Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE ALTIUS INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (ALTIUS) IS TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE OF GENE REGULATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMAN HEALTH. ALTIUS AIMS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION BY RADICALLY ADVANCING BIOMEDICAL DISCOVERY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND APPROACHES FOR ILLUMINATING CELL AND TISSUE FUNCTIONS IN BOTH HEALTH AND DISEASE STATES. TO ENABLE ITS MISSION, ALTIUS UTILIZES A NEW TYPE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISCOVERY ENVIRONMENT DESIGNED TO FOSTER LEAPS IN INNOVATION BY ENABLING ITS SCIENTISTS TO MOVE FROM IDEAS TO DATA FASTER THAN IN ANY OTHER ACADEMIC OR BIOTECHNOLOGY SETTING. ALTIUS CONTINUALLY STRIVES TO TRANSLATE ITS DATA AND TECHNOLOGY INTO NOVEL APPROACHES FOR DIAGNOSING AND TREATING DISEASE AND FOR IMPROVING HUMAN HEALTH.
- Income
- $25.5 million
- Spending
- $32.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 115
- Volunteers
- 2
- Highest pay
- $943,434, pres, scientific dir., & treasurer
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
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 45% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% 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: 83 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 4 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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)
- $25.7 million spent. ALTIUS DIRECTLY CONDUCTS AN ACTIVE AND MULTIFACETED PROGRAM OF BASIC BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN THE FIELDS OF GENETICS, GENOMICS, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. MOST OF THIS RESEARCH HAPPENS IN ALTIUS LABORATORIES LOCATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO COLLABORATES WITH ACADEMIC RESEARCH HOSPITALS. ALTIUS AIMS TO DISCOVER, DEVELOP, AND TRANSLATE FOR CLINICAL USE, BOTH DATA AND TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ILLUMINATE OR ENABLE THE CONTROL OF HUMAN GENES IN MEDICALLY IMPORTANT BIOLOGICAL CONTEXTS. ALTIUS RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOCUS ON GAINING A RICHER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HUMAN CELLS FUNCTION IN HEALTH AND DISEASE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING NEW APPROACHES TO DIAGNOSIS AND NEW THERAPIES. TOWARD THESE GOALS, ALTIUS' RESEARCH PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT, SCALING AND TRANSLATIONAL APPLICATION OF DIVERSE TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS, INCLUDING GENETIC AND GENOMIC ANALYSES, CELL AND GENOME ENGINEERING, SINGLE MOLECULE DNA AND CHROMATIN ANALYSIS, HIGH RESOLUTION CELL IMAGING, AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF GENE CONTROL EFFECTORS. THESE PLATFORMS COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE NEW WINDOWS INTO CELLULAR RESPONSES, AND OPEN NEW DOORS TO THE DISCOVERY OF NEW MEDICINES.
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 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 March 2017.
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.
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.