Science History Institute Support Company
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FUNCTION OF SCIENCE HISTORY INSTITUTE SUPPORT COMPANY IS TO BENEFIT AND PERFORM SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SCIENCE HISTORY INSTITUTE. THIS INCLUDES THE LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND DIGITIZATION.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $18.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- 9.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $472,859, president & chief executive officer
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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 512% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 91% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs.
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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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 (3)
- $2.2 million spent. THE DONALD F. AND MILDRED TOPP OTHMER LIBRARY OF CHEMICAL HISTORY IS AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH LIBRARY ENCOMPASSING THE HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY AND RELATED SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGIES, AND INDUSTRIES. OUR LIBRARY HOUSES MORE THAN 150,000 PRINT VOLUMES, INCLUDING RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS, ARCHIVAL MATERIALS, MODERN BOOKS AND JOURNALS, AND HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS. THESE EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS SPAN NEARLY SIX MILES OF SHELVES AND OFFER AN UNRIVALED RESOURCE FOR RESEARCHERS, WITH MODERN BOOKS AND JOURNALS IN 15 LANGUAGES, INCLUDING HARD-TO-FIND SOURCES LIKE DYE SAMPLE BOOKS AND TECHNICAL REPORTS. WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST COLLECTIONS OF RARE BOOKS ON CHEMISTRY IN THE WORLD, WITH MORE THAN 7,000 VOLUMES FROM THE 15TH TO 19TH CENTURIES.
- $11.1 million spent. THE SCIENCE HISTORY INSTITUTE ARCHIVES ACTIVELY COLLECTS AND PRESERVES THE PAPERS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHOSE WORK HAS SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCED OUR SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF CHEMISTRY, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, AND THE LIFE SCIENCES AND ITS ALLIED FIELDS. ARCHIVES STAFF COLLECTS, PRESERVES, DESCRIBES, AND MAKES AVAILABLE THE UNIQUE, UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS THAT DOCUMENT THE PAST 200 YEARS OF OUR SCIENTIFIC HISTORY. SPANNING OVER 6,000 LINEAR SHELF FEET, THESE COLLECTIONS ARE A MAJOR ATTRACTION FOR SCHOLARS OF THE MODERN CHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR SCIENCES. WE ACTIVELY COLLECT ARCHIVAL PAPERS FROM OUTSTANDING SCIENTISTS, INDUSTRIES, AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. COLLECTION STRENGTHS INCLUDE THE FIELDS OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION, CHEMICAL EDUCATION, MATERIALS SCIENCE, QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING.
- $4.5 million spent. GRANT TO THE SCIENCE HISTORY INSTITUTE.
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 August 1998.
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.