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Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego

EIN 33-0903864 · San Diego, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceWeak21 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOCUSING ON DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTATIVE AND THERAPEUTIC TREATMENTS FOR BOTH INFECTIOUS (MAALARIA, HEPATITIS B AND C, AND INFLUENZA) AND NON-INFECTIOUS DISEASES (CANCER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE).

Income
$664,888
Spending
$625,296
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 100%
Employees
4
Highest pay
$98,700, sr scientist

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

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 83% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% 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

Weak: 21 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $436,821 spent. Our mission is scientific research focusing on development of preventative and therapeutic treatments for both infectious (malaria, hepatitis B and C, and influenza) and non-infectious diseases (cancer and cardiovascular disease).These studies involve the development of new cancer therapeutics as well as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. The goal is to bring to fruition treatments for diseases which have plagued millions of people worldwide and to share these results with the scientific community and the public.To accomplish these goals the VRISD has recruited and will continue to recruit researchers with expertise in Molecular Biology, Pharmacogenomics, Peptide Chemistry, Bioinformatics, Oncology and Immunology. These areas of expertise will allow us to gain an understanding of the host-pathogen and host-tumor interactions as they relate to effective therapeutic design. VRISD scientists are working together for the purpose of eradicating diseases that have eluded researchers and physicians in the past, with the ultimate goal of providing better health for all people worldwide.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 2001.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

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.