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Fermi Research Alliance LLC

EIN 57-1239010 · Batavia, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The organization's primary exempt purpose is the management and operation of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory ("Fermilab") in Batavia, Illinois, an international scientific user facility owned by the U.S. Department of Energy at which the fundamental nature of matter and energy is studied.

Income
$715.5 million
Spending
$715.6 million
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 100%
Employees
2,264
Volunteers
37
Highest pay
$1.9 million, chairman

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (science, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 100% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (science, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 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

    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 September 30, 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 (1)
  1. $713.1 million spent. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) AWARDED THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATING CONTRACT FOR FERMI NATIONAL ACCELERATOR LABORATORY (FERMILAB) TO FRA, LLC, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2007-December 31,2025. FRA BUILDS ON UNIVERSITIES RESEARCH ASSOCIATION'S 50-YEAR RECORD OF PERFORMANCE IN THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF FERMILAB; AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO'S LEADERSHIP OF ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY (ANL) SINCE ITS FOUNDING. THE FRA TEAM BRINGS RESOURCES, COLLABORATIONS, AND BEST PRACTICES TO ADDRESS THE LABORATORY'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. FRA SUPPORTS THE LABORATORY'S LONG-TERM VISION AND TOTAL COMMITMENT TO DISCOVERY, THE DOE SCIENTIFIC MISSION, AND ENSURING OUR NATION'S CONTINUED PREEMINENCE IN PARTICLE PHYSICS. Presently, Fermilab's primary ten-year goal is to establish a world-leading neutrino science program led by the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE). LBNF/DUNE advances the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5) plan by establishing the first phase of this facility with a new beamline and a far detector sited deep underground in South Dakota in the 2020s. As Fermilab steps into this new role as host lab for LBNF/DUNE, the organizational structure is adjusting to support the scientists, students, technicians and engineers who are and will be working at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota. The laboratory has established a new Fermilab division, the South Dakota Operations Division, which is based full-time at SURF to provide the same range of operational and support services that exist at Fermilab's main campus in Batavia, IL. In addition, Fermilab's major initiatives include leading one of the five DOE National Quantum Information Science (QIS) Research Centers. The Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS) has the concrete and ambitious goal to develop, build, and deploy the first quantum computer at Fermilab. The SQMS Center and other Fermilab efforts are producing high-impact results in quantum computing, networking, and sensing and growing collaborations with universities, laboratories, and industry leaders in QIS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 2025.

    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 February 2007.

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