Lieber Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE INSTITUTE IS TO TRANSLATE BASIC GENETIC AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND RELATED DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN DISORDERS INTO CLINICAL ADVANCES THAT CHANGE THE LIVES OF AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS. IT IS CATALYZING A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF BRAIN DISEASE BY LINKING ADVANCES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES.
- Income
- $33.2 million
- Spending
- $35.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 6.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 36%
- Employees
- 142
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $791,111, ceo & 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
Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 45% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 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
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 (3)
- $4.3 million spent. CLINICAL SCIENCES: THE CLINICAL SCIENCE DIVISION INVESTIGATES MECHANISMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND RELATED BRAIN DISORDERS IN CLINICAL STUDIES AND IN BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL FROM CLINICAL SAMPLES SPECIFICALLY ASCERTAINED, EVALUATED AND MANAGED BY INSTITUTE STAFF AND THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH (NIMH), UNIVERSITY OF BARI (ITALY), MEDICAL COLLEGE OF VIRGINIA, MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND OTHERS.
- $17.3 million spent. BASIC SCIENCES: THE CREATION OF MODEL SYSTEMS AT THE INSTITUTE TO STUDY PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS IS THE MAJOR GOAL OF THE BASIC SCIENCES RESEARCH PROGRAM. USING OUR UNIQUE COLLECTION OF HUMAN BRAIN MATERIAL AND INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL LINES, WE ARE DEFINING THE MOLECULAR SIGNATURE OF DISEASE RISK. TO PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION WE ARE DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGIES USING HUMAN STEM CELLS TO IDENTIFY THE FUNCTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF GENETIC RISK FACTORS. THE GOAL OF THESE STUDIES IS THE IDENTIFICATION OF THERAPEUTIC TARGETS BASED ON THE MECHANISMS OF DISEASE.
- $8.2 million spent. DRUG DISCOVERY: IMPROVED GENETIC UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASES OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IS REVEALING NEW DRUG DISCOVERY OPPORTUNITIES. GUIDED BY GENETICS, THE INSTITUTE'S DRUG DISCOVERY DIVISION IS INVESTIGATING NEW TARGETS FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISEASES, WITH THE GOAL OF VALIDATING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES THAT WILL LEAD TO NOVEL MEDICINES FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM THESE CONDITIONS. THE DRUG DISCOVERY DIVISION MAINTAINS A STATE OF THE ART MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY AND UNIQUE CAPABILITIES IN TARGET VALIDATION.
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 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 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 July 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.