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Howard Hughes Medical Institute

EIN 59-0735717 · Chevy Chase, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE INSTITUTE HAS REMAINED CONSTANT SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1953. AS ITS RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION STATE THE PRIMARY PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE SHALL BE THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE BY CONDUCTING DISCOVERY RESEARCH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION, PRINCIPALLY WITHIN FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH BASIC BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, AND THE DISSEMINATION AND APPLICATION OF THAT KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY.

Income
$2.0 billion
Spending
$1.2 billion
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 98%
Employees
2,627
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$2.0 million, vp & chief investment officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (medical research, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (medical research, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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 August 31, 2025, 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. $832.5 million spent. MEDICAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES THE HHMI INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM THE HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE'S APPROACH TO BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CAN BE SUMMARIZED IN THREE WORDS: PEOPLE, NOT PROJECTS. THIS COMMITMENT IS REFLECTED IN THE HHMI INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM. RATHER THAN AWARDING RESEARCH GRANTS, THIS PROGRAM EMPLOYS SCIENTISTS,PROVIDING THEM WITH LONG-TERM, FLEXIBLE FUNDING THAT THEY MAY USE TO PURSUE THEIR SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS. HHMI BELIEVES THAT SCIENTISTS OF EXCEPTIONAL TALENT AND IMAGINATION WILL MAKE FUNDAMENTAL DISCOVERIES OF LASTING SCIENTIFIC VALUE ANDTHATBENEFITHUMAN HEALTHIF THEY ARE GIVEN THE RESOURCES, TIME, AND FREEDOM TO PURSUE CHALLENGING QUESTIONS. HHMI INVESTIGATORS RECEIVE A SEVEN-YEAR APPOINTMENT, WHICH ISRENEWABLEPENDING FAVORABLE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW. AMONG THE MORE THAN265 CURRENT HHMI INVESTIGATORS, 16 ARENOBEL LAUREATES ANDNEARLY150AREMEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. HHMI INVESTIGATORS DIRECT HHMI RESEARCH LABORATORIESLOCATEDON THE CAMPUSES OFMORE THAN 55HOSPITALS,UNIVERSITIES,AND OTHER RESEARCHINSTITUTIONSTHROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. SINCE THE EARLY 1990S, INVESTIGATORS HAVE BEEN SELECTED THROUGH RIGOROUS NATIONAL COMPETITIONS. THE INSTITUTESOLICITSAPPLICATIONS DIRECTLY FROM SCIENTISTS AT RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH THE AIM OFIDENTIFYINGTHOSE WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE. HHMI EMPLOYS AN OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT IT SELECTS ITS RESEARCHERS FROM A BROAD AND DEEP POOL OF SCIENTIFIC TALENT. JANELIA RESEARCH CAMPUS HHMI'S JANELIA RESEARCH CAMPUS IN ASHBURN, VIRGINIA, INNOVATES RESEARCH PRACTICES, TOOLS, AND TECHNOLOGIES TO SOLVE BIOLOGY'S DEEPEST MYSTERIES. AT JANELIA, INTEGRATED TEAMS OF LAB SCIENTISTS AND TOOL-BUILDERS PURSUE A SMALL NUMBER OF KEY SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT. TO DRIVE SCIENCE, THESE DISCOVERIES ARE SHARED OPENLY WITH THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. IN FY24, HHMI ANNOUNCED AI@HHMI, A 10-YEAR, $500 MILLION INVESTMENT TO SUPPORT AI-DRIVEN PROJECTS AND EMBED AI SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT EVERY STAGE OF THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS. IN FY25, THE INSTITUTE ANNOUNCED SIX AMBITIOUS AI PROJECTS SPEARHEADED BY BOTH HHMI INVESTIGATORS AND JANELIA GROUP LEADERS. IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THERE WERE27GROUP LEADERS,16SENIOR GROUP LEADERS, AND8JANELIA SCHOLARS AT JANELIA, IN ADDITION TO GRADUATE STUDENTS, POSTDOCS, AND VISITING SCIENTISTS. JANELIA ALSO HOSTS A VIBRANT SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE