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Mathematical Sciences Publishers

EIN 52-2450490 · Sacramento, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To publish scientific and research literature of the highest quality, both in content and production, at the lowest reasonable cost; to generally improve the scientific-publishing environment that fosters scientific activity; to facilitate, and help others facilitate, scholarly communication and research; and to generally serve the scientific and research communities.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 94%
Employees
24
Volunteers
375
Highest pay
$185,234, executive dir.

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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 83% 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 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
  1. $1.1 million spent. Publishing and Publishing Services:The organization publishes 17 research journals in mathematics and related disciplines, and two open-access book/conference proceedings series. Most of the journals are available on a subscription basis. In 2024, the articles of four of its journals were published Open Access by using the Subscribe to Open model.The organization also performs publishing services for publications that it does not own, such as the "Pacific Journal of Mathematics" (a California nonprofit research journal), the "Annals of K-Theory" (a New Jersey nonprofit research journal), and others. It is also preparing for publication the content of the three journals of the Rocky Mountain Mathematics Consortium (an Arizona nonprofit).In 2024, MSP published or prepared for publication about 29,400 pages of research.
  2. $389,521 spent. Software services:The organization provides software-based services for scientific publishing. For its own use, MSP developed the journal-management web application called "EditFlow" which helps manage submissions, peer review, and production of scientific journals. MSP also licenses this software to about one hundred and fifty other mathematics-research journals, including those of the American Mathematical Society, the London Mathematical Society (UK), and the Canadian Mathematical Society.
  3. $87,521 spent. Publishing "Celebratio Mathematica":"Celebratio Mathematica" is an open-access web-only publication that celebrates mathematics and its people. CM is structured as a series of guides to the collected works and careers of selected scientists. CM organizes, displays and preserves biographic and bibliographic information, indexing all documents deemed worthy of inclusion in a collected-works volume. CM also includes commentaries and surveys of the scientists work, photographs, recollections, varied memorabilia, and information on his/her graduate students

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 February 2008.

    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.