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Institute for in Vitro Sciences Inc

EIN 52-2029668 · Gaithersburg, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE INSTITUTE FOR IN VITRO SCIENCES (IIVS) IS TO DRIVE THE OPTIMIZATION AND APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFICALLY ROBUST IN VITRO METHODS THAT ARE ACCEPTED BY REGULATORY AGENCIES AND ADOPTED BY INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE. TO CREATE A FORUM IN WHICH INDUSTRY, REGULATORY AGENCIES AND ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP HUMANE SCIENTIFIC TOOLS FOR TESTING. TO UTILIZE OUR EXPERTISE TO CREATE EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT WILL EXPAND THE ADOPTION OF NON-ANIMAL TEST METHODS AROUND THE GLOBE.

Income
$8.0 million
Spending
$7.9 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
2.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 89%
Employees
58
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$175,933, director respiratory toxicology

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

Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 60% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 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 (2)
  1. $6.6 million spent. RESEARCH AND TESTING: IIVS WORKED WITH MORE THAN SIXTY COMPANIES TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE NON-ANIMAL TESTING STRATEGIES, CONDUCT TESTING, AND ASSIST IN INTERPRETATION OF DATA. OVER 880 COMPOUNDS/PRODUCTS WERE TESTED AT THE IIVS LABORATORY - MOSTLY IN MORE THAN ONE TEST. IIVS CONTINUES TO OPTIMIZE AND STANDARDIZE IN VITRO METHODS TO MAKE THEM SUITABLE FOR INDUSTRY AND REGULATORY NEEDS. MANY OF THESE EFFORTS ARE IN COLLABORATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT AND NGOS. ADVANCEMENTS ARE SHARED WITH THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS SO THAT OTHER INDUSTRIES AND REGULATORY SCIENTISTS CAN BENEFIT. IIVS HAS DEVELOPED AND PROMOTED THE USE OF HUMAN PRECISION CUT LUNG SLICES (HPCLS FOR POTENTIAL REGULATORY APPLICATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO USING ANIMALS FOR INHALATION AND RESPIRATORY ENDPOINTS. BASED UPON OUR SUCCESSFUL USE OF HPCLS IN IN-HOUSE STUDIES, STAKEHOLDERS HAVE INQUIRED WHETHER THEY COULD PROCURE THESE HPCLS TISSUES FOR USE WITHIN THEIR OWN LABORATORIES. IIVS PREPARED AND QUALIFIED HPCLS TISSUES FOR 30 SPONSOR-RUN LABORATORY STUDIES THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE USED ANIMALS.
  2. $874,848 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: IIVS PARTICIPATES IN NUMEROUS TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING INDUSTRY AND REGULATORY SCIENTISTS. THESE TRAININGS ARE TAILORED FOR THE SPECIFIC AUDIENCE AND GENERALLY INCLUDE LECTURES, HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS AND DATA INTERPRETATION. TWO MAJOR PROGRAMS IN WHICH IIVS PARTICIPATES ARE THE PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE NURA TRAINING AND THE ANIMAL FREE SAFETY ASSESSMENT COLLABORATION COORDINATED BY HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL. IIVS SCIENTISTS WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN EXPERT PANELS CONVENED BY THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) WHICH HARMONIZES IN VITRO TESTING APPROACHES FOR THE WORLDWIDE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. THESE PANELS DISCUSSED NEW METHODS FOR GENETIC TOXICOLOGY, SKIN SENSITIZATION, EYE IRRITATION AND SKIN CORROSION. IIVS IS LEADING EFFORTS WITH INDUSTRY CONSORTIA AND 2 DIVISIONS OF THE US FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATION TO APPLY NON-ANIMAL METHODS FOR SPECIFIC ENDPOINTS. IIVS IS ALSO INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S GOAL TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON ANIMAL MODELS. IIVS STAFF HOLD BOARD POSITIONS WITHIN SOCIETIES THAT HAVE THE MISSION TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO INCREASE THE USE AND ACCEPTANCE OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS, SUCH AS THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CELLULAR AND COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY, THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR TOXICOLOGY IN VITRO, THE US SOCIETY OF TOXICOLOGY AND THE CHINESE SOCIETY OF TOXICOLOGY.

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 2025.

    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 July 1997.

    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.