Society of Biblical Literature
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOSTER ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP IN BIBLICAL STUDIES AND COGNATE AREAS ACROSS GLOBAL BOUNDARIES.
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 26.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 62%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 1,200
- Highest pay
- $268,142, treasurer, exec 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: 96 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 26.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 39% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 15 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 (4)
- $1.5 million spent. PRESS. SBL PRESS, THE PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT OF THE SOCIETY, IS A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PRESSES, AND PUBLISHES PEER-REVIEWED BOOKS AND JOURNALS FOR THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AND LIBRARIES. THE PRESS ACQUIRES, DEVELOPS, PRODUCES, AND MARKETS 22 BOOK SERIES, THE FLAGSHIP JOURNAL OF THE FIELD, AND A JOURNAL FOR BOOK REVIEWS. TO DO SO THE PRESS HAS PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND OVER 130 VOLUNTEER MEMBERS WHO SERVE AS GENERAL EDITORS, AS SERIES EDITORS, AND ON EDITORIAL BOARDS. SBL PRESS'S ANNUAL BOOK OUTPUT IS 35 TITLES, IN ADDITION TO THE TWO MAJOR JOURNALS. THE PRESS ALSO PARTNERS WITH OTHER PRESSES TO PUBLISH MAJOR RESOURCES AND REFERENCE WORKS. PRESS ALSO MAINTAINS THE BIBLE ODYSSEY WEBSITE WHICH IS USED TO PROVIDE THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIBLE, ITS CONTENTS, BACKGROUND AND CULTURAL IMPACT. (Expenses $ 209,603 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 658,013) THE SOCIETY HAS APPROXIMATELY 7,500 MEMBERS. THE MEMBERSHIP FEE PROVIDES A MYRIAD OF MEMBER SERVICES. MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON JOURNALS, MEETING REGISTRATIONS, AND BOOKS. MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNANCE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION THROUGH THEIR WORK ON COMMITTEES. OVER 3,000 MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AS CHAIRS, PRESENTERS, PRESIDERS, OR PANELISTS AT THE ELEVEN REGIONAL MEETINGS, THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING, AND THE ANNUAL MEETING; OVER 5,700 MEMBERS ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS. THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IS MADE UP OF A COMMUNITY OF MEMBER SCHOLARS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO FURTHER BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND TO PASS ALONG THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.
- $1.3 million spent. CONFERENCES. SBL ORGANIZES THREE MAJOR ANNUAL ACADEMIC CONFERENCES EACH YEAR, ONE IN THE UNITED STATES, ONE OUTSIDE THE U.S, AND ONE VIRTUAL GLOBAL CONFERENCE. THE MAJOR U.S. MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER MORE THAN HALF OF ITS MEMBERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT OVER 1,000 SCHOLARLY PAPERS OF NEW RESEARCH IN HUNDREDS OF PROGRAM UNIT SESSIONS. THE CONFERENCE ALSO PROVIDES AN EXHIBIT HALL FOR ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS AND A JOB SERVICE FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS WHO INTERVIEW AND HIRE MEMBERS. THESE ANNUAL CONFERENCES ARE HELD IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH SBL'S STRATEGIC VISION STATEMENTS: ORGANIZING CONGRESSES FOR SCHOLARLY EXCHANGE; FACILITATING BROAD AND OPEN DISCUSSION FROM A VARIETY OF CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES; AND PROMOTING COOPERATION ACROSS GLOBAL BOUNDARIES.
- $502,581 spent. PROFESSIONS. SBL OFFERS A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ACADEMIC FIELD IN HIGHER EDUCATION. IT HOSTS AN EMPLOYMENT SERVICE, PROVIDES WORKSHOPS AT ITS MEETINGS, PARTNERS WITH RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, COLLABORATES WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN HUMANITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION (SUCH AS THE NATIONAL HUMANITIES ALLIANCE AND THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES), AND FOSTERS PARTICIPATION THROUGH PROGRAM UNITS THAT ENLIST OVER 3,000 OF ITS MEMBERS AS CHAIRS, PRESENTERS, PRESIDERS, OR PANELISTS. (Expenses $ 209,603 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 658,013) THE SOCIETY HAS APPROXIMATELY 7,500 MEMBERS. THE MEMBERSHIP FEE PROVIDES A MYRIAD OF MEMBER SERVICES. MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON JOURNALS, MEETING REGISTRATIONS, AND BOOKS. MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNANCE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION THROUGH THEIR WORK ON COMMITTEES. OVER 3,000 MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AS CHAIRS, PRESENTERS, PRESIDERS, OR PANELISTS AT THE ELEVEN REGIONAL MEETINGS, THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING, AND THE ANNUAL MEETING; OVER 5,700 MEMBERS ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS. THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IS MADE UP OF A COMMUNITY OF MEMBER SCHOLARS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO FURTHER BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND TO PASS ALONG THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.
- $209,603 spent. THE SOCIETY HAS APPROXIMATELY 7,500 MEMBERS. THE MEMBERSHIP FEE PROVIDES A MYRIAD OF MEMBER SERVICES. MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON JOURNALS, MEETING REGISTRATIONS, AND BOOKS. MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNANCE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION THROUGH THEIR WORK ON COMMITTEES. OVER 3,000 MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AS CHAIRS, PRESENTERS, PRESIDERS, OR PANELISTS AT THE ELEVEN REGIONAL MEETINGS, THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING, AND THE ANNUAL MEETING; OVER 5,700 MEMBERS ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS. THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IS MADE UP OF A COMMUNITY OF MEMBER SCHOLARS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO FURTHER BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND TO PASS ALONG THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.
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 May 1949.
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.
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