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National Science & Technology Medals Foundation

EIN 52-1703587 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NSTMF'S MISSION IS TO BUILD INCLUSIVE STEM COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. FUNDAMENTAL TO THESE COMMUNITIES ARE THE SIGNIFICANT, INSPIRATIONAL CONNECTIONS WE FOSTER BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN STEM AND TODAYS DIVERSE GENERATION OF COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. TOGETHER THEY WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. OUR VISION IS TO BE A DRIVING FORCE IN CREATING A WORLD IN WHICH THE DIVERSITY OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY IS REFLECTED IN THE RECIPIENTS OF ALL PRESTIGIOUS STEM HONORS, INCLUDING FUTURE LAUREATE CLASSES OF THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE AND THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
4
Volunteers
100
Highest pay
$233,992, executive di

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: 86 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 29% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 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. $453,526 spent. THE INSTEM MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: IS AN AUXILIARY SUPPORT NETWORK OF AND FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES STUDYING STEM. STUDENTS ARE LEAVING STEM MAJORS AT AN ALARMINGLY FAST RATE. STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES ARE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO GRADUATE WITH THEIR STEM DEGREES. EFFECTIVE MENTORSHIP HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN RETAINING STUDENTS IN STEM PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. INSTEM OFFERS AN INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR PEERS AND FACULTY WHILE FEELING SUPPORTED IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN BE SUBJECT TO A LACK OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. INSTEM OFFERS FOUR YEARS OF PROGRAMMING; EACH HAS A THEME BASED ON THE SCHOLARS' NEEDS FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. EACH COHORT INCLUDES 15 INSTEM SCHOLARS AND ONE COACH, A STEM PROFESSOR, OR AN ESTABLISHED GRADUATE STUDENT AT THE INSTITUTION. STEM EXPERTS VISIT COHORTS TO LEAD WORKSHOPS AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE GREATER STEM COMMUNITY. THE INSTEM MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: IS AN AUXILIARY SUPPORT NETWORK OF AND FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES STUDYING STEM. STUDENTS ARE LEAVING STEM MAJORS AT AN ALARMINGLY FAST RATE. STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES ARE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO GRADUATE WITH THEIR STEM DEGREES. EFFECTIVE MENTORSHIP HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN RETAINING STUDENTS IN STEM PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. INSTEM OFFERS AN INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR PEERS AND FACULTY WHILE FEELING SUPPORTED IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN BE SUBJECT TO A LACK OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. INSTEM OFFERS FOUR YEARS OF PROGRAMMING; EACH HAS A THEME BASED ON THE SCHOLARS' NEEDS FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. EACH COHORT INCLUDES 15 INSTEM SCHOLARS AND ONE COACH, A STEM PROFESSOR, OR AN ESTABLISHED GRADUATE STUDENT AT THE INSTITUTION. STEM EXPERTS VISIT COHORTS TO LEAD WORKSHOPS AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE GREATER STEM COMMUNITY.
  2. $124,874 spent. "SCIENCE AND INNOVATION UNSCRIPTED- OR "UNSCRIPTED," WAS CREATED BY THE NSTMF TO SERVE THE FOUNDATIONS MISSION OF CHAMPIONING THE WORK AND LIVES OF AMERICAS GREATEST SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS AND CONNECTING THESE EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS TO THE NEXT GENERATION. THE PROGRAM MARKS OUR FIRST STEP TOWARD BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE COALITION OF INSPIRED STEM STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM FEATURES NATIONAL MEDAL LAUREATES AND OTHER PROMINENT STEM EXPERTS IN INTIMATE, DISCUSSION-CENTRIC EVENTS. NOW IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR, THE PROGRAM HAS FEATURED NEARLY 40 EXPERTS, REACHED AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND CREATED RELATIONSHIPS WITH 20+ UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS. THE HALLMARK OF THESE EVENTS IS THE INTIMATE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH STEM EXPERTS SHARE STORIES ABOUT NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS WELL AS THE FAILURE AND FALSE STARTS THAT DEFINED THEIR JOURNEY TO SUCCESS. GEARED TOWARDS STUDENTS AND YOUNG STEM PROFESSIONALS, THESE EVENTS PULL BACK THE CURTAIN ON WORLD-CHANGING SCIENTIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THE AUDIENCE IS ENCOURAGED TO ASK QUESTIONS AND ENGAGE WITH THE SPEAKERS OUTSIDE THE STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL