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Society for Science and the Public

EIN 53-0196483 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE IS A CHAMPION FOR SCIENCE, DEDICATED TO EXPANDING SCIENTIFIC LITERACY, EFFECTIVE STEM EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

Income
$91.1 million
Spending
$40.9 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
6.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
127
Volunteers
1,900
Highest pay
$787,213, president & ceo

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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 55% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 43% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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 47% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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. $21.4 million spent. SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS - FOR DECADES, SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE HAS OFFERED WORLD-CLASS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH COMPETITIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THE REGENERON SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH (REGENERON STS) IS THE NATION'S OLDEST AND MOST PRESTIGIOUS SCIENCE AND MATH COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. THE REGENERON INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR (REGENERON ISEF) IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST GLOBAL SCIENCE COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS. THE THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE (THERMO FISHER JIC) IS THE SOCIETY'S PREMIER MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM COMPETITION FOR U.S. STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT. THROUGH THESE COMPETITIONS, THE SOCIETY ENCOURAGES AND REWARDS INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING WHILE GROWING THE PIPELINE OF FUTURE STEM PROFESSIONALS IN 2015, THE SOCIETY EXPANDED ITS PROGRAMMING TO INCLUDE OUTREACH AND EQUITY WORK, TO ENSURE THAT EVERY YOUNG PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES WITH AN INTEREST IN STEM, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A SCIENTIST OR ENGINEER. THE ADVOCATE PROGRAM SUPPORTS EDUCATORS MENTORING UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN STEM FIELDS AND HELPING STUDENTS FIND AND COMPETE IN SCIENCE RESEARCH COMPETITIONS. TWO ANNUAL RESEARCH TEACHERS CONFERENCES, ONE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ONE FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, BRING TOGETHER SCIENCE RESEARCH TEACHERS TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES, TROUBLESHOOT CHALLENGES AND DEVELOP A SUPPORT NETWORK FOR TEACHERS WHO LEAD STUDENTS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE SOCIETY'S STEM RESEARCH GRANTS HELP TEACHERS EXPAND AND ENHANCE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS, AND OUR STEM ACTION GRANTS PROVIDE CATALYTIC FUNDS FOR INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED STEM ORGANIZATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS REACH MILLIONS OF STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND U.S. TERRITORIES.FOR DECADES, THE SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE HAS OFFERED MANY OF THE MOST REVERED K-12 SCIENCE COMPETITIONS IN THE WORLD: THE REGENERON SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH, THE REGENERON INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR, AND FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, BROADCOM MASTERS (MATH, APPLIED SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING FOR RISING STARS) . THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, WHICH ENCOURAGE AND REWARD INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, THE SOCIETY IS GROWING THE PIPELINE OF STEM PROFESSIONALS BY EMPOWERING OUR FUTURE GENERATION OF TALENT TO BECOME SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND INVENTORS.
  2. $11.9 million spent. SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE WAS FOUNDED IN 1921 WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE IN-DEPTH, TRUSTWORTHY, ACCURATE SCIENCE JOURNALISM FOR THE PUBLIC. SINCE THEN, OUR OFFERINGS HAVE GROWN TO INCLUDE OUR FLAGSHIP PRINT MAGAZINE SCIENCE NEWS AND ITS WEBSITE. WE ALSO CREATED SCIENCE NEWS EXPLORES, WHERE YOUNGER READERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND TEACHERS CAN EXPLORE NEW DISCOVERIES ACROSS SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE, AND LEARN HOW RESEARCH HELPS US ALL UNDERSTAND OUR WORLD AND OUR LIVES. THROUGH ITS SCIENCE NEWS LEARNING PROGRAM, THE SOCIETY PROVIDES SCIENCE NEWS MAGAZINE AND SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCATOR GUIDES TO MORE THAN 5,800 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE U.S., MAKING CURRENT SCIENCE ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. SCIENCE NEWS HAS MORE THAN 116,000 PAID SUBSCRIBERS, AND OVER 17 MILLION UNIQUE ONLINE USERS IN 2023. SCIENCE NEWS HAS 5.1 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER/X, AND 2.7 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 124,000 ACROSS OTHER SOCIAL CHANNELS. THE SCIENCE NEWS EXPLORES PRINT MAGAZINE HAS NEARLY 16,000 INDIVIDUAL SUBSCRIBERS, WHILE THE WEBSITE DREW MORE THAN 5 MILLION UNIQUE VISITORS IN 2023 AND OVER 1 MILLION FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS.
  3. $753,529 spent. ALUMNI PROGRAM: IN 2014, THE SOCIETY ESTABLISHED AN ALUMNI PROGRAM THAT SEEKS TO ENGAGE SOCIETY ALUMNI THROUGH ONLINE NETWORKS, EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO WORKS TO RE-ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS WITH ALUMNI WHO HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH THE SOCIETY. THE COMMUNITY IS COMPRISED OF MORE THAN 75,000 STS, ISEF AND MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPETITION ALUMNI ACROSS THE GLOBE.
  4. $233,186 spent. SPECIAL INITIATIVES - THESE ARE SPECIAL PROJECTS GEARED TOWARD THE BETTERMENT OF THE SOCIETY OVERALL AND SUPPORTED BY BOARD APPROVED FUNDING.

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 April 1922.

    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.