Gruber Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The gruber foundation honors individuals in the fields of cosmology, genetics, neuroscience, justice, and women's rights, whose groundbreaking work provides new models that inspire and enable fundamental shifts in knowledge and culture.
- Income
- $6.5 million
- Spending
- $6.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 98%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $4.0 million, director (through 9/29/24)
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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1598% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 252 of 5 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 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 (1)
- $6.5 million spent. The Gruber Foundation ("The Foundation") supports three major initiatives: The Gruber International Prize Program, The Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women's Rights, and the Gruber Science Fellowship program. The Gruber International Prize Program, which awarded $1,000,000 in prizes during the year, recognizes excellence in the fields of Cosmology, Genetics, and Neuroscience. The Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women's Rights is a Yale University program consisting of four core components: 1) the Global Constitutionalism Seminar, 2) the Gruber Distinguished Global Justice and Women's Rights Lectures, 3) the Gruber Global Justice and Women's Rights Fellowships, and 4) the gruber project for global justice and women's rights which provides clinical and experiential learning initiatives at Yale Law School that are consistent with the principles and ideals of the program. The Gruber Science Fellowship program provides annual fellowships to Yale University graduate students studying and conducting research in the basic life sciences, as well as in cosmology and astrophysics. The Foundation provided grants of $4,764,478 to Yale University of which $1,200,000 supported the Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women's Rights and $3,564,478 supported the Gruber Science Fellowship program. In addition, $315,000 of fellowships and other grants were paid during the fiscal year.
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? 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.
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 June 2011.
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.