Citizen Science Lab
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CREATING SCIENCE PIPELINES FOR DIVERSE AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THROUGH LIFE CHANGING HANDS-ON STEM EXPERIENCES.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- -26.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 24
- Highest pay
- $154,201, president &
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
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 50% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 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 (5)
- $338,474 spent. THE ABE PROGRAM IS A 4-WEEK INTENSIVE TRAINING THAT PROVIDES MIDDLE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY CONCEPTS TO YOUR CLASSROOM, HANDS-ON, INSTRUCTIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM, AND PERSONALIZED MENTORING SO THAT TEACHERS CAN PREPARE STUDENTS FOR STEM CAREERS WHICH BOLSTER THE COUNTRY'S STEM-RELATED ECONOMIES. TEACHERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN "ABE CLASSROOM KIT" FILLED WITH LAB-GRADE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, AS WELL AS ONGOING TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB. ALL TRAINING, MATERIALS, AND SUPPORT ARE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE.
- $131,193 spent. SEAPERCH IS AN INNOVATIVE UNDERWATER ROBOTICS PROGRAM THAT EQUIPS STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BUILD AN UNDERWATER REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE (ROV) IN AN IN-SCHOOL OR OUT-OF-SCHOOL SETTING. STUDENTS BUILD THE ROV FROM A KIT COMPRISED OF LOW-COST, EASILY ACCESSIBLE PARTS, FOLLOWING A CURRICULUM THAT TEACHES BASIC ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE CONCEPTS WITH A MARINE ENGINEERING THEME.THE SEAPERCH PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ROBOTICS, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) WHILE BUILDING AN UNDERWATER ROV AS PART OF A SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM. THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, STUDENTS WILL LEARN ENGINEERING CONCEPTS, PROBLEM-SOLVING, TEAMWORK, AND TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS.
- $110,423 spent. SUMMER CAMPS - WE OFFER FUN, HANDS-ON CAMPS FOR GRADES 4 THROUGH 12. WITH A FULL RANGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADVENTURES, INCLUDING ROBOTICS, OUTER SPACE, ZOOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY, DNA, AND DRONES. THERE'S SURE TO BE SOMETHING THAT EXCITES AND INSPIRES THE BUDDING SCIENTIST IN YOUR HOME.
- $263,529 spent. THE DRONE ACADEMY IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TEACH YOUTH IN GRADES 9-12 FLYING LESSONS TO SAFELY FLY THEIR OWN DRONES. FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE 16 AND OLDER, WE WILL TAKE THE TIME TO ORGANIZE STUDY AND TESTING SESSIONS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO PASS THEIR 14 CFR 107.71 EXAM. IN IGEM, STUDENTS PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY BY TACKLING EVERYDAY ISSUES FACING THE WORLD SUCH AS TURNING AGRICULTURAL WASTE INTO BIOFUELS AND WORKING TO CURE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THE IGEM COMPETITION IS AN ANNUAL WORLD-WIDE SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION WITH TEAMS REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES, CHILE, KAZAKHSTAN, SOUTH KOREA, EGYPT, SOUTH AFRICA, MEXICO, GERMANY, AND AUSTRALIA AMONG OTHERS. THESE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS WORK THROUGHOUT THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL TO BUILD GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SYSTEMS FOR THE COMPETITION. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING ON THE CSL'S TEAMWORK WITH CSL STAFF MENTORS TO TRAIN AND FINE-TUNE THEIR ESSENTIAL LAB SKILLS IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPETE IN THE IGEM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JAMBOREE, HELD ANNUALLY IN BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS. THE AQUAPONICS & SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM SUPPORTS PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS BY PROVIDING CURRICULA, AQUAPONICS SYSTEMS, AND A STAFF SUPPORT DURING WEEKLY LESSONS. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES CONCEPTS OF BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND SUSTAINABILITY, INVITING STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN SYSTEMS THINKING AND EXPLORING HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION. DURING THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE TASKS OF CARING FOR FISH, PLANTING SEEDS, AND MONITORING THEIR AQUAPONICS SYSTEM. THROUGHOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, STUDENTS GAIN CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AS THEY LITERALLY WATCH THEIR WORK GROW. WORKSHOPS (HOMESCHOOL & WEEKEND WORKSHOPS) - THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S HOME SCHOOL AND WEEKEND WORKSHOPS ARE HANDS-ON, AGE-APPROPRIATE STEM LESSONS THAT INSPIRE CURIOSITY, DISCOVERY & EXPLORATION OF LIFE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES SUBJECTS INCLUDE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY. CLASSES: FIELD TRIPS (TO LAB AND OUT OF LAB) - WE OFFER STUDENTS A ONE-OF- A-KIND LABORATORY EXPERIENCE. SCHEDULE A FIELD TRIP AT ONE OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S LOCATIONS.
- THE DRONE ACADEMY IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TEACH YOUTH IN GRADES 9-12 FLYING LESSONS TO SAFELY FLY THEIR OWN DRONES. FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE 16 AND OLDER, WE WILL TAKE THE TIME TO ORGANIZE STUDY AND TESTING SESSIONS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO PASS THEIR 14 CFR 107.71 EXAM. IN IGEM, STUDENTS PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY BY TACKLING EVERYDAY ISSUES FACING THE WORLD SUCH AS TURNING AGRICULTURAL WASTE INTO BIOFUELS AND WORKING TO CURE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THE IGEM COMPETITION IS AN ANNUAL WORLD-WIDE SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION WITH TEAMS REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES, CHILE, KAZAKHSTAN, SOUTH KOREA, EGYPT, SOUTH AFRICA, MEXICO, GERMANY, AND AUSTRALIA AMONG OTHERS. THESE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS WORK THROUGHOUT THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL TO BUILD GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SYSTEMS FOR THE COMPETITION. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING ON THE CSL'S TEAMWORK WITH CSL STAFF MENTORS TO TRAIN AND FINE-TUNE THEIR ESSENTIAL LAB SKILLS IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPETE IN THE IGEM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JAMBOREE, HELD ANNUALLY IN BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS. THE AQUAPONICS & SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM SUPPORTS PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS BY PROVIDING CURRICULA, AQUAPONICS SYSTEMS, AND A STAFF SUPPORT DURING WEEKLY LESSONS. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES CONCEPTS OF BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND SUSTAINABILITY, INVITING STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN SYSTEMS THINKING AND EXPLORING HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION. DURING THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE TASKS OF CARING FOR FISH, PLANTING SEEDS, AND MONITORING THEIR AQUAPONICS SYSTEM. THROUGHOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, STUDENTS GAIN CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AS THEY LITERALLY WATCH THEIR WORK GROW. WORKSHOPS (HOMESCHOOL & WEEKEND WORKSHOPS) - THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S HOME SCHOOL AND WEEKEND WORKSHOPS ARE HANDS-ON, AGE-APPROPRIATE STEM LESSONS THAT INSPIRE CURIOSITY, DISCOVERY & EXPLORATION OF LIFE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES SUBJECTS INCLUDE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY. CLASSES: FIELD TRIPS (TO LAB AND OUT OF LAB) - WE OFFER STUDENTS A ONE-OF- A-KIND LABORATORY EXPERIENCE. SCHEDULE A FIELD TRIP AT ONE OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S LOCATIONS.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2018.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.
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