Watson Caring Science Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 89 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THROUGH EDUCATION, PRACTICE, RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP, WATSON CARING SCIENCE INSTITUTE'S (WCSI) MISSION IS TO INFORM, INSPIRE AND ELEVATE NURSES THROUGH ITS ACADEMIC AND CLINICAL PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS, FOCUSED ON DEEP INDIVIDUAL AND CULTURAL SYSTEM CHANGE.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 90%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 158
- Highest pay
- $132,667, 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
Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 77% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 89 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 11 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (7)
- $424,303 spent. THE CARITAS COACH EDUCATION PROGRAM (CCEP) IS A UNIQUE, SIX-MONTH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT INCORPORATES INTERACTIVE ONLINE INSTRUCTION, VIRTUAL SMALL GROUP INTENSIVES, AND AN ASSIGNED CARITAS FACULTY COACH. THROUGH A FORMAL APPLICATION PROCESS, A NEW CLASS OF STUDENTS IS ADMITTED TO THE PROGRAM EVERY MAY AND NOVEMBER. THROUGH DYNAMIC INQUIRY AND COLLABORATIVE, COMPASSIONATE DIALOGUE, PARTICIPANTS WILL EXPLORE CARITAS CONSCIOUSNESS AND CARING LITERACY, PREPARING THEM TO TRANSFORM THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES TOWARD DEEPER MEANING, PURPOSE, DIGNITY, AND WHOLENESS. AS A CARITAS COACH, PARTICIPANTS WILL RETURN TO THEIR SETTINGS WITH NEW INSIGHT, WISDOM, SKILLS, AND CONFIDENCE TO GIVE VOICE TO AND HELP TRANSLATE AND LIVE OUT THE THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN CARING-HEALING,(CONTINUED ON SCH O) IN SERVICE OF DEEP SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION.
- $249,063 spent. OUR CONSULTATION SERVICES PROVIDE EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO DR. WATSON AND WCSI FACULTY THROUGH A VARIETY OF FORMATS, INCLUDING WEBINARS, CONFERENCE EVENTS, AND BOTH ON-SITE AND VIRTUAL SESSIONS. PARTICIPANTS CAN EARN CONTACT HOURS BY ENGAGING IN OUR FREE MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF CARING SCIENCE PRINCIPLES. THESE OPPORTUNITIES ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO CONNECT WITH LEADING EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, GAIN VALUABLE INSIGHTS, AND ENHANCE THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN A FLEXIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE MANNER.
- $101,428 spent. WCSI HAS DEVELOPED A DISTINCTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL BASED ON DR. JEAN WATSON'S CARING SCIENCE, ALSO KNOWN AS UNITARY CARING SCIENCE. DR. WATSON, ALONG WITH WCSI FACULTY EXPERTS, RESEARCHERS, AND SCHOLARS, HAS COLLABORATED WITH NURSES AND HEALTHCARE LEADERS WORLDWIDE TO DEVELOP INDICATORS FOR THE AFFILIATION PROGRAM THAT EMBRACES HUMANISTIC VALUES. THESE INDICATORS SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO AUTHENTICALLY AND MEANINGFULLY SHOWCASE THE ACT OF CARING. THE AIM OF BEING AN AFFILIATE WITH WATSON'S CARING SCIENCE IS TO ACHIEVE A MEANINGFUL ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION. CURRENT WCSI AFFILIATES HAVE SHARED EXAMPLES OF HOW ADOPTING WATSON'S CARING SCIENCE AS THEIR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE MODEL CAN IMPROVE PATIENT QUALITY CARE OUTCOMES, IMPROVE STAFF CARE, CREATE AUTHENTIC (CONTINUED ON SCH O) HEALING ENVIRONMENTS, REDUCE STAFF TURNOVER, SUPPORT MAGNET DESIGNATION/EXEMPLARS, AND ALIGN WITH ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) SUSTAINABILITY.
