Rodale Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
RODALE INSTITUTE IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO ADVANCING REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. FOR OVER SEVENTY YEARS, RODALE INSTITUTE HAS BEEN RESEARCHING BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING PESTS AND DISEASES IN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE WHILE PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND ADAPTING TO AND MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE. OUR FINDINGS, SHARED WITH FARMERS AND SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT SUPPORT FARMERS AND EDUCATE CONSUMERS ABOUT HOW ORGANIC IS THE HEALTHIEST OPTION. THROUGH ORGANIC LEADERSHIP, WE IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE AND THE PLANET.
- Income
- $15.8 million
- Spending
- $15.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 14.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 53%
- Employees
- 164
- Volunteers
- 45
- Highest pay
- $255,739, chief executive officer
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
Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 18 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 (1)
- $12.4 million spent. RODALE INSTITUTE (THE "INSTITUTE"), LOCATED IN KUTZTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, IS AN INNOVATIVE 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT, DEDICATED TO ADVANCING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE THROUGH INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, DIRECT FARMER SUPPORT INITIATIVES, CONSUMER EDUCATION, AND WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS. WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE ORGANIC MOVEMENT IN THE US, RODALE INSTITUTE IS CELEBRATED AS A PRESTIGIOUS AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION, AND IS A TRUSTED PARTNER OF FARMERS, CORPORATIONS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS AND AGENCIES. THE WORK OF THE RODALE INSTITUTE, SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1947, IS GROUNDED IN THE PRINCIPLE THAT HEALTHY SOIL IS KEY TO HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. AS THE GLOBAL LEADER IN REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE, OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH AND BEST-IN-CLASS EDUCATION THAT ENABLES FARMERS TO TRANSITION TO REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, THEREBY IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE WORLD'S SOIL AND SECURING THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY. THE WORLD IS AT A CRITICAL INFLECTION POINT. THE RISE IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, CHRONIC DISEASES, AND INCREASED FREQUENCY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS REQUIRES US TO RECKON WITH HOW WE FEED THE WORLD. AS OUR ORGANIZATION ENTERS ITS 78TH YEAR, WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE RESEARCH, TRAINING, AND EDUCATION NECESSARY TO CATALYZE CHANGE IN OUR FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS. THE INSTITUTE IS COMMITTED TO CONDUCTING INNOVATIVE AND PRACTICAL RESEARCH DESIGNED TO UNCOVER THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT APPROACHES TO AGRICULTURE THAT WILL ENHANCE THE MANAGEMENT OF REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGROECOSYSTEMS. THROUGH LONG-TERM COMPARISON TRIALS BETWEEN ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS, ALONG WITH VARIOUS SHORT-TERM PROJECTS ACROSS DIFFERENT REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, WE SUPPORT A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCERS AT VARIOUS SCALES. RODALE INSTITUTE HAS THREE MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS THAT GUIDE OUR RESEARCH: BOLSTER ORGANIC AGRICULTURE BY DEVELOPING INTEGRATED PEST, DISEASE, AND WEED MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AS ALTERNATIVES FOR CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS AND FACILITATES THE TRANSITION TO ORGANIC LAND MANAGEMENT. ASSIST PRODUCERS IN ENHANCING THE RESILIENCY OF AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS TO WITHSTAND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. HELP