STUDENT-TEACHER INTERACTION. BY ATTENDING ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS OR WATCHING ONLINE, STUDENTS GAIN ACCESS TO A SET OF INDIVIDUALS THEY WOULDNT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN A SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION. "SCIENCE AND INNOVATION UNSCRIPTED- OR "UNSCRIPTED," WAS CREATED BY THE NSTMF TO SERVE THE FOUNDATIONS MISSION OF CHAMPIONING THE WORK AND LIVES OF AMERICAS GREATEST SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS AND CONNECTING THESE EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS TO THE NEXT GENERATION. THE PROGRAM MARKS OUR FIRST STEP TOWARD BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE COALITION OF INSPIRED STEM STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM FEATURES NATIONAL MEDAL LAUREATES AND OTHER PROMINENT STEM EXPERTS IN INTIMATE, DISCUSSION-CENTRIC EVENTS. NOW IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR, THE PROGRAM HAS FEATURED NEARLY 40 EXPERTS, REACHED AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND CREATED RELATIONSHIPS WITH 20+ UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS. THE HALLMARK OF THESE EVENTS IS THE INTIMATE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH STEM EXPERTS SHARE STORIES ABOUT NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS WELL AS THE FAILURE AND FALSE STARTS THAT DEFINED THEIR JOURNEY TO SUCCESS. GEARED TOWARDS STUDENTS AND YOUNG STEM PROFESSIONALS, THESE EVENTS PULL BACK THE CURTAIN ON WORLD-CHANGING SCIENTIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THE AUDIENCE IS ENCOURAGED TO ASK QUESTIONS AND ENGAGE WITH THE SPEAKERS OUTSIDE THE STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL STUDENT-TEACHER INTERACTION. BY ATTENDING ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS OR WATCHING ONLINE, STUDENTS GAIN ACCESS TO A SET OF INDIVIDUALS THEY WOULDNT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN A SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION.
  3. $792,133 spent. NATIONAL MEDALS EVENTS - SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE NSTMF HAS HONORED THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RECEIVE AMERICAS HIGHEST HONORS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE AND THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. THESE MEDALS, BESTOWED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO LEAD OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD IN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT. THEIR PASSION FOR KNOWLEDGE HAS TAKEN US BEYOND OUR PLANET, TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR SEAS, AND DEEP WITHIN THE NEURAL PATHWAYS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN. THE NSTMF HONORS THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY HOSTING THE NATIONAL MEDALS CELEBRATION, A THREE-DAY CELEBRATION OF INGENUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN STEM. THE CELEBRATION HONORS THE NEW CLASS OF LAUREATES, THE BROADER LAUREATE COMMUNITY, AND LEADERS IN THE STEM COMMUNITY DOING EXCELLENT WORK IN THE LAB AND IN SUPPORT OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THE NSTMF HOSTS THE NATIONAL MEDALS CELEBRATION, A DAY-LONG SERIES OF EVENTS BEGINNING WITH A CEREMONY WHERE THE LAUREATES RECEIVE THEIR MEDALS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND ENDING WITH A CELEBRATORY GALA FOR LAUREATES AND THEIR HONORED GUESTS.
  4. NATIONAL MEDALS EVENTS - SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE NSTMF HAS HONORED THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RECEIVE AMERICAS HIGHEST HONORS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE AND THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. THESE MEDALS, BESTOWED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO LEAD OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD IN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT. THEIR PASSION FOR KNOWLEDGE HAS TAKEN US BEYOND OUR PLANET, TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR SEAS, AND DEEP WITHIN THE NEURAL PATHWAYS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN. THE NSTMF HONORS THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY HOSTING THE NATIONAL MEDALS CELEBRATION, A THREE-DAY CELEBRATION OF INGENUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN STEM. THE CELEBRATION HONORS THE NEW CLASS OF LAUREATES, THE BROADER LAUREATE COMMUNITY, AND LEADERS IN THE STEM COMMUNITY DOING EXCELLENT WORK IN THE LAB AND IN SUPPORT OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THE NSTMF HOSTS THE NATIONAL MEDALS CELEBRATION, A DAY-LONG SERIES OF EVENTS BEGINNING WITH A CEREMONY WHERE THE LAUREATES RECEIVE THEIR MEDALS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND ENDING WITH A CELEBRATORY GALA FOR LAUREATES AND THEIR HONORED GUESTS.

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 January 1991.

    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.

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.