National Policing Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE NATIONAL POLICING INSTITUTE IS A NONPARTISAN AND INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CREATING EXCELLENCE IN POLICING THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, TRANSLATION, AND APPLICATION OF RESEARCH.
- Income
- $10.7 million
- Spending
- $11.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- -1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 78%
- Employees
- 61
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $589,527, president
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
Weak: 24 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 112% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
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 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 (3)
- $6.3 million spent. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE: NPI DEVELOPS AND PROVIDES EVIDENCE BASED ASSISTANCE TO POLICE AGENCIES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHERS TO IMPROVE THE POLICE RESPONSE TO PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEMS AND TO IMPROVE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THOSE THEY SERVE. NPI DEVELOPS NEW APPROACHES TO ASSIST POLICE IN BEING RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS, BECOMING MORE TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE, AND ASSISTS AGENCIES IN DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING SAFETY AND WELLNESS FOR OFFICERS AND STAFF.
- $1.3 million spent. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION: NPI CONDUCTS EXPERIMENTAL AND PRACTICAL RESEARCH IN POLICING STRATEGIES AND CRIME REDUCTION APPROACHES THAT ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE, REDUCE THE NEED FOR FORCE, BUILD TRUST AND MUTUAL SUPPORT BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND OFFICERS, AND THAT IMPROVE OFFICER SAFETY AND WELL-FUNCTIONING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY EFFECTIVELY. NPI'S WORK ALSO FOCUSES ON CRIME CAUSATION AND SPECIFIC EMPHASIS ON ORGANIZATIONAL, OPERATION, TECHNOLOGICAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYSES; ASSESSMENTS OF RESPONSES TO CRIME AND DISORDER; COMMUNITY SURVEYS; AND RESEARCH ON EVIDENCE BASED APPROACHES.
- $43,378 spent. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH: NPI IS AN OBJECTIVE, NONPARTISAN RESOURCE FOR THE MEDIA, THE POLICE, AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. NPI UTILIZES A VARIETY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE SCIENCE BASED REFORMS, THE IMPORTANCE OF EVIDENCE BASED CRIME REDUCTION AND RESPONSE, AND A FAIR AND EQUITABLE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THIS INCLUDES THE DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION DATA, POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY DATA, CRITICAL INCIDENT REPORTING, AND OTHER INFORMATION SHARED THROUGH OUR BLOGS, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBINARS, LIVESTREAMS, PRINT AND DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS, AND MORE.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1989.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.