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Davidson Institute for Talent Development

EIN 88-0427864 · Incline Vlg, NV

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceWeak30 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO RECOGNIZE THE NATION'S PROFOUNDLY GIFTED YOUTH AND SUPPORT THEM HOLISTICALLY SO THEY MAY REACH THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL.

Income
$25.2 million
Spending
$15.3 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 45%
Employees
115
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$318,639, exec director davidson academy

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 39% of income.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    2 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

    0 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 June 30, 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)
  1. $2.0 million spent. THE DAVIDSON INSTITUTE FOR TALENT DEVELOPMENT HOLDS FOUR SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR PROFOUNDLY GIFTED STUDENTS, AGES 8-11. THE FIVE-DAY RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL NEEDS. DAVIDSON SUMMER PARTICIPANTS ATTEND ACADEMIC SESSIONS TAUGHT BY DAVIDSON ACADEMY INSTRUCTORS, ATTEND ACADEMIC FIELD TRIPS ON OR NEAR CAMPUS, AND PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. PARTICIPANTS STAY IN THE UNIVERSITY'S RESIDENCE HALL, WHICH IS STAFFED BY PROGRAM STAFF MEMBERS 24 HOURS A DAY. STUDENTS SHARE A ROOM WITH OTHER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. ACADEMIC SESSIONS AND FIELD TRIPS DIFFER EVERY SUMMER.DAVIDSON INSTITUTE ALSO OFFERS TWO SUMMER RETREATS FOR DAVIDSON YOUNG SCHOLARS AND FAMILIES TO ATTEND A THREE-DAY IN-PERSON CONFERENCE ON THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO CAMPUS WITH GUEST SPEAKERS FROM THE PROFOUNDLY GIFTED COMMUNITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER FOR THE DAVIDSON PROGRAMS, PARTICIPANTS MUST BE PART OF THE DAVIDSON YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM FEE COVER ROOM AND BOARD AND COST OF THE PLANNED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. PARTICIPANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE PROGRAM, AND POCKET MONEY. REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED IS AVAILABLE.DAVIDSON INSTITUTE PROVIDES AN EXTENSIVE ONLINE PRESENCE OFFERING VIRTUAL SERVICES YEAR-ROUND TO YS STUDENTS AND PARENTS REGARDING CURRENT ISSUES IMPACTING PROFOUNDLY GIFTED YOUTH. THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF GRANT MONEY AWARