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The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology

EIN 23-6434390 · Philadelphia, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE WISTAR INSTITUTE IS TO MARSHAL THE TALENTS OF OUTSTANDING SCIENTISTS THROUGH A HIGHLY ENABLED CULTURE OF BIOMEDICAL COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION IN ORDER TO SOLVE SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST CHALLENGING AND IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IN THE FIELD OF CANCER AND IMMUNOLOGY, AND PRODUCE GROUND-BREAKING ADVANCES IN WORLD HEALTH. CONSISTENT WITH A PIONEERING LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP IN NOT-FOR-PROFIT BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND A TRACK-RECORD OF LIFE-SAVING CONTRIBUTIONS IN IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY, THE WISTAR INSTITUTE AIMS TO PURSUE NOVEL AND COURAGEOUS RESEARCH PATHS TO LIFE SCIENCE DISCOVERY, AND TO ACCELERATE/POTENTIATE THE IMPACT OF THOSE DISCOVERIES BY SHORTENING THE PATH FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE.

Income
$77.3 million
Spending
$89.9 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
19.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 65%
Employees
377
Volunteers
73
Highest pay
$758,347, president & ceo, director of wistar cancer center

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 19.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    32 of 32 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 December 31, 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 (1)
  1. $71.2 million spent. THE WISTAR INSTITUTE IS THE NATION'S FIRST INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT INSTITUTION DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO FOUNDATIONAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING. THROUGH A CULTURE AND COMMITMENT TO BIOMEDICAL COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION, WISTAR SCIENCE LEADS TO BREAKTHROUGH EARLY-STAGE DISCOVERIES. WISTAR SCIENTISTS ARE DEDICATED TO SOLVING SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST CHALLENGING PROBLEMS IN THE FIELDS OF CANCER AND IMMUNOLOGY, ADVANCING HUMAN HEALTH THROUGH EARLY-STAGE DISCOVERY AND TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCHERS. CORE CENTERS WITHIN THE WISTAR INSTITUTE INCLUDES ITS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ELLEN AND RONALD CAPLAN CANCER CENTER, DESIGNATED A NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE (NCI) CANCER CENTER IN 1972. IN 2015, THE CENTER RENEWED ITS DESIGNATION AND RECEIVED THE FIRST OF TWO CONSECUTIVE "EXCEPTIONAL" RATINGS THAT IT RETAINS TODAY, THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RANKING A CANCER CENTER CAN RECEIVE. WISTAR'S HIV CURE AND VIRAL DISEASE CENTER IS ONE OF THE FEW CENTERS IN THE NATION DEDICATED TO HIV CURE RESEARCH. WISTAR SCIENTISTS AS WELL AS SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE PHILADELPHIA REGION BENEFIT FROM THE TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT AND STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE INSTRUMENTATION PROVIDED BY THE INSTITUTE'S SHARED RESOURCES.WISTAR'S HUBERT J.P. SCHOEMAKER EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER HAS LAUNCHED NEW COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITH THE GOAL OF EXPANDING LIFE SCIENCE EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA AND BEYOND. WISTAR HAS A ROBUST RANGE OF STEM-BASED PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON LIFE SCIENCE CAREERS FOR STUDENTS AND ADULT LEARNERS. WISTAR'S EDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAMS SUPPORT STEM-BASED, BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL, UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 November 1946.

    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.