- $92,466 spent. THE CARITAS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR INDIVIDUALS AND HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, NURSING SCHOOLS, OR OTHER VALUE/MISSION-DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS WITH A DESIRE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AUTHENTIC CARE AND VALUE SYSTEMS OF WATSON'S CARING SCIENCE WITHIN THEIR WORKPLACE AND BEYOND. TARGETED AT EXECUTIVE NURSE LEADERS (VP, CNE, CNO ROLES), ACADEMIC CLINICAL PROFESSORS, AND EDUCATORS, THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON EXPLORING AN EVOLVED WORLDVIEW OF UNITARY CARING SCIENCE AS A CONTEXT FOR HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS OF LEADERSHIP, INFORMED BY A VALUE, PHILOSOPHY, ETHICS, AND ONTOLOGY OF 'BELONGING', CONNECTEDNESS, AND RELATIONS. CARITAS LEADERS WILL EMBRACE UNITARY CARING SCIENCE INTELLECTUALLY AND EXPERIENTIALLY THROUGH THE POWER OF CARITAS LEADERSHIP CIRCLES, ENGAGE IN THE 10 CARITAS PROCESSES AS A FOUNDATION FOR ONTOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP PRACTICE, AND BECOME MORE CONGRUENT IN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE TO DEVELOP A DEEPER SENSE OF MASTERY OF SELF BEYOND ROLES. THEY WILL ENVISION, ARTICULATE, AND TRANSLATE THEIR PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL 'ONTOLOGY OF CARITAS LEADERSHIP' TOWARD ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE CHANGE, ESTABLISH A SHARED CARITAS VISION WITH OTHERS TO CREATE A COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY ('COMMUNITAS') CULTURE, AND OPEN TO UNEXPECTED SOLUTIONS THAT HONOR ALL WAYS OF KNOWING, BEING, AND BECOMING. ADDITIONALLY, THEY WILL EXERCISE CULTURAL HUMILITY, ALLOWING FOR MULTIPLE, DIVERSE EXPERIENCES, POINTS OF VIEW, AND DIFFERENT LIFE PATTERNS AND BELIEFS, ACCESS AND USE CARITAS LEADERSHIP CIRCLES FOR CONTEMPLATION AND INNER SILENCE TOWARD COMPASSIONATE, CRITICAL SELF-REFLECTION, AND EXPERIMENT WITH WATSON'S 7 SACRED SUTRAS AS AN EXEMPLAR FOR CONNECTING WITH SPIRIT, MYSTERY, AND SOURCE (CARITAS PROCESS 10).
- $76,124 spent. THE WATSON CARING SCIENCE LOTUS RECOGNITION HONORS ORGANIZATIONS THAT AUTHENTICALLY COMMIT TO AND DEMONSTRATE THE VALUES, PHILOSOPHY, AND HUMAN CARING THEORY-GUIDED PRACTICES OF WCSI. THIS RECOGNITION REFLECTS THE ORGANIZATION'S CARING AND HEALING CULTURE FOR STAFF, PATIENTS, AND COMMUNITIES. IT IS INTENDED FOR HOSPITALS, CARE HOMES, OR OTHER MISSION-DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS AND CAN BE AWARDED AT THE UNIT, DEPARTMENT, IDENTIFIED PRACTICE AREA, OR PROGRAM LEVEL WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION, BUT NOT TO INDIVIDUALS. APPLICANTS MUST DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO WCSI'S THEORY THROUGH THEIR PRACTICE, OR WHAT WE REFER TO AS 'PRAXIS'. WCSI DEFINES PRAXIS AS THE DEMONSTRATION OF EXEMPLARY INFORMED LOVING KINDNESS WITHIN ONE'S WORK.
- $27,256 spent. THE WCSI MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE ORGANIZATION, NURSING, AND THE WIDER WORLD. MEMBERSHIPS ARE ANNUAL AND INCLUDE A UNIQUE MEMBERSHIP NUMBER, DISCOUNTS IN THE CARING STORE, OTHER PERKS AND GOODIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND UNIQUE FILMS AND TEACHINGS BY DR. WATSON AND CARITAS FACULTY.
- THE CARING STORE IS AN ONLINE MARKETPLACE DEDICATED TO OFFERING A CURATED SELECTION OF GIFTS, BOOKS, RESOURCES, AND TOOLS THAT RESONATE WITH OUR VISION AND VALUES. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT ONLY USEFUL AND AESTHETICALLY PLEASING BUT ALSO ETHICALLY SOURCED AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. WE CAREFULLY SELECT ITEMS THAT REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, ENSURING THAT EACH PURCHASE SUPPORTS A GREATER PURPOSE.
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 January 2009.
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.