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Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research Inc

EIN 13-1739923 · Ithaca, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ADVANCE AND COMMUNICATE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY IN PLANT BIOLOGY TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE, PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENHANCE HUMAN HEALTH.

Income
$15.5 million
Spending
$18.0 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
42.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 45%
Employees
140
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$394,841, president

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 42.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 49% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 20 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 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)
  1. $8.5 million spent. IMPROVE AGRICULTURE/SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION: BTI SCIENTISTS ADVANCE, COMMUNICATE, AND APPLY PLANT RESEARCH TOWARDS PRODUCING AN INCREASINGLY SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY. FOOD SECURITY ANALYSIS BY THE UNITED NATIONS HAS CITED CLIMATE CHANGE, NATURAL DISASTER, RAPID URBANIZATION AND UNPRECENDENTED POPULATION GROWTH AS GREAT CHALLENGES TO THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF THE WORLD FOOD SUPPLY. AT BTI, SCIENTISTS ARE INVESTIGATING, AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL, HOW PLANTS GROW, RESPOND TO LIGHT, AND MAKE USE ON A SCALE THAT CAN MEET DEMAND. CURRENT RESEARCH IS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE NUTRITIVE QUALITY OF FOOD, INCREASING YIELD AND FURTHERING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRONOMICALLY VIABLE PLANT SPECIES. SPECIFIC RESEARCH FOCUSES ON LONGER SHELFLIFE, CROPS THAT PRODUCE HIGHER YIELD WITH LESS INPUTS, REDUCED NEED FOR CHEMICAL FERTILIZATION, AND PLANTS WITH HIGHER TOLERANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS SUCH AS DROUGH, SALINITY, HEAT AND COLD.
  2. $5.3 million spent. RESEARCH TOOLS & COMMUNICATIONS: BTI SCIENTISTS ADVANCE, COMMUNICATE, AND APPLY PLANT RESEARCH TOWARDS THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE. VIRTUALLY EVERY DAY, SCIENTISTS DISCOVER AND RECORD A STAGGERING AMOUNT OF NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE GENES, PROTEINS AND CHEMICALS THAT DIRECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF CELLS. BTI RESEARCHERS ALSO ARE CONTINUALLY DEVELOPING NEW TECHNIQUES FOR LABORATORY RESEARCH. BTI SCIENTISTS ARE DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE AND DATABASES, ENABLING RESEARCHERS TO BETTER ORGANIZE, ACCESS AND RETRIEVE A WEALTH OF DATA, ISOLATE AND IDENTIFY SPECIFIC GENES CONTROLLING THE SPECIFIC LIFE PROCESSES AND IDENTIFY MOLECULES WITH POTENTIAL EVOLUTIONARY, BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL IMPORTANCES. BTI SCIENTISTS ALSO DEVELOP NEW RESEARCH PROTOCOLS FOR TRANSFORMING PLANTS WITH GENES OF INTEREST TO DISCOVER THEIR FUNCTIONS.
  3. $7,317 spent. IMPROVED HUMAN HEALTH: INSTITUTE SCIENTISTS ADVANCE, COMMUNICATE, AND APPLY PLANT SCIENCE AND RELATED RESEARCH TOWARDS IMPROVED HUMAN HEALTH. CURRENT RESEARCH AT BTI MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN DISEASES SUCH AS DIABETES, ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND AGING-RELATED DISEASES. BTI RESEARCHERS DEVELOP CELL LINES IN PLANTS AND INSECTS THAT CAN BE USED TO MANUFACTURE THERAPEUTICS, DIAGNOSTICS, AND VACCINES. INSTITUTE RESEARCH ALSO MAY LEAD TO MORE NUTRITIOUS FOODS TO COMBAT VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES AND LESS PESTICIDE USE TO REDUCE HUMAN EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL CHEMICALS. BTI SCIENTISTS ALSO STUDY HOW PLANTS PRODUCE PHARMACEUTICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND MAY LEAD TO NEW SOURCES OF NATURAL WAYS TO COMBAT CONDITIONS LIKE HEART DISEASE.
  4. $252,464 spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 April 1938.

    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.

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.