ALLEVIATE NUTRITION DEFICITS IN THE POPULATION BY PROVIDING RESEARCH AROUND PRODUCING NUTRIENT-DENSE CROPS. THE INSTITUTE'S MAIN CAMPUS, A NEARLY 400-ACRE ORGANIC FARM AND RESEARCH FACILITY, SERVES AS A LIVING LABORATORY, A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HUB, AND A GATHERING PLACE FOR THE FARMING COMMUNITY. THE CAMPUS IS THE SITE OF MANY OF THE INSTITUTE'S RESEARCH PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE FARMING SYSTEMS TRIAL ("FST"), THE LONGEST-RUNNING, SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC GRAIN SYSTEMS AND VEGETABLE SYSTEMS TRIAL ("VST"), A LONG-TERM FOOD NUTRITION EXPERIMENT. EDUCATION IS ALSO CRITICAL TO THE MISSION OF RODALE INSTITUTE. AMERICAN CONSUMER HABITS SUGGEST SURGING DEMAND FOR REGENERATIVE ORGANIC FARMERS. IN THE UNITED STATES, ORGANIC SALES HAVE TOPPED $62 BILLION ANNUALLY AND CONTINUE TO GROW. YET ONLY APPROXIMATELY 1% OF U.S. CROPLAND IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC. THAT IS WHY RODALE INSTITUTE IS HELPING FARMERS TRANSITION TO ORGANIC, WHILE TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ORGANIC LEADERS. AT RODALE INSTITUTE, WE'RE INVESTED IN GIVING NEW FARMER TRAINEES THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. WE OFFER HANDS-ON, VIRTUAL, AND CLASSROOM-BASED WORKFORCE TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO NEW FARMERS THROUGH SEVERAL FARMER EDUCATION AND FELLOWSHIP PATHWAYS. RODALE INSTITUTE IS ASSISTING NEW FARMERS ESTABLISH OPERATIONS IN THE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SECTOR, WORKING WITH CONVENTIONAL FARMERS TO TRANSITION TO ORGANIC, AND TEACHING EXISTING ORGANIC FARMERS THE MOST INNOVATIVE ORGANIC GROWING PRACTICES. AN ESTABLISHED AUTHORITY ON ORGANIC PRODUCTION METHODS, RODALE INSTITUTE OFFERS INTERNSHIPS TO BEGINNING FARMERS, INCLUDING SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY VETERANS, AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS AND ONLINE COURSES TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE REGENERATIVE ORGANIC GROWING METHODS MORE ACCESSIBLE. RODALE INSTITUTE'S CONSULTING DIVISION, A TEAM OF EXPERTS IN THE USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC SECTOR, SIMPLIFIES THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING TO REGENERATIVE ORGANIC FARMING SYSTEMS. WE PUT TRAINED AGRONOMISTS AND CERTIFICATION EXPERTS ON FARMS IN A ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP AND PERSONALIZED COACHING MODEL TO ADVISE TRANSITIONING FARMERS. OUR CONSULTANCY FOCUSES ON 4 CORE AREAS: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS MARKET/BUYER DISCOVERY AND CONNECTION TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICAL ADVICE CONNECTING AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES RODALE INSTITUTE'S CONSULTANCY HAS TWO DISTINCT ADVANTAGES IN ITS SERVICE TO FARMERS: 1) WE HAVE A NATIONAL PRESENCE THAT CAN ASSIST A BROAD GEOGRAPHIC CONSTITUENCY; AND 2) OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE DIVERSE EXPERTISE WHICH CAN HELP SOLVE FARMERS' MOST PRESSING NEEDS. IN ADDITION TO OUR HEADQUARTERS IN KUTZTOWN, PA, RODALE INSTITUTE ALSO OPERATES NINE SATELLITE LOCATIONS. SIX REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS SERVE AS HUBS FOR ORGANIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. THESE HUBS MEET THE NEEDS OF FARMERS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING REGIONALIZED RESEARCH ON PESTS, DISEASES, WEEDS OR FERTILITY, AS WELL AS FIELD DAYS AND EXTENSION. HUBS ARE LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA, MIDWEST (IOWA), SOUTHEAST (GEORGIA), PACIFIC NORTHWEST (WASHINGTON), PENNSYLVANIA (POCONO), AND EUROPE (PARMA, ITALY). ADDITIONAL CAMPUSES INCLUDE AN ORGANIC FARM AT A ST. LUKE'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NETWORK LOCATION IN EASTON, PA, THE HISTORIC RODALE INSTITUTE FOUNDERS FARM IN EMMAUS, PA, AND A CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLE FARM AT A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY CAMPUS IN PA.
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 2025.
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 December 1972.
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.