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Metagov Inc

EIN 85-3442527 · Boston, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceFair56 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE CORPORATION IS OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES OF CONDUCTING SCHOLARLY AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ABOUT GOVERNANCE OF VIRTUAL WORLDS AND DISSEMINATE RESEARCH TO/FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY FACULTY/STUDENTS, AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Income
$391,471
Spending
$499,947
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
5.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$51,599, director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (science, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 28% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 23% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (science, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2023, 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. $183,432 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OSCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ON ONLINE GOVERNANCE, INCLUDING STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT METAGOV'S EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS INCLUDE DAOSTAR, CALM TECH, DAOCHEM, VALIDATOR COMMONS, AND A SERIES OF HIGH-IMPACT EVENTS ORGANIZED OR HOSTED BY METAGOV. IN 2023, THESE PROGRAMS DROVE FORWARD METAGOV'S MISSION TO EXPLORE AND PROMOTE EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND TECHNICAL STANDARDS IN DIGITAL COMMUNITIES. THE DAOSTAR INITIATIVE OPERATES AS THE STANDARDS BODY FOR DECENTRALIZED AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATIONS, SUPPORTING INTEROPERABILITY, INNOVATION, AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE FOR DAOS. THROUGH THE CALM TECH FOUNDATION, METAGOV ADVANCED PRINCIPLES FOR DESIGNING DIGITAL TOOLS THAT RESPECT USER ATTENTION AND WELL-BEING. THE VALIDATOR COMMONS INTRODUCED A "POLITICAL PARTY" MODEL WITHIN THE COSMOS ECOSYSTEM, ENABLING COSMOS VALIDATORS TO ADVOCATE FOR SHARED GOVERNANCE VALUES, WHILE DAOCHEM PROVIDED A NOVEL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING DAOS BY INTEGRATING DIVERSE GOVERNANCE DATA SOURCES FOR A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW.IN ADDITION TO THESE RESEARCH PROGRAMS, METAGOV ORGANIZED SEVERAL MAJOR EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN 2023 TO FOSTER COMMUNITY DIALOGUE, SHARE INSIGHTS, AND ADVANCE THE FIELD OF DIGITAL GOVERNANCE. NOTABLE EVENTS INCLUDED DAO HARVARD 2023 AND DAO STANFORD 2023, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER RESEARCHERS, PRACTITIONERS, AND STUDENTS TO DISCUSS THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS AND CHALLENGES IN DECENTRALIZED GOVERNANCE. THE AI THINK TANK AT DWEB CAMP, ORGANIZED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INTERNET ARCHIVE, FORESIGHT INSTITUTE, AND OPENAI, EXPLORED THE INTERSECTION OF AI GOVERNANCE AND DECENTRALIZED ECOSYSTEMS. ADDITIONALLY, DAO PALACE 2023 AND AI PALACE 2023, HELD AT BUECKEBURG PALACE IN GERMANY, OFFERED IMMERSIVE SETTINGS TO DELVE INTO GOVERNANCE AND AI TOPICS WITH A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT, FURTHERING METAGOV'S COMMITMENT TO ENRICHING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN GOVERNANCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
  2. $183,431 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OSOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN-SOURCE DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTUREMETAGOV'S SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE TELESCOPE PROJECT, COLLECTIVE VOICE, AND DAOCHEM. IN 2023, THESE PROGRAMS ADVANCED THE STATE OF TOOLING FOR GOVERNANCE IN DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS. THE TELESCOPE PROJECT, AN ETHICAL ETHNOGRAPHIC TOOL FOR DISCORD, ENABLED RESEARCHERS TO GAIN INSIGHTS INTO ONLINE COMMUNITIES WHILE RESPECTING USER PRIVACY. COLLECTIVE VOICE PILOTED AN INNOVATIVE EXTENSION FOR OPEN COLLECTIVE, ENABLING COMMUNITY-BASED CONTROL OVER EXPENSE APPROVALS TO FOSTER TRANSPARENCY AND SHARED FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. DAOCHEM, A TOOL THAT AGGREGATES ON- AND OFF-CHAIN GOVERNANCE DATA, OFFERED A HOLISTIC VIEW OF DAO OPERATIONS, HELPING STAKEHOLDERS MAKE MORE INFORMED GOVERNANCE DECISIONS AND HIGHLIGHTING TRENDS WITHIN DECENTRALIZED ORGANIZATIONS. THESE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS PROVIDE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS AND FRAMEWORKS THAT ASSIST COMMUNITIES IN SELF-GOVERNANCE AND SUPPORT THE ETHICAL USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN DIGITAL SPACES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, 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 November 6, 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 2023.

    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 2022.

    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 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.