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International Life Sciences Institute

EIN 52-1131788 · Washington, DC

Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.

LegitimacyCautionRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ILSI IS A GLOBAL, NONPROFIT FEDERATION DEDICATED TO GENERATING AND ADVANCING EMERGING SCIENCE AND GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH TO ENSURE FOODS ARE SAFE, NUTRITIOUS AND SUSTAINABLE, AND THAT THEY IMPROVE PLANETARY AND HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$2.9 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
18.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 73%
Employees
9
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$329,328, global executive 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 46% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • 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. $1.3 million spent. NPO SERVICES - ILSI PROVIDES THE STAFF AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING, HUMAN RESOURCES, LEGAL, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND GENERAL BUSINESS SERVICES FOR THE NON-PROFIT SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS CO-LOCATED IN THE WASHINGTON DC OFFICE. BY CENTRALIZING THESE SERVICES, THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ARE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THEIR MISSIONS TO PROVIDE SCIENCE THAT IMPROVES HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AND SAFEGUARDS THE ENVIRONMENT, AND TO MAXIMIZE THEIR FINANCIAL RESOURCES BY SHARING SPACE AND SERVICES.
  2. $423,583 spent. ILSI U.S. AND CANADA DIVISION - ILSI LAUNCHED A NEW RESEARCH PROGRAM IN THE U.S. AND CANADA TO TAKE ON THE NUTRITION, FOOD SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES MOST IMPORTANT TO SUPPORTING PUBLIC HEALTH. WITH AN ALL-NEW STAFF AND AN UNPARALLELED RESEARCH PORTFOLIO, AS WELL AS RE-ENVISIONED GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING MODELS, THIS ILSI RESEARCH PROGRAM IN THE U.S. AND CANADA AIMS TO BECOME A LEADER IN CLEAR-SIGHTED, IMPACTFUL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. AS A GLOBAL NONPROFIT FEDERATION OF ENTITIES, ILSI CONVENES SCIENTISTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESEARCH IN THE PUBLIC, ACADEMIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, ILSI'S SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES HAVE SPREAD TO MOST PARTS OF THE WORLD. ILSI WILL CONTINUE ITS WORK BY STRENGTHENING ITS REACH TO INCLUDE ADDRESSING GLOBAL RESEARCH NEEDS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA. WORKING WITHIN THE GLOBAL ILSI FEDERATION, THE ILSI U.S. AND CANADA RESEARCH PROGRAM EXTENDS AND EXPANDS ILSI'S WORK TO ADDRESS COMPLEX ISSUES THAT BENEFITS THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF EVERYONE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THE ILSI U.S. AND CANADA DIVISION IS AN UNINCORPORATED DIVISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL LIFE SCIENCES INSTITUTE AND IS UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE ILSI GLOBAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
  3. $286,216 spent. GLOBAL PROGRAMS - ILSI IS A GLOBAL, NONPROFIT FEDERATION COMMITTED TO IMPROVING PUBLIC AND PLANETARY HEALTH WORLDWIDE BY CONVENING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ACADEMIC, PUBLIC, AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO ADVANCE EVIDENCE-BASED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. ILSI COORDINATES AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF 10 REGIONAL OR COUNTRY-SPECIFIC ENTITIES THAT WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE MECHANISM FOR IDENTIFYING EMERGING ISSUES, FOSTERING A HARMONIZED USE OF SCIENCE, AND BUILDING SCIENTIFIC CAPACITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THE ENTITIES OPERATE IN BRAZIL, EUROPE, INDIA, JAPAN, KOREA, MESOAMERICA, U.S. & CANADA, NORTH ANDEAN, SOUTHEAST ASIA REGION, AND TAIWAN. ILSI MAINTAINS A WEBSITE FOR THE ENTITIES, CONDUCTS AN ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING, AND PROVIDES COMMUNICATIONS AND OTHER SUPPORT TO FOSTER A BALANCED APPROACH TO SOLVING HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF COMMON GLOBAL CONCERN.
  4. $516,985 spent. PRESS; RESEARCH PROGRAM.

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 March 1983.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Caution.

    California's Attorney General lists its registration as revoked as of December 31, 1990. Organizations on this list may not solicit donations in California.

    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.