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Research Foundation for the State University of New York

EIN 14-1368361 · Albany, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$1.9 billion
Spending
$1.6 billion
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
4.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 54%
Employees
15,627
Volunteers
1,298
Highest pay
$656,781, cio, stony brook foundation

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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 38% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 29% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 17 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

Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.

Results it reports

  • Supported 6,100 research grants and awards conducted by 2,600 faculty members.Work delivered
  • Research led to approximately 310 invention disclosures.Change achieved
  • Research led to 70 issued U.S. patents.Change achieved
  • 40 license and option agreements were executed.Change achieved
  • 290 patent applications were filed.Work delivered
  • Over 150 startups were in operation.Change achieved
  • Provided services to campus-related organizations across 31 SUNY locations.Work delivered

Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $857.6 million spent. THE RF PROVIDES SUNY FACULTY AND STAFF WITH ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH GRANTS AND AWARDS THAT ARE FUNDED BY SPONSORS (FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS, PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES AND NONPROFIT FOUNDATIONS). THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT INCLUDES SERVICES SUCH AS HIRING PERSONNEL NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE RESEARCH, PURCHASING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, PREFUNDING EXPENSES PRIOR TO SPONSOR REIMBURSEMENT AND PROVIDING FINANCIAL REPORTS TO THE SPONSORS. THESE RESEARCH GRANTS AND AWARDS ENCOMPASS A WIDE RANGE OF DISCIPLINES INCLUDING IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CLEAN ENERGY, BIOTECHNOLOGY, LONGEVITY, SUBSTANCE ADDITCITION, NEXTGEN QUANTUM COMPUTING, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND RESLIANCY. THE RF SUPPORTED 6,100 RESEARCH GRANTS AND AWARDS THAT WERE CONDUCTED BY 2,600 FACULTY MEMBERS (PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS) DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025. THIS YEAR, RESEARCH AT SUNY LED TO APPROXIMATELY 310 INVENTION DISCLOSURES, 70 ISSUED U.S. PATENTS, 40 LICENSE AND OPTION AGREEMENTS EXECUTED, AND 290 PATENT APPLICATIONS FILED. AS OF JUNE 30, 2025 THERE WERE OVER 150 STARTUPS IN OPERATION. (Expenses $ 282,996,691 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 248,270,335)
  2. $122.4 million spent. SUNY FACULTY AND STAFF CONDUCT VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND SUCH AS PROVIDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC SERVICES TO CHILDREN THROUGH EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND COORDINATING SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER ACTIVITIES. FUNDING FOR THESE GRANTS AND PROGRAMS IS PROVIDED BY SPONSORS TO THE RF ON BEHALF OF SUNY. THE RF SUPPORTS THE FACULTY AND STAFF BY PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS: HIRING PERSONNEL THE FACULTY NEEDED TO HELP CONDUCT THE PROGRAM, PURCHASING NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AND REIMBURSING TRAVEL COSTS THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR BY THE GRANT, SUBMITTING FINANCIAL REPORTS REQUIRED BY THE SPONSORS, AND ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS AND THE SPONSOR'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS. THE RF SUPPORTED APPROXIMATELY 680 PUBLIC SERVICE GRANTS AND AWARDS THAT WERE CONDUCTED BY 370 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025.
  3. $103.6 million spent. SUNY FACULTY AND STAFF ARE AWARDED GRANTS AND CONTRACTS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT HELP BUILD SKILLS AND DISSEMINATE SUNY EXPERTISE. THE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE OF ALL AGES IN NEW YORK STATE AND AROUND THE WORLD, SUCH AS TEACHERS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS. THE RF PROVIDES ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES THAT ALLOW SUNY FACULTY AND STAFF TO FOCUS ON THESE PROGRAMS. THESE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES INCLUDE: HIRING PERSONNEL TO HELP CONDUCT PROGRAMS, PURCHASING NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AND REIMBURSING TRAVEL COSTS THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR BY THE GRANT, SUBMITTING FINANCIAL REPORTS REQUIRED BY THE SPONSOR, AND ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS AND THE SPONSOR'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS. THE RF SUPPORTED APPROXIMATELY 560 TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL GRANTS AND AWARDS THAT WERE CONDUCTED BY 370 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025. UNDER THE PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDED ON LINES 4A THROUGH 4C, THE RF EMPLOYED APPROXIMATELY 10,800 INDIVIDUALS. (Expenses $ 282,996,691 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 248,270,335)
  4. THE RF PROVIDES SERVICES TO CAMPUS-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 31 SUNY LOCATIONS AND TO RF AFFILIATES - SEPARATE, PRIVATE CORPORATIONS THAT SUPPORT CAMPUS GOALS TO CONDUCT COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS, EMPOWER SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATION, AND MANAGE AND DEVELOP REAL ESTATE. THE RF OFFERS HUMAN RESOURCES/PAYROLL AND PURCHASING/PAYABLES ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS. CAMPUS RELATED ORGANIZATIONS ARE CREATED TO SUPPORT SUNY'S MISSION; EXAMPLES OF SUCH ORGANIZATIONS ARE CAMPUS FOUNDATIONS AND CLINICAL PRACTICE PLANS AT THE SUNY MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS. APPROXIMATELY 1,800 INDIVIDUALS WERE EMPLOYED BY THE RF FOR THESE PROGRAM SERVICES. THE RF ALSO ADMINISTERS GRANTS AND CONTRACTS SUCH AS SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR SUNY STUDENTS THAT ARE FUNDED BY EXTERNAL SPONSORS AND ADMINISTERS PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE SUNY TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR FUND (TAF), WHICH ENABLES FACULTY INVENTORS AND SCIENTISTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR PROMISING IDEAS HAVE COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL THROUGH FEASIBILITY STUDIES, PROTOTYPING, AND TESTING. THE REMAINING APPROXIMATELY 3,000 INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY THE RF WERE MAINLY CORPORATE STAFF SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED IN LINES 4A THROUGH 4D. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RF GO TO WWW.RFSUNY.ORG.

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 November 6, 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 November 1951.

    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 November 4, 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.