Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Search Institute

EIN 41-0811842 · Saint Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEARCH INSTITUTE MISSION IS TO CULTIVATE STRENGTHS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND OPPORTUNITIES NECESSARY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN, GROW, CONTRIBUTE, AND THRIVE. THIS MISSION IS IN FURTHERANCE OF OUR VISION OF A WORLD WHERE THE INHERENT VALUE OF EVERY YOUNG PERSON IS KNOWN, NURTURED, AND ACTIVATED SO YOUTH AND COMMUNITIES THRIVE TOGETHER.

Income
$2.9 million
Spending
$4.6 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
3.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 60%
Employees
33
Volunteers
13
Highest pay
$245,085, president and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 60% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 52% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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, 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. $3.7 million spent. SEARCH INSTITUTE STUDIES AND WORKS TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH OUTCOMES IN SCHOOLS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. FOUNDED IN 1958, SEARCH INSTITUTE WAS A PIONEER IN USING SOCIAL SCIENCE TO UNDERSTAND THE LIVES, BELIEFS, AND VALUES OF YOUNG PEOPLE. SINCE THAT TIME, MORE THAN 6 MILLION CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SEARCH INSTITUTE STUDIES AND PROJECTS. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 11,000 YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AND ALMOST 120,000 PRACTITIONERS HAVE UTILIZED THE PRACTICAL RESOURCES THAT SEARCH INSTITUTE HAS CREATED TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE THRIVE. SEARCH INSTITUTE IS MORE THAN A RESEARCH ORGANIZATION; WE TRANSFORM COMPLEX FINDINGS INTO PRACTICAL STRATEGIES AND TOOLS THAT SUPPORT ADULTS IN CO-CREATING SPACES WHERE YOUTH CAN BE AND BECOME THEIR BEST SELVES. WE WORK ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS TO REFINE OUR APPROACHES, ENSURING THAT CHANGE IS MEANINGFUL AND ENDURING. OUR APPROACH INCLUDES: GENERATING KNOWLEDGE: OUR WORK LIVES IN THE DYNAMIC INTERSECTION OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, PRACTITIONER WISDOM, AND YOUTH VOICE, WITH A COMMITMENT TO EXPAND THE COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT ALL YOUTH NEED TO THRIVE.CO-CREATING SOLUTIONS: WE ANTICIPATE AND SOLVE FOR NEEDS BY DEVELOPING RESEARCH-INFORMED FRAMEWORKS, PRACTICES, AND STRATEGIES THAT ARE ACTIONABLE AND ADAPTABLE ACROSS THE YOUTH SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM. THIS COLLABORATIVE PROCESS ENSURES THAT OUR SOLUTIONS REFLECT YOUTH VOICE AND ARE CENTERED ON EMPOWERING ADULTS TO DRIVE TANGIBLE AND MEANINGFUL CHANGE.EMPOWERING ACTION: OUR WORK IDENTIFIES AND PROMOTES BEST PRACTICES, INNOVATION, AND MEANINGFUL CHANGE, INCLUDING DISMANTLING SILOS AND FOSTERING COLLABORATION WITHIN AND ACROSS SECTORS. AS CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE, WE WORK ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS TO CREATE A MORE COHESIVE, SUPPORTIVE ECOSYSTEM THAT PRIORITIZES THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 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 January 1969.

    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.