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World Science Foundation

EIN 43-2095418 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong96 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL IS A MULTIMEDIA ORGANIZATION PRODUCING ORIGINAL CONTENT STRADDLING SCIENCE, THE ARTS, JOURNALISM AND EDUCATION. FOUNDED IN 2008, WSF IS VIEWED BY MANY AS THE PREMIER PLATFORM BRINGING THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE IDEAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DISCOVERY TO MAINSTREAM AUDIENCES. WITH FORMATS SPANNING INNOVATIVE WORKS OF THEATRE, FILM, DANCE AND MUSIC, IMMERSIVE LIVE AND VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES, AS WELL AS RIVETING DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATES, WSF IS LAUDED GLOBALLY FOR ITS GROUNDBREAKING LIVE AND DIGITAL CONTENT FEATURING WORLD RENOWNED SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS, SHIFTING SCIENCE TO THE CULTURAL CENTER. BASED IN NEW YORK CITY, WSF IS DISTINCTIVE IN ITS COMMITMENT TO THE HIGHEST OF EDITORIAL STANDARDS AND PRODUCTION EXCELLENCE, PROVIDING WORLDWIDE AUDIENCES AN EXCITING AND IMPACTFUL VIEW OF THE NEAR AND FAR FUTURE.

Income
$8.0 million
Spending
$3.8 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
39.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
37
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$236,583, ceo/secretary

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 39.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 52% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 79% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 8 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 September 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. $2.6 million spent. THE FOUNDATION SENDS NEWSLETTERS TO ITS COMMUNITY OF 162,030 SUBSCRIBERS TO KEEP THEM INFORMED OF OUR DIGITAL PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE AND LIVE EVENTS. IN 2024-2025, THE WEBSITE WAS VISITED BY OVER 142,000 USERS, GENERATING 322,100 SESSIONS. IN 2024, THE FOUNDATION'S YOUTUBE CHANNELS RECEIVED 18.6 MILLION VIEWS, GENERATING OVER 534 MILLION MINUTES OF WATCH TIME. THIS BROUGHT THE FOUNDATION'S CUMULATIVE YOUTUBE VIEWS TO 236.8 MILLION, WITH OVER 5.9 BILLION MINUTES OF TOTAL WATCH TIME, WHILE MILLIONS MORE WATCHED ON META'S FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, AS WELL AS OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)OUR YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBER LIST GREW BY 108K, REACHING 1.37 MILLION AT THE END OF 2024. BY OCTOBER 2025, WSF'S YOUTUBE VIEWS TOTALED A CUMULATIVE 241.3 MILLION VIEWS, GENERATING OVER 6.1 BN MINUTES OF TOTAL WATCH TIME. THE CHANNEL ALSO ADDED 79,356 NEW SUBSCRIBERS DURING THE 2024-2025 PERIOD REACHING 1.37 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS.THROUGH A VIGOROUS PROGRAM OF SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AND REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR FOLLOWERS, THE FESTIVAL GREW ITS SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE TO 486,068 FOLLOWERS ACROSS PLATFORMS, INCLUDING FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO RELIES ON LARGE NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEERS DURING THE FESTIVAL AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 May 2006.

    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.