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Mind First Foundation

EIN 46-1357012 · Weston, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceWeak35 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION: TO COMMUNICATE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION AND CONDUCT COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC ISSUES RELATED TO THE MIND, AND TO RESEARCH MEANS FOR EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF RATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESPONSES TO EMERGING CHALLENGES AND CIVILIZATIONAL THREATS, INCLUDING EMERGING PATHOGENS AND PANDEMIC RISKS. RESPONSES TO EMERGING CHALLENGES AND CIVILIZATIONAL THREATS, INCLUDING EMERGING PATHOGENS, PANDEMIC RISKS, BIOSECURITY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGNECE (AI), AND AI SAFETY.

Income
$58,286
Spending
$579,053
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
41.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 99%
Employees
4
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$232,667, president

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (medical research, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 41.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 893% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% 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

Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (medical research, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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, 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 (3)
  1. $404,924 spent. R&D FUNDING GRANTED FOR IN-HOUSE R&D OF OPEN SOURCE SARS-COV2 VACCINE. RESEARCH OF AI MODEL ARCHITECTURES AND METHODS FOR RAPID PANDEMIC RESPONSES, INCLUDING AI MODELS FOR DESIGNING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND SAFE VACCINES AND FOR SELECTING IMMEDIATE-RESPONSE COUNTERMEASURES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR A RANGE OF BIOWEAPON THREATS.
  2. SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP - NO FUNDS WERE GRANTED
  3. MIND FIRST FOUNDATION HELD TWO PUBLIC EVENTS ON THE RISKS OF AI. BOTH EVENTS WERE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND HELD AT MICROSOFT NEW ENGLAND RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTER. THE EVENT ON JUNE 29 FOCUSED ON THE POTENTIAL RISKS AND BENEFITS OF AI SUPERINTELLIGENCE, AND A SECOND EVENT ON NOVEMBER 22 FOCUSED ON THE WORK OF AI SAFETY PIONEER STEVE OMOHUNDRO. SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS ADDRESSED ISSUES OF IMMEDIATE RISKS (E.G. BIOWEAPONS), AS WELL AS LONGER-TERM EXTREME RISKS FROM AI, AND PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED IDEAS ON HOW TO MITIGATE THESE RISKS. RADVAC AND MFF CHIEF SCIENTIST PRESTON ESTEP, PHD, PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE IN THE LEADING JOURNAL AI & SOCIETY EXAMINING UNNATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF AI, AND ASSESSING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE ATTRIBUTES TO AI-RELATED RISKS (ESTEP, PRESTON W. "MULTIPLE UNNATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF AI UNDERMINE COMMON ANTHROPOMORPHICALLY BIASED TAKEOVER SPECULATIONS." AI & SOCIETY (2024): 1-16.)

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Firstday Foundation (San Antonio, TX), EIN 74-2874382. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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.