST ACHIEVEMENTS AND VALUABLE GUIDANCE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE CORE ACTIVITIES OF AIP's HISTORY PROGRAMS INCLUDE LOCATING AND PRESERVING PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIAL, SUPPORTING THE PRODUCTION OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES, AND BRINGING THIS HISTORY TO A WIDE AUDIENCE. AIP's HISTORY PROGAMS COLLECT ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS, AN IMMEDIATE AND PERSONAL TESTIMONY TO SCIENCE IN PASSING GENERATIONS. WE SUPPORT HISTORICAL WRITING THROUGH GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE EARLY CAREER CONFERENCE AND OUR SUPPORT OF EMERGING SCHOLARS. WE SUPPORT EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HISTORY OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES THROUGH OUR NEWSLETTERS AND HISTORY OF SCIENCE ONLINE RESOURCES. AIP'S HISTORY PROGRAMS ALSO SPONSOR A PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES. A CORE PART OF AIP's HISTORY PROGRAM'S is THE NIELS BOHR LIBRARY & ARCHIVES (NBLA), WHICH DOCUMENTS THE HISTORY OF AIP AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS BY COLLECTING INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS AND OTHER PRIMARY RESOURCES THAT DETAIL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND HIGHLIGHT THE ROLES THAT THESE INSTITUTIONS PLAY IN THE WORLD AT LARGE, CAPTURING HOW SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS. THE NBLA ALSO PRESERVES ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEDIA, BOOKS, JOURNALS, AND OTHER PUBLISHED MATERIALS PERTAINING TO THE HISTORY OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. IN RECENT YEARS, THE NBLA HAS BROADENED THE SCOPE OF THE COLLECTIONS TO INCLUDE OLDER MATERIALS AND RARE BOOKS, DATING BACK TO THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES, IN TOPICS THAT FORM THE FOUNDATION OF MODERN SCIENCE. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, THE NBL&A STRIVES TO SERVE AND CONNECT WITH OUR RESEARCH COMMUNITY THROUGH INCREASED OUTREACH AND PROMOTION OF OUR RESOURCES AND GLOBAL ACCESS TO OUR COLLECTIONS THROUGH STRATEGIC DIGITIZATION AND REMOTE ACCESS TO SELECTED MATERIALS. THE AIP MEDIA SERVICES TEAM WORKS WITH AIP PUBLISHING, AIP'S MEMBER SOCIETIES, AND ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS TO PRODUCE AND PROMOTE TIMELY, ACCURATE PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES AND KNOWLEDGE. MEDIA SERVICES STAFFS PRESS ROOMS, ORGANIZES PRESS CONFERENCES AND PRODUCES HUNDREDS OF WRITTEN STORIES, AND OTHER FORMS OF PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES COMMUNITY, MEDIA, AND GENERAL PUBLIC EVERY YEAR. AIP' SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAMS, COLLECT AND DISSEMINATES RELIABLE AND TIMELY DATA ON EDUCATION, CAREERS, AND DEMOGRAPHICS IN PHYSICAL SCIENCES. DATA ARE PUBLISHED IN THE AREAS OF ENROLLMENT, DEGREES, DEMOGRAPHICS, EMPLOYMENT BY ECONOMIC SECTOR, AND SALARY INFORMATION FOR PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY BACHELOR'S, MASTER'S, AND PHD HOLDERS. AIP'S RESEARCH TEAM ALSO PROVIDES SURVEY EXPERTISE AND CONTRACTS WITH MEMBER SOCIETIES AND OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS TO CONDUCT TARGETED STUDIES. AIP'S USES A PORTION OF AIP'S STRATEGIC RESERVES AS A BOARD-DESIGNATED FUND, TO ADVANCE THE SUCCESS OF ITS MEMBER SOCIETIES THROUGH ITS VENTURE GRANTS PROGRAM AND COLLECTIVE ACTION ACTIVITIES, AND TO SUPPORT STEM Excellence IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. THE VENTURE GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDS INNOVATIVE PROJECTS OF ONE OR MORE MEMBER SOCIETIES. AIP AFFILIATES MAY ALSO PARTNER WITH MEMBER SOCIETIES ON VENTURE GRANT PROJECTS. FOR A MEMBER SOCIETY TO RECEIVE THIS GRANT, THE SOCIETY MUST SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE VENTURE GRANT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF MEMBERS, PERFORMS A THOROUGH REVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO MANAGEMENT ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE GRANTS. AIP IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ADVANCING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF STEM EXCELLENCE THAT SUPPORTS INCLUSIVE, WELCOMING ENVIRONMENTS. OUR EFFORTS FOCUS ON ENSURING THAT ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES CAN THRIVE THROUGHOUT THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY. GUIDED BY DATA, WE PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIES WHERE INVESTMENT IS MOST NEEDED-WORKING TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND. AIP LAUNCHED THE COLLECTIVE ACTION INITIATIVE, TEAM-UP TOGETHER IN 2022 TO CATALYZE STRUCTURAL AND CULTURAL CHANGE IN PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY TO SIGNIFICANTLY I
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 September 1941.
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.