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Society for the Study of Evolution Inc

EIN 48-6121424 · Saint Louis, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceFair69 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION PROMOTES EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY RESEARCH, EDUCATION, APPLICATION, OUTREACH, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING IN AN EQUITABLE AND GLOBALLY INCLUSIVE MANNER.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
44.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 84%
Employees
0
Volunteers
1,400
Highest pay
$40,800, editor-in-chief

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 44.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 78% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% 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

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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 (4)
  1. $1.0 million spent. THE EVOLUTION MEETING IS HELD JOINTLY BY THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION (SSE), THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS (ASN), AND THE SOCIETY OF SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGISTS (SSB). THE 2024 MEETING WAS HELD IN MONTREAL, CANADA. THE MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE SCIENCE WITH ORAL PRESENTATIONS, POSTER PRESENTATIONS AND VARIOUS MIXERS TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC TOPICS.PAST MEETINGS WERE HELD IN CHICO, CA; FORT COLLINS, CO; FAIRBANKS, AK; STONY BROOK, NY; CHRISTCHURCH, NZ; MINNEAPOLIS, MN; MOSCOW, ID; PORTLAND, OR; NORMAN, OK; OTTAWA, CANADA; SNOWBIRD, UT; RALEIGH, NC; GUARUJA, BRAZIL; AUSTIN, TX; PORTLAND, OR; MONTPELLIER, FRANCE; PROVIDENCE, RI; CLEVELAND, OH; AND...(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE 2020 MEETING WAS CANCELLED BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE 2021 MEETING WAS HELD VIRTUALLY. SINCE 2022 THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A VIRTUAL COMPONENT TO THE CONFERNECE ON NON-OVERLAPPING DAYS.
  2. $293,763 spent. THE SOCIETY GRANTS VARIOUS AWARDS INCLUDING: THE STEPHEN JAY GOULD PRIZE IS AWARDED TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE SUSTAINED AND EXEMPLARY EFFORTS HAVE ADVANCED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF EVOLUTIONARY SCIENCE AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN BIOLOGY, EDUCATION, AND EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE SPIRIT OF STEPHEN JAY GOULD. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR A CONTINUATION OF ALL THE AWARDS.THE THEODOSIUS DOBZHANSKY PRIZE IS AWARDED TO RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE PROMISE OF AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST. THE PRIZE WAS ESTABLISHED IN MEMORY OF PROFESSOR DOBZHANSKY BY HIS FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, AND REFLECTS HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING THE RESEARCH CAREERS OF YOUNG SCIENTISTS. THE SSE PRESIDENTS AWARD RECOGNIZES AN OUTSTANDING PH.D. DISSERTATION PAPER PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL "EVOLUTION" DURING A GIVEN CALENDAR YEAR. THE W.D. HAMILTON AWARD IS GIVEN TO A STUDENT WHO HAS PRESENTED AN OUTSTANDING TALK AT THE ANNUAL MEETING. FINALISTS SELECTED TO PRESENT IN THE HAMILTON SYMPOSIUM ALSO RECEIVE AN AWARD. THE R.C. LEWONTIN GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARDS ARE GIVEN TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THEIR PH.D. PROGRAMS. THE ROSEMARY GRANT GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARDS ARE GIVEN TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN LATER STAGES OF THEIR PH.D. PROGRAMS.THE THOMAS HENRY HUXLEY AWARD RECOGNIZES OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT FOR EARLY AND MID-CAREER SCIENTISTS. THE ASN/SSE/SSB INCLUSIVENESS, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS (IDEA) AWARD WAS CREATED IN 2019 BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS (ASN), THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION (SSE), AND THE SOCIETY OF SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGISTS (SSB). THE IDEA AWARD IS GIVEN TO A PERSON AT ANY CAREER STAGE WHO HAS STRENGTHENED THE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY COMMUNITY BY PROMOTING INCLUSIVENESS AND DIVERSITY IN OUR FIELDS. THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WAS CREATED TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION, WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING MENTORSHIP OF TRAINEES, AND/OR WHO HAVE PROVIDED NOTEWORTHY SERVICE TO THE EVOLUTION COMMUNITY.OTHER AWARDS INCLUDE SMALL GRANTS FOR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, SUPPORT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA, SUPPORT FOR EVENTS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, AND VARIOUS AWARDS FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.
  3. $241,084 spent. PUBLICATIONS - THE SOCIETY PUBLISHES A JOURNAL IN THE FIELD OF EVOLUTION ("EVOLUTION") AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS. "EVOLUTION" IS A PREMIER PUBLICATION DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF ORGANIC EVOLUTION AND THE INTEGRATION OF THE VARIOUS FIELDS OF SCIENCE CONCERNED WITH EVOLUTION. THE JOURNAL IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY AND PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT AND ORIGINAL RESULTS THAT EXTEND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EVOLUTIONARY PHENOMENA AND PROCESSES. VOLUME 1 NO. 1/2 WAS PUBLISHED MAR-JUN 1947. STARTING IN 2017, THE ORGANIZATION JOINTLY PUBLISHED ANOTHER JOURNAL CALLED "EVOLUTION LETTERS" WITH THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF EVOLUTION BIOLOGY.
  4. $19,650 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE EDUCATION OUTREACH IN VARIOUS FORMS INCLUDING VIRTUAL SYMPOSIA, AND OTHER OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO STUDENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PROMOTE SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND MILESTONES IN EVOLUTION.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 June 1966.

    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.