Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Society of Manufacturing Engineers

EIN 38-0298770 · Southfield, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair62 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SME'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOP A SKILLED WORKFORCE. SME'S VISION IS AN INSPIRED, EDUCATED AND PROSPEROUS MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY. SME'S PURPOSE IS TO ADVANCE MANUFACTURING AND ATTRACT GENERATIONS.

Income
$65.8 million
Spending
$74.2 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 88%
Employees
250
Volunteers
1,005
Highest pay
$755,559, ceo & executive director

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

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 46% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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 (5)
  1. $30.5 million spent. EXPOSITIONS AND CONFERENCES - EXPOSITIONS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANUFACTURING PROFESSIONALS TO EXPAND THEIR KNOWLEDGE BY WITNESSING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION METHODS IN ACTION, NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND LEARNING ABOUT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INDUSTRIES. IN ADDITION TO CONFERENCES, FREE/COMPLIMENTARY EDUCATION IS CONDUCTED WITHIN THE EXHIBIT HALL. STUDENT PROGRAMS AT EVENTS INTRODUCE YOUNG PEOPLE TO CAREERS IN MANUFACTURING AND EDUCATE THEM ON TECHNOLOGY AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. MANUFACTURERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE PROCESSES, INCREASE QUALITY AND EXPLORE NEW TECHNOLOGIES. THE TOTAL ATTENDANCE AT SOCIETY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERS ("SME") EXPOSITIONS AND CONFERENCES IN 2024 WAS 62,888.
  2. $15.5 million spent. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - TOOLING U-SME DELIVERS VERSATILE, COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS TO THE MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF LEARNING OPTIONS INCLUDING ONLINE TRAINING, INSTRUCTOR-LED TRAINING, CERTIFICATIONS, BOOK AND VIDEOS. TOOLING U-SME PARTNERS WITH CUSTOMERS TO BUILD HIGH PERFORMERS WHO HELP THEIR COMPANIES DRIVE QUALITY, PROFITABILITY, PRODUCTIVITY, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION. WORKING DIRECTLY WITH HUNDREDS OF HIGH SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, TOOLING U-SME IS ABLE TO HELP PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE BY PROVIDING INDUSTRY-DRIVEN CURRICULUM.
  3. $3.5 million spent. PUBLICATIONS - SME INCORPORATES EDUCATION & TRAINING INTO EVERYTHING WE DO. SME MEDIA'S EDITORIAL CONTENT CALENDAR SCHEDULES A THEME FOR EACH MONTH WHICH IS SELECTED TO ENHANCE THE KNOWLEDGE IN A PARTICULAR ENGINEERING DISCIPLINE. THE SCHEDULE OF MONTHLY THEMES CORRELATES WITH THE APPROPRIATE UPCOMING CONFERENCES OR TRADE SHOWS TO ROUND OUT THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. FOR EACH THEME, THE EDITOR AND STAFF OF SME MEDIA INTERVIEWS ORGANIZATIONS WITH PRODUCTS, SERVICES & NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT HELP ADVANCE THE FEATURED ENGINEERING DISCIPLINE. MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE EDITORIAL CONTENT OF THE MAGAZINES AND DIGITAL PRODUCTS, WHILE OTHERS ARE INVITED TO PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT MEETING CERTAIN SPECIFICATIONS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE AUDIENCE WITH RESPECT TO THE FEATURED EDITORIAL CONTENT. THE SME MEDIA CONTENT IS OFTEN LINKED TO THE CONFERENCE OR TRADE SHOW THEME TO ADVANCE PROMOTE THE EVENT AND CORRESPONDING TOPIC. SME MEDIA PROVIDES TIMELY INFORMATION ABOUT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INDUSTRIES THROUGH ITS EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND ADVERTISEMENTS. THE MAGAZINES AND DIGITAL PROPERTIES FURTHER SME'S EXEMPT PURPOSE BY PROVIDING EDUCATION IN SUPPORT OF SME'S EXPOSITIONS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. THE TOTAL PRINT AND DIGITAL AUDIENCE FOR SME MEDIA IN 2024 WAS 861,405 COPIES. SME MEDIA ALSO PROVIDES A WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER WHICH FOCUSES ON OUR FOUR CORE DISCIPLINES: AEROSPACE & DEFENSE, ENERGY, MEDICAL AND MOTORIZED VEHICLES. THE CONTENT IS DELIVERED THROUGH A FULLY INTEGRATED MEDIA PORTFOLIO, WHICH MAKES INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN PRINT, ONLINE, EMAIL, MOBILE APPS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBINARS. IN ADDITION, SME PUBLISHES THREE SCHOLARLY, PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS ON MANUFACTURING LETTERS, MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS.
  4. $1.7 million spent. MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS - SME'S 12,890 MEMBERS ENGAGE WITH SME TO INSPIRE, PREPARE AND SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT OF MANUFACTURING. THIS ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES ONLINE, LOCAL AND NATIONAL NETWORKING; EVENT ATTENDANCE; CAREER DEVELOPMENT; VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP; PUBLICATIONS; AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. IN 2024, WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO BENEFITS AND FEATURES, WHILE CREATING A DIVERSIFIED MEMBER PROFILE; ADDRESSING THE GROWING MANUFACTURING SKILLS GAP; IMPROVING COMPONENT SUPPORT; ENHANCING ONLINE COMMUNITIES; AND INCREASING THE SCOPE OF OUR MEMBERSHIP THROUGH CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBER SEGMENTS.
  5. $1.9 million spent. ENGINEERING EDUCATION GRANTS - THROUGH ITS GRANTS TO ITS SUBSIDIARY, THE SME EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND OTHER GRANTS TO ITS CHAPTERS, SME INSPIRES YOUTH TO PURSUE CAREERS IN MANUFACTURING, SUPPORTS STUDENTS STUDYING FOR A CAREER IN AN ENGINEERING OR ENGINEERING RELATED FIELD THROUGH ITS PRIME (PARTNERSHIP RESPONSE IN MANUFACTURING EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS.

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

  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 November 6, 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 December 2024.

    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 January 1953.

    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 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.