International Society for Bipolar Disorders Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO FOSTER INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION IN EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND CLINICAL CARE TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER AND RELATED CONDITIONS.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $958,045
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 26.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $110,094, executive director
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 26.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 52% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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, 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 (6)
- $94,136 spent. MEMBERSHIP: ISBD PROVIDES MEMBERS WITH A SUBSCRIPTION TO "BIPLOAR DISORDERS - AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROSCIENCES". MEMBERS ALSO RECEIVE DISCOUNTS TO ISBD MEETINGS, ACCESS TO RESTRICTED FEATURES IN THE MEMBERS ZONE SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE, VOTING PRIVILEGES, AND THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND SPECIAL TASK FORCES ON TOPICS OF IMPORTANCE TO THE FIELD.
- $621,199 spent. CONFERENCES: ISBD HOLDS AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WHICH SERVES AS THE MAIN EDUCATION EVENT OF THE SOCIETY AND PROVIDES A MULTITUDE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND ENGAGE WITH THE ORGANIZATION. THE CONFERENCE FEATURES KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS FROM RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED LEADERS IN THE FIELD, WHILE SUBMITTED PARALLEL SYMPOSIA OPEN THE PROGRAM UP TO CONTRIBUTIONS FROM YOUNG RESEARCHERS WITH NEW DATA. THE PROGRAM ALSO FEATURES RAPID COMMUNICATIONS SESSIONS, WHERE CUTTING-EDGE AND NEWLY-EMERGING RESEARCH IS DELIVERED IN SHORT-FORM PRESENTATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THESE FEATURES, THE CONFERENCE HOSTS WORKSHOPS THAT PROVIDE A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO LEARNING UTILIZING CASE STUDIES AND OTHER GROUP LEARNING EXERCISES. THE PROGRAM IS MAINLY GEARED TOWARDS CLINICIANS AND RESEARCHERS. THE MEETING TYPICALLY COVERS TOPICS INCLUDING BIPOLAR DISORDERS IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS, BRAIN STRUCTURE AND BRAIN FUNCTION, COMORBIDITY BETWEEN BIPOLAR DISORDERS AND MEDICAL DISORDERS, REVIEWS OF DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT GUIDELINES, NEUROIMAGING STUDIES, BIOMARKERS, GENETICS RESEARCH, AND PSYCHOTHERAPIES AMONG MANY OTHER TOPICS. THE MEETING ALSO SERVES AS A PLACE FOR ISBD TASK FORCES, COMMITTEES AND CHAPTER LEADERS TO ASSEMBLE AND DISCUSS CHALLENGES AND FURTHER THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION.
- $19,846 spent. AWARDS:THE SAMUEL GERSHON AWARDS FOR JUNIOR INVESTIGATORS, NAMED IN HONOR OF DR. SAMUEL GERSON, PAST ISBD PRESIDENT AND PIONEER OF EARLY LITHIUM RESEARCH, OFFER 4 AWARDS FOR ORIGINAL RESEARCH SUBMISSIONS. AWARDS ARE BASED ON THE ORIGINALITY OF THE CONTENT, AS WELL AS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FINDINGS REPORTED, AND ARE EVALUATED BY AN INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC PANEL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ISBD. THESE AWARDS ARE OPEN TO PSYCHIATRIC TRAINEES, POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS AND JUNIOR FACULTY UP TO THE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR RANK FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THE AWARDS ARE PRESENTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SOCIETY'S BIENNIAL MEETING, WHERE THE WINNERS PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH IN A SPECIAL SESSION SHOWCASING THE WORK OF JUNIOR PEOPLE IN THE FIELD.
- $55,658 spent. WEBSITE: THE WEBSITE SERVES AS THE HUB OF ACTIVITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION, ALLOWING MEMBERS TO UPDATE THEIR ADDRESSES, RENEW MEMBERSHIP IN THE SOCIETY, AND ACCESS THE BIPOLAR DISORDERS JOURNAL, OUR WEBINARS AND MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY VIA THE MEMBERS ZONE. THE SITE ALSO SERVES TO INFORM MEMBERS ABOUT APPLICATION FOR THE SOCIETY'S AWARDS, CHAPTER ACTIVITIES, AND AS A PLATFORM FOR PROMOTING OUR WORLD BIPOLAR DAY CAMPAIGN.
- $4,049 spent. WORLD BIPOLAR DAY & ADVOCACY: WORLD BIPOLAR DAY (WBD) IS AN INITIATIVE OF THE SOCIETY AND A JOINT COLLABORATION BETWEEN ISBD AND OTHER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS ABOUT THE ILLNESS THROUGH ENCOURAGING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO HOLD EVENTS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH BIPOAR DISORDER. THE INAUGURAL WBD WAS HELD ON MARCH 30TH, 2014, COMMEMORATING THE BIRTHDAY OF THE FAMOUS DUTCH PAINTER VINCENT VAN GOGH, WHO WAS POSTHUMOUSLY DIAGNOSED AS HAVING HAD BIPOLAR DISORDER. ISBD HAS CONTRIBUTED TO DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPT AND LOGO AND MAINTAINS THE CAMPAIGN'S PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
- $24,752 spent. TASK FORCES: ISBD TASK FORCES CONSIST OF ISBD MEMBERS AND OTHER GLOBAL EXPERTS WHO COME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS IMPORTANT UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN VARIOUS SUBSPECIALTIES IN RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE. THE TASK FORCE DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PEER-REVIEWED MANUSCRIPTS, WEBINARS, CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, AND PATIENT DIRECTED PAMPHLETS AND RESOURCES, MUCH OF WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO OUR MEMBERS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. AS SUCH, THE TASK FORCES ARE A MAJOR STAPLE AND ENGINE OF THE ISBD RESEARCH OUTPUT AND REPRESENT AN AREA OF SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION. THE GOAL OF TASK FORCES IS TO PROVIDE DIRECTION AND ANSWER UNMET NEEDS, AND CONSEQUENTLY, THEY ARE MEANT TO HAVE IMPACT ON THE FUTURE OF RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE IN BIPOLAR DISORDERS.
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
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 November 6, 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 December 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 February 2001.
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 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.