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Open Research Institute Inc

EIN 82-3945232 · San Diego, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthNot ratedToo small or too little detailGovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Open Research Institute ORI is a non-profit research and development organization which provides all of its work to the general public under the principles of Open Source and Open Access to Research.

Income
$11,291
Spending
$11,507
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 79%
Employees
0
Volunteers
2,000

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

We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.

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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (science, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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.

  • 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, 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 (3)
  1. $4,296 spent. Our largest program expense for 2025 was supporting open source digital radio research and development in Remote Labs. These expenses were to repair update and maintain Remote Labs workbenches and Remote Labs information technology infrastructure for Opulent Voice Haifuraiya HF Meander Antenna Polynomial Spline Modeling Synthetic Aperture Radar Modeling Phased Array Drone Near Field Modeling Neptune Earth Venus Earth Modeling and Mode Dynamic Transponder Modeling work.
  2. $3,500 spent. Our second largest program expense for 2025 was demonstrating prototypes of all active projects at the DEFCON conference in Las Vegas NV. Our open source digital radio exhibit in RF Village was visited by thousands of participants. Opulent Voice open source Synthetic Aperture Radar RFBitBanger and Ribbit were demonstrated live. Exhibits about successful sounding rocket launches with the University of Puerto Rico collaboration with Deep Space Exploration Society and IEEE were also presented and interpreted by four volunteers who worked the event full time from open to close Thursday through Sunday.
  3. $866 spent. Our third largest program expense for 2025 was AmbaSat launch costs. This expense puts an open source design in low earth orbit. This work was funded by a grant and has educated eleven individuals in the areas of printed circuit board design circuit analysis VHF UHF and microwave propagation and embedded processing and programming.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Arc Research Institute (Palo Alto, CA), EIN 87-1920284. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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.