Foundation for Research
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
As a supporting organization to the Clayton Foundation for Research ("Clayton"), the organization's primary mission is to fund medical research for the purpose of discovering the cause, prevention and cure of diseases for the benefit of mankind. The secondary mission is to transfer the resulting medical research discoveries from the laboratory to the use of the general public by patenting and licensing such technology for development into drugs or other products for the use and benefit of mankind through Clayton's other supporting entities.
- Income
- $6.6 million
- Spending
- $7.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 107.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 100%
- Employees
- 4
- Highest pay
- $785,428, trustee, president
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
Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 107.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs.
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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 250 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
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 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 (2)
- $6.2 million spent. Foundation for Research is a supporting organization to Clayton Foundation for Research (Clayton) . The organization grants funds to Clayton for its general support. Clayton uses such funds in carrying out its primary mission (i.e. to conduct medical research in conjunction with hospitals for the purpose of discovering the cause, prevention and cure of diseases for the benefit of mankind).
- Research Development Foundation ("RDF") is another supporting organization to the Clayton Foundation for Research("Clayton"). The organization grants funds to RDF for its general support. RDF uses such funds in carrying out the secondary mission of Clayton (i.e., to advance medical and scientific research through the transfer of technology from the laboratory to public use by obtaining patents and licenses and administering patents arising out of discoveries made pursuant to research conducted or sponsored by Clayton and its supporting organizations). RDF's current portfolio contains approximately 200 patent applications and issued patents on discoveries that have been made in the course of the various research projects that have been conducted by Clayton or funded by the organization and another supporting entity of Clayton over the years. RDF has entered into numerous licenses of such discoveries to pharmaceutical and startup companies, and many of such discoveries have already led to products that have been brought to market by the licensee and are benefiting mankind.
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
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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 April 1988.
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 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.