New York Academy of Sciences
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, TO HELP RESOLVE THE MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES FACING SOCIETY WITH SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS, AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCIENTIFICALLY INFORMED INDIVIDUALS.
- Income
- $21.2 million
- Spending
- $21.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 1.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 72
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $576,028, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 53 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 63% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 28 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 June 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 (4)
- $337,424 spent. MEMBERSHIP (SEE SCHEDULE O)FORM 990, PART III - PROGRAM SERVICE, LINES 4A, 4B, AND 4CFOR OVER 200 YEARS, THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (THE "ACADEMY") HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE WORKING AT THE FRONTIERS OF DISCOVERY AND PROMOTED VITAL LINKS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY. THE ACADEMY HAS A THREE-PRONGED MISSION: TO ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE; TO HELP RESOLVE THE MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES FACING SOCIETY WITH SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS; AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCIENTIFICALLY INFORMED INDIVIDUALS. THE ACADEMY OFFERS AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMMING: DYNAMIC CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA ON BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH IN CUTTING-EDGE INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELDS AND ON THE BROADER ROLES OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, AND CULTURE IN SOCIETY; CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS IN THE SCIENCES; LIVE PUBLIC EVENTS THAT BRING SCIENTISTS TOGETHER WITH ARTISTS, WRITERS, AND OTHER CULTURAL EXPERTS TO PRESENT EMERGING RESEARCH; A GLOBAL PUBLIC-PRIVATE HUMANITARIAN PARTNERSHIP TO BRING SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD; AN ADVISORY PROGRAM IN INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR MUNICIPAL, STATE, AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS; AND A SCIENCE EDUCATION INITIATIVE THAT INCLUDES TEACHER TRAINING AND AFTER SCHOOL MENTORING FOR LOW-INCOME MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS.
- $1.5 million spent. PUBLICATIONS (SEE SCHEDULE O)
- $15.7 million spent. SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES (SEE SCHEDULE O)
- AWARDS ADMINISTRATION SERVICES REVENUE
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.
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 March 1936.
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.