Igem Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE INTERNATIONAL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MACHINE (IGEM) FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO EDUCATION AND COMPETITION, ADVANCEMENT OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION. THE IGEM FOUNDATION FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THROUGH ORGANIZING AND OPERATING THE IGEM COMPETITION, THE PREMIER STUDENT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION. IT ALSO FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION BY ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING THE REGISTRY OF STANDARD BIOLOGICAL PARTS, A COMMUNITY COLLECTION OF BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS. THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION BY DEVELOPING AN OPEN COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND PRACTITIONERS IN SCHOOLS, LABORATORIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AND INDUSTRY. THE IGEM COMMUNITY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF INVOLVING STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW FIELD OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY.
- Income
- $6.5 million
- Spending
- $6.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 97%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $183,600, president (thru 7/16/24)/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: 54 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 75% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% 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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
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 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 (1)
- $5.3 million spent. IGEM FOUNDATION FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE IGEM COMPETITION, THE WORLD'S PREMIER STUDENT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION. IN 2024, IGEM ENGAGED MORE THAN 400 STUDENT TEAMS AND INSTITUTIONS GLOBALLY AND OVER 10,000 PARTICIPANTS FROM 45 COUNTRIES-THE HIGHEST PARTICIPATION IN ITS HISTORY. THE ANNUAL IGEM GRAND JAMBOREE IS THE CULMINATING EVENT OF THE COMPETITION, WHERE TEAMS PRESENT THEIR WORK AND COMPETE FOR AWARDS. IT BROUGHT TOGETHER 4300 STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS, PROMOTING GLOBAL COLLABORATION IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. IGEM ALSO OPERATES THE REGISTRY OF STANDARD BIOLOGICAL PARTS, A COMMUNITY RESOURCE THAT NOW INCLUDES MORE THAN 74,000 CONTRIBUTIONS. THROUGH ITS INITIATIVES, IGEM PROMOTES EDUCATION, BIOSAFETY, RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION, SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY LEADERS IN SCHOOLS, LABORATORIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AND INDUSTRY.
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
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 October 13, 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 December 2024.
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 September 2013.
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 October 21, 2026.
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