PROGRAM, WHICH BRINGS MANY SCIENTISTS TO ITS CAMPUS EACH YEAR FOR EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS. THE FREEMAN HRABOWSKI SCHOLARS PROGRAM THE FREEMAN HRABOWSKI SCHOLARS PROGRAM SUPPORTS OUTSTANDING EARLY CAREER BASIC RESEARCHERS WHO HAVE STRONG POTENTIAL TO BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR FIELDS. SCHOLARS PRIORITIZE SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE IN THEIR OWN RESEARCH WHILE CREATING LAB CLIMATES IN WHICH EVERYONE CAN THRIVE. LIKE HHMI INVESTIGATORS, SCHOLARS ARE EMPLOYEES OF THE INSTITUTEBASED AT HOSPITALS, UNIVERSITIES, AND OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTES IN THE UNITED STATES,ANDAREPROVIDED WITH LONG-TERM, FLEXIBLE FUNDING TO PURSUE THEIR BOLDEST IDEAS. EACH SCHOLAR IS APPOINTED FOR UP TO TWO FIVE-YEAR TERMS. INTHE SUMMER OF 2025, HHMI ANNOUNCED ITS SECOND COHORT OF FREEMAN HRABOWSKI SCHOLARS: 30 EXCEPTIONAL SCIENTISTS FROM 23 U.S. RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. ONCE APPOINTED, THEY WILL JOIN THE 31 INAUGURAL FREEMAN HRABOWSKI SCHOLARS.THE PROGRAM IS NAMED AFTER FREEMAN A. HRABOWSKI III, PRESIDENT EMERITUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY.
  2. $112.0 million spent. SCIENCE EDUCATION, FELLOWSHIPS, AND MEDIA PROGRAMS THROUGH ITS SCIENCE EDUCATION, FELLOWSHIPS, AND MEDIA PROGRAMS, HHMI INVESTS IN INDIVIDUALS, INITIATIVES, AND MEDIA THAT ADVANCE LEARNING AND PROMOTE SUCCESS IN SCIENCE ACROSS EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER STAGES. SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS INFY25,HHMIREFOCUSEDITSSCIENCE EDUCATION EFFORTSAROUND STUDENT-CENTEREDINITIATIVES.DURING THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, THESCIENCE EDUCATION ALLIANCE (SEA)PROGRAMSUPPORTED7,779 STUDENTS TOPARTICIPATEINSEA-PHAGES, A TWO-SEMESTERDISCOVERY BASEDCOURSETHATIMMERSES STUDENTS IN HANDS-ONSCIENTIFICRESEARCH.BIOINTERACTIVE, A MULTIMEDIA RESOURCE FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE-LEVEL INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY,CONTINUED TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL MATERIALSAND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPSAT NO CHARGETO BIOLOGY INSTRUCTORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, REACHINGMORE THAN 70% OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BIOLOGY CLASSROOMS.HHMIALSOANNOUNCEDA NEW PROGRAM CALLEDSUCCESS IN SCIENCE,WHICHPROVIDES GRANTSTO12INSTITUTIONSFOR IMPLEMENTINGPROGRAMSDESIGNED TOINCREASE UNDERGRADUATE PERSISTENCE IN SCIENCE. FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS FOUNDED IN 2004, THE GILLIAM FELLOWS PROGRAM SUPPORTSEXCEPTIONALBIOMEDICAL PHD STUDENTS AND THEIR ADVISORSTO ADVANCECUTTING-EDGERESEARCHAND FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE SCIENTIFIC TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS. IN FY25, 30 GRADUATE STUDENTS WERE SELECTED,REPRESENTING23 DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE US.SINCE 2017,THE HANNA H. GRAY FELLOWS PROGRAMHASSUPPORTEDOUTSTANDINGPOSTDOCS AS THEY TRANSITION INTO THEIR FIRST FACULTY POSITION.THE INSTITUTEWELCOMED25POSTDOCSIN FY25 AS MEMBERS OF THE NEWESTCOHORT.IN MAY,HHMITEMPORARILYPAUSEDCOMPETITIONSFORBOTHPROGRAMSIN ORDER TODEVOTEADDITIONALRESOURCES TO CURRENT HHMI SCIENTISTS. TANGLED BANK STUDIOS TANGLEDBANK STUDIOS, LLC, CAPTURES COMPELLING STORIES ACROSS ALL BRANCHES OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. IN FY25, TANGLED BANK RELEASED 23 DOCUMENTARY FEATURES AND SHORTS, WHICH RECEIVED A RANGE OF AWARDS, INCLUDING THE 2025 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DOCUMENTARY EMMY AWARD FOR THE "HUNT FOR THE OLDEST DNA," FIVE GIANT SCREEN CINEMA ASSOCIATION AWARDS FOR "BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS, THE GRAND TETON AWARD AT THE JACKSON WILD MEDIA AWARDS FOR "TURTLE WALKER." THE STUDIO ALSO LAUNCHED THESCIENCE@MYLIBRARYIMPACT INITIATIVE, WHICH BRINGS LOCAL SCIENCE STORIES AND ACTIVITIES TO MORE THAN 250 PUBLIC LIBRARIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 August 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 March 1957.

    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.