Filene Research Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
STRENGTHENING ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH INNOVATIVE RESEARCH & INCUBATION TO IMPROVE CONSUMER FINANCIAL WELL-BEING.
- Income
- $10.9 million
- Spending
- $10.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 88%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 11
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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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.
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 (2)
- $4.4 million spent. RESEARCH AND INCUBATION - FILENE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IDENTIFIES HIGH-PRIORITY QUESTIONS TO ADVANCE CONSUMER WELL-BEING AND THE COOPERATIVE FINANCE MOVEMENT. THE INSTITUTE REGULARLY PUBLISHES RESEARCH FINDINGS THROUGH REPORTS, PODCASTS, TOOLKITS, INFOGRAPHICS, AND SLIDE DECKS. OVER THE PAST YEAR, FILENE RELEASED 35 RESEARCH AND INNOVATION REPORTS AND 39 ADDITIONAL OUTPUTS. THESE INSIGHTS ARE WIDELY SHARED THROUGH TRADE PRESS, SOCIAL MEDIA, GENERAL MEDIA, AND CREDIT UNION TRADE PUBLICATIONS. FILENE ALSO PRESENTS ITS RESEARCH ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND CONTRIBUTES EXPERTISE ON KEY CONSUMER FINANCE TOPICS AT INDUSTRY AND NONPROFIT CONFERENCES. TAKING INNOVATION FURTHER, FILENE'S INCUBATORS TEST PRODUCTS AND IDEAS THAT HELP CREDIT UNIONS GROW AND DELIVER GREATER VALUE TO THEIR MEMBERS AND COMMUNITIES. DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, FILENE OFFERED 3 INCUBATOR PROGRAMS AND TESTED 7 IN-MARKET PRODUCTS.
- $3.3 million spent. OUTREACH AND EDUCATION - FILENE PROVIDES MEMBERS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERS WITH MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH OUR BODY OF WORK THROUGH EVENTS AND COMMUNITIES. THIS YEAR, OVER 1,942 CREDIT UNION-AFFILIATED INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF OUR 9 MARKET-FACING EVENTS, WHILE MORE THAN 4,378 REGISTERED FOR ONE OF OUR 31 WEBINARS. THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE TRUST, WE SUPPORTED 708 EMERGING LEADERS AND WELCOMED 178 CRASHERS WHO ENGAGED IN IN-PERSON EVENTS OR OUR IMMERSIVE CRASH COURSE LEARNING COMMUNITY. OUR I3 INNOVATION PROGRAM EXPANDED INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP CAPACITY WITH 51 PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTING 44 CREDIT UNIONS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. THESE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS REFLECT FILENE'S COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING LEADERS, ADVANCING INNOVATION, AND STRENGTHENING THE CREDIT UNION MOVEMENT.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1990.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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