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Science Friday Initiative Inc

EIN 13-4252173 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC PLATFORM FOR DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE LATEST DISCOVERIES, INNOVATIONS, AND CONTROVERSIES IN SCIENCE. LEVERAGING THE SCIENCE FRIDAY RADIO PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION AIMS TO MAKE SCIENCE MORE ACCESSIBLE, FUN, AND INTERACTIVE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE USING NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES AND LIVE EVENTS.

Income
$6.2 million
Spending
$3.7 million
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
23.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 68%
Employees
23
Volunteers
14
Highest pay
$145,959, executive director

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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 23.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 40% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 14 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
  1. $1.9 million spent. SCIENCE FRIDAY WEEKLY RADIO BROADCAST AND PODCASTFOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE SCIENCE FRIDAY AUDIO PROGRAM HAS BEEN AT THE CORE OF SCIENCE FRIDAY PROGRAMS. HOSTED BY AWARD-WINNING HOSTS IRA FLATOW AND FLORA LICHTMAN THIS INCLUDES 52 TWO-HOUR BROADCASTS AND 260+ PODCAST EPISODES ANNUALLY. SCIENCE FRIDAY PROVIDES OUR MILLIONS OF LISTENERS WITH DAILY OPPORTUNITIES TO LISTEN TO AND PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH EXPERTS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, MEDICINE, POLICY, AND OTHER SCIENCE NEWS AND RESEARCH. THE PROGRAM'S UNIQUE FORMAT AND AUDIENCE OUTREACH HAS PROVEN POPULAR FOR FIRST-HAND INTERACTION BETWEEN LISTENERS AND SCIENTISTS.
  2. $372,726 spent. SCIENCE FRIDAY EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCESOUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WORK CREATES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, CONTENT, AND EXPERIENCES TO INVITE COMMUNITIES, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN SCIENCE THROUGH DOING AND LEARNING. OUR ORIGINAL LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN DOZENS OF NATIONAL CURRICULUM AND OUT OF SCHOOL TIME ACTIVITY REPOSITORIES SERVING TENS OF MILLIONS OF EDUCATORS, INCLUDING SHARE MY LESSON, PBS LEARNING MEDIA, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CHEMISTRY TEACHERS, NEWSELA, AND CODE.ORG. SCIENCE FRIDAY'S EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES INCLUDE THE HOSTING OF MONTHLY LIVE AND VIRTUAL LEARNING EVENTS WITH EXPERTS, A NATIONAL BOOK CLUB, CITIZEN SCIENCE INITIATIVES, FIELD TRIPS AND LIVE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
  3. $30,079 spent. SCIENCE FRIDAY DIGITAL CONTENT AND WEBSITESCIENCE FRIDAY'S DIGITAL PLATFORMS PUBLISH ORIGINAL REPORTING, NEWSLETTERS, BOOK EXCERPTS, AS WELL AS MULTIMEDIA ADDITIONS TO AUDIO SEGMENTS. OUR WEBSITE, SCIENCEFRIDAY.COM, IS THE PUBLIC'S ONE STOP-SHOP FOR EVERYTHING THAT SCIENCE FRIDAY CREATES, INCLUDING ORIGINAL DIGITAL REPORTING THAT GIVES READERS A FLAVOR OF THE CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS BY SCIENTISTS WORKING TO SOLVE BIG PROBLEMS. OUR WEBSITE RECEIVES 350,000 PAGEVIEWS/MONTH AND WE HAVE A SOCIAL FOLLOWING OF OVER A MILLION COMBINED FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, BLUESKY, X AND TIKTOK.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2003.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.