Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IDEAS42 USES BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE - THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR - TO IMPROVE LIVES, BUILD BETTER SYSTEMS, AND DRIVE SOCIAL CHANGE. WE WORK ACROSS MUTUALLY REINFORCING ISSUE AREAS INCLUDING: PROMOTING ACCESS TO QUALITY POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE, ADVANCING ECONOMIC AND LEGAL JUSTICE, AND STRENGTHENING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS, WE ENVISION A FUTURE WHERE APPLIED BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE FOSTERS OPTIMAL HEALTH, EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY, AND ENVIRONMENTS AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE AND JUST FOR ALL - ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH THE LEAST.
- Income
- $11.0 million
- Spending
- $17.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 2.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 46%
- Employees
- 103
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $295,233, chief executive officer (from 2/24)
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
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (social science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 60% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 54% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (social science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 10 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (10)
- $3.1 million spent. ECONOMIC JUSTICE: WE'RE REDEFINING HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES TO PROMOTE EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND DESIGN NEW SOLUTIONS THAT PUT MORE PEOPLE ON A PATH TO ECONOMIC SECURITY. WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NON-PROFITS, WE APPLY BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE TO FIX THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES CONTRIBUTING TO POVERTY IN THE U.S. BY INCREASING ACCESS TO THE CRITICAL RESOURCES OF TIME, MONEY, AND INFORMATION, AND CHANGING HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY, WE ENSURE THAT MORE PEOPLE IN HISTORICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES HAVE GREATER CONTROL OVER THEIR LIVES AND FUTURES.
- $2.3 million spent. FINANCIAL HEALTH: WE'RE IMPROVING FINANCIAL SYSTEMS BY WORKING TO ENSURE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND PROGRAMS ARE BEHAVIORALLY-INFORMED, AND DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL PEOPLE. WE PARTNER WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING CREDIT UNIONS, BANKS, PUBLIC AGENCIES, GOVERNMENTS, FINTECH STARTUPS, AND NON-PROFITS TO REDUCE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO CREATE A FINANCIAL SYSTEM THAT REDUCES DISTRESS AND CREATES OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOMES.
- $1.7 million spent. GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT: WE'RE CREATING STRONGER FOUNDATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH BY WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO ENHANCE EXISTING PATHS TO SUSTAINABLE STANDARDS OF LIVING. BY CHANGING BEHAVIORS THAT HELP PEOPLE SEE THE VALUE OF LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS OVER SHORT-TERM GAINS, WE'VE REDESIGNED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOCUSED ON IMPROVING PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS, EDUCATION OUTCOMES, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WITH PROJECTS IN EIGHT COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE, WE'VE DEVELOPED IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS THAT MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE ON THEIR JOURNEY OUT OF POVERTY - AND PUTS THEM ON A PATH TO ECONOMIC STABILITY.
- $769,754 spent. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: WE'RE BUILDING THE TOOLS AND ENHANCING THE PROCESSES NEEDED TO INCREASE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC LIFE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. BY LEVERAGING OUR UNIQUE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS AND BEHAVIORS STANDING IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, WE ARE ABLE TO DESIGN INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS CAN IMPLEMENT NATIONWIDE. BACKED BY OUR BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE EXPERTISE AND DATA-DRIVEN METHODOLOGY, IDEAS42 IS WORKING TO UPLIFT HISTORICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES AND BUILD A GOVERNMENT THAT BETTER REFLECTS THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.
- $1.3 million spent. GIVING: WE'RE REMOVING BARRIERS AND ENHANCING PROCESSES TO HELP DONORS ALIGN THEIR GIVING BASED ON THEIR FINANCIAL ABILITIES AND INTEREST, INCREASING OVERALL CHARITABLE FUNDING AND IMPACT. BY ANALYZING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL BARRIERS THAT OFTEN HINDER DONORS, DONORS CAN DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND TEST TOOLS THAT ENHANCE PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS FOR NON-PROFITS TACKLING THE HARDEST PROBLEMS FACING SOCIETY. THIS WORK BUILDS AND STRENGTHENS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE GIVING ECOSYSTEM, ENSURING MORE MONEY CAN BE PUT TO WORK BY THE ORGANIZATIONS SERVING INDIVIDUALS WORLDWIDE.
- $1.2 million spent. GLOBAL HEALTH: WE'RE TRANSFORMING GLOBAL HEALTH BY GIVING THEIR PARTNERS NEW AND EFFECTIVE WAYS TO STRUCTURE HEALTH PROGRAMS, SHARE HEALTH INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, AND SOLVE PERSISTENT HEALTH PROBLEMS BASED ON HOW PEOPLE BEHAVE IN THE REAL WORLD. BY BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW AND WHY PEOPLE MAKE THE CHOICES THEY DO, WE'VE BROUGHT ABOUT INCREMENTAL AND LARGE-SCALE BEHAVIOR CHANGES THAT HAVE IMPROVED MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. WORKING WITH HUMAN BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN AGAINST IT, ENABLES MANY MORE WOMEN TO LEAD HEALTHY AND FRUITFUL LIVES, CONTRIBUTING MORE TO THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.
- $1.6 million spent. POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: WE'RE ENABLING MORE PEOPLE TO ACCESS AND COMPLETE COLLEGE IN THE UNITED STATES. BY WORKING WITH OUR POSTSECONDARY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE THE BEHAVIORAL BARRIERS THAT PREVENT PROSPECTIVE AND CURRENT STUDENTS FROM MATRICULATING AND PERSISTING, WE HELP MORE PEOPLE CONTINUE ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. WITH POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION THE CLEAREST PATH TO UPWARD MOBILITY IN THE U.S. TODAY, OUR WORK HELPS THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, INCLUDING FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS AND STUDENTS OF COLOR IMPROVE THEIR ECONOMIC WELL BEING.
- $719,571 spent. SAFETY & JUSTICE: WE IMPROVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM FOR HISTORICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. BY USING OUR RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE BEHAVIORAL DESIGN WORK, WE SEE HOW PROBLEMS LIKE MISSED COURT DATES HAVE OUTSIZED CONSEQUENCES ON PEOPLE. WITH JAIL TIME JEOPARDIZING EMPLOYMENT, ECONOMIC SECURITY, HOUSING, AND CHILD CUSTODY - WHILE INCREASING RECIDIVISM RATES - WE WORK TO CREATE BETTER SYSTEMS AND POLICIES SO MORE PEOPLE CAN RETAIN THEIR FREEDOMS, LIVELIHOODS, AND OVERALL WELL BEING.
- $46,659 spent. U.S. HEALTH: WE'RE DESIGNING EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT LOWER HEALTHCARE-RELATED FINANCIAL BURDENS ON INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. BY FOCUSING ON CLINICAL INNOVATIONS, CHRONIC CONDITIONS, PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS, AND DATA SCIENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING, WE PROMOTE BETTER OUTCOMES AND REDUCE DISPARITIES FOR HISTORICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES. WITH LEADING HEALTHCARE PARTNERS, WE CREATE MEASURABLE IMPACTS ON HEALTHCARE PARTICIPATION BY REMOVING BARRIERS AND BIASES HOLDING PEOPLE BACK.
- $815,439 spent. MISC. PROGRAMS: THESE AMOUNTS ARE FROM VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT DO NOT FALL UNDER ONE OF THE PROGRAM/FOCUS AREAS
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 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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 April 2012.
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 October 21, 2026.
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