Metrolab Network Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
METROLAB NETWORK IS A NON-PROFIT THAT DRIVES POSITIVE IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES BY EMPOWERING COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO CRITICAL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS: LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND UNIVERSITIES. THE CHALLENGES CITIES AND COUNTIES FACE ARE COMPLEX, AND TO CREATE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE METROLAB BRINGS TOGETHER AN ECOSYSTEM OF RESEARCH AND DOERS.
- Income
- $403,398
- Spending
- $1.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 99%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 5
- Highest pay
- $82,960, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 47% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 153% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 (4)
- $356,651 spent. NSF CIVIC INNOVATION CHALLENGE: THE CIVIC INNOVATION CHALLENGE IS A RESEARCH AND ACTION COMPETITION LED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION THAT AIMS TO FUND READY-TO-IMPLEMENT, RESEARCH-BASED PILOT PROJECTS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND TRANSFERABLE IMPACT ON COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES. METROLAB NETWORK SERVES AS THE OUTREACH BUILDER AND COMMUNITY-OF-PRACTICE ORGANIZER FOR THE CHALLENGE.
- $97,992 spent. POLICY DEVELOPMENT:METROLAB'S FOCUS ON DEVELOPING POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS INCLUDES TWO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. FIRST IS DATA GOVERNANCE. METROLAB RECEIVED SUPPORT TO WORKSHOP BEST PRACTICES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT DATA GOVERNMENT FRAMEWORKS. WE ALSO ARE DEVELOPING A LOCAL GOVERNMENT R&D AGENDA: A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN IDENTIFY THE RESEARCH NEEDS AND KNOWLEDGE GAPS OF CITIES AND COUNTIES.
- $42,072 spent. MOBILITY COE PROGRAM: FOR THE PAST 19 MONTHS, METROLAB NETWORK HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, AND OTHER PARTNERS (INCLUDING CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, SHARED-USE MOBILITY CENTER, AND NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY) ON THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION'S CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ON NEW MOBILITY AND AUTOMATED VEHICLES (MOBILITY COE). THE AWARD IS SUPPORTING RESEARCH ON THE IMPACTS OF NEW MOBILITY TECHNOLOGIES AND HIGHLY AUTOMATED VEHICLES ON THE EVOLVING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WHEN DEPLOYED AT SCALE.
- $365,174 spent. OTHER MEMBER ACTIVITIES
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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 November 6, 2026.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2017.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 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.