Leo Baeck Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE LEO BAECK INSTITUTE (THE "INSTITUTE") IS TO STUDY AND PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF GERMAN-SPEAKING JEWRY.
- Income
- $7.9 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 11.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 47%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $266,151, executive director
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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 49% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 40% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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.
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 27 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 (3)
- $504,017 spent. LIBRARY - THE LIBRARY OF THE INSTITUTE IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REPOSITORY FOR BOOKS DOCUMENTING THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF GERMAN-SPEAKING JEWRY. OVER 80,000 VOLUMES AND 900 PERIODICAL TITLES PROVIDE IMPORTANT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MATERIAL. RICH IN RARITIES RANGING FROM EARLY 16TH CENTURY WRITINGS, TO MOSES MENDELSSOHN AND HEINRICH HEINE, AND FIRST EDITIONS AND DEDICATION COPIES OF WORKS BY MORE RECENT PROMINENT WRITERS, MANY OF ITS VOLUMES WERE SALVAGED FROM FAMOUS JEWISH LIBRARIES THAT WERE CONFISCATED AND DISPERSED BY THE NAZIS. MOST OF THE COLLECTION DEALS WITH CENTRAL EUROPEAN JEWRY DURING THE NINETEENTH AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O).IT ALSO INCLUDES MATERIAL DATING BACK AS FAR AS THE 16TH CENTURY AND IS AS CURRENT AS THE JEWISH POPULATION IN GERMANY TODAY. THE FOCUS OF THE COLLECTION IS ON THE DIVERSE CULTURE OF GERMAN-SPEAKING JEWRY, ESPECIALLY IN THE ARTS, SCIENCES, LITERATURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND RELIGION.
- $932,422 spent. ARCHIVES - THE INSTITUTE ARCHIVES IS THE OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS OF ITS KIND. INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DEPOSITED THEIR DOCUMENTS AT THE LBI. FAMILY PAPERS, COMMUNITY HISTORIES, AND BUSINESS AND PUBLIC RECORDS DATE BACK CENTURIES AND TOUCH UPON VIRTUALLY EVERY PHASE OF GERMAN-JEWISH LIFE. A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF OVER 2,000 MEMOIRS OFFERS RARE INSIGHTS INTO THE LIVES OF GERMAN JEWS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE FROM 1790 TO THE POST-WAR ERA.
- $122,255 spent. ARTS AND EXHIBITS - IN ADDITION TO THE ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS AND BOOKS HELD BY THE INSTITUTE, THE COLLECTIONS INCLUDE OVER 6,000 THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS. OVER ONE-HALF OF THE ART AND OBJECT COLLECTIONS ARE WORKS CREATED BY GERMAN-JEWISH ARTISTS AND/OR BROUGHT OUT OF GERMANY BY REFUGEES. THE BALANCE OF THE MATERIALS ARE OBJECTS THAT THE FAMILIES FOUND IMPORTANT TO TAKE OUT OF GERMANY, INCLUDING RELIGIOUS ITEMS, MILITARY MEDALS, PHOTO ALBUMS, AND MUCH MORE. THE INSTITUTE USES THESE OBJECTS IN EXHIBITIONS WHEN TELLING THE STORY OF GERMAN-SPEAKING JEWRY.
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 June 1959.
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.