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Passes our checks

New York Academy of Sciences

EIN 13-1773640 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

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 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 63% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% 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 25

    27 of 28 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 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)
  1. $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.
  2. $1.5 million spent. PUBLICATIONS (SEE SCHEDULE O)
  3. $15.7 million spent. SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES (SEE SCHEDULE O)
  4. 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

  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 June 2025.

    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 March 1936.

    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.

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