Institute on Religious Life Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the Institute on Religious Life (IRL) is to promote vocations to the religious life and to support religious communities, both active and contemplative, in their apostolic mission in the Catholic Church.
- Income
- $478,243
- Spending
- $476,953
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 12.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $72,019, executive 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
Strong: 97 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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: 91 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
6 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 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)
- $173,014 spent. The theme for this year's National meeting was: "Pilgrims of Hope: Being Witnesses to Hope and Healing". The event, held at the University St. Mary of Lake, Mundelein, Illinois, was also live-streamed. It was completely sold out because of the great interest among religious communities in the important subject and the excellent speakers. Regional Meetings were held in Kansas City (September 2024), Boston (November 2024) and Los Angeles (January 2025). The Boston meeting again featured English and Spanish tracks in light of the demand and how well that was received the prior year. Speakers at the meetings include religious priests, religious sisters, bishops, diocesan priests and knowledgeable lay people. The meetings support religious in their vocations and serve to encourage lay people to promote vocations in the Church. The IRL bestowed its 2025 Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award on Rev. Thomas Nelson, O.Praem., for his heroic service to the IRL and to its mission of revitalizing the consecrated life. During this fiscal year, the IRL welcomed five new Affiliate member communities: New Melleray Abbey, Peosta, IA; Passionist Nuns, Pittsburgh, PA; Little Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Johnston, IA; Monastery of St. Clare, Saint Louis, MO; and Congregation of Mary, Queen, Springfield, MO.
- $106,173 spent. The IRL's "Religious Life" magazine, published five times per year, is distributed to over 2,100 religious, priests, bishops and lay people per issue. That periodical as well as the IRL's four websites (ReligiousLife.com, CloisteredLife.com, ReligiousBrotherhood.com, and VocationBlog.com) are windows into religious life for lay supporters and persons who are discerning a vocation. The IRL's internet visibility has grown with the year's numbers being 178,000 visitors on ReligiousLife.com, 166,000 visitors on CloisteredLife.com, 7,300 visitors on ReligiousBrotherhood.com, and 23,000 sessions on VocationBlog.com. The IRL's Facebook page has over 12,000 followers and its Instagram page has over 2,300 followers. On ReligiousLife.com young people can review the profiles of 199 religious communities and find discernment retreats hosted by IRL communities. The IRL also hosts a free Cloistered Life Forum online with 47 communities represented. It allows cloistered nuns to ask questions in a confidential environment, receive replies and suggestions from fellow participants, and share resources. The IRL's podcast, "Ever Ancient, Ever New", offers weekly talks and interviews with consecrated religious as well as talks and lectures from our archives. Over eighty episodes have been released, with 3,600 downloads by listeners from in the United States and across the world.
- $101,835 spent. The Vita Consecrata Institute continues to be a unique program for consecrated men and women seeking to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and develop a profound understanding of their religious vocation. The 4-week summer program (two 2-week sessions) is held at Christendom College Graduate School in Front Royal, Virginia. This year, the IRL welcome 48 attendees for either or both sessions. The courses may be audited, or taken for credit through Christendom College. Each course, which typically consists of twenty one-hour classes, is available via audio download for cloistered communities or others. This year's instructors were: Rev. Thomas Nelson, Msgr. Charles Mangan, Fr. William Wagner ORC, Sr. Albert Marie Surmanski O.P., Dr. Mark Glafke, and Ms. Jennifer Settle, C.V.
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? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 November 1994.
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.