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Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative

EIN 81-4820272 · San Diego, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceGood88 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO IMPROVE HUMAN CIVILIZATIONS LONG-TERM PROSPECTS FOR SURVIVAL AND FLOURISHING. CURRENTLY, OUR MAIN STRATEGY IS COLLABORATING WITH UNIVERSITY RESEARCH GROUPS WORKING TO REDUCE EXISTENTIAL RISK, BY PROVIDING THEM WITH FREE SERVICES AND SUPPORT.

Income
$5.8 million
Spending
$7.6 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
0.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
36
Volunteers
2
Highest pay
$231,046, senior policy analyst

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

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% 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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    2 of 3 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (3)
  1. $3.2 million spent. THE ML ALIGNMENT THEORY SCHOLARS MATS IS AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS TALENTED SCHOLARS WITH TOP MENTORS IN THE FIELDS OF AI ALIGNMENT, INTERPRETABILITY, AND GOVERNANCE. FOR 10 WEEKS, MATS SCHOLARS CONDUCT RESEARCH WHILE ALSO ATTENDING TALKS, WORKSHOPS, AND NETWORKING EVENTS WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BERKELEY ALIGNMENT RESEARCH COMMUNITY.
  2. $3.7 million spent. UNIVERSITY COLLABORATIONS MAIN WE COLLABORATED WITH RESEARCH GROUPS AT UC BERKELEY, MIT, THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UMASS AMHERST, STANFORD, AND PRINCETON, PROVIDING SERVICES FREE-OF-CHARGE TO SUPPORT THE FIELD OF EXISTENTIAL RISK REDUCTION.
  3. $196,602 spent. UNIVERSITY COLLABORATIONS TRIAL SIMILAR TO OUR MAIN COLLABORATIONS PROGRAM, BUT SMALLER, MORE EXPLORATORY, AND WITH A WIDER VARIETY OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH GROUPS.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 2017.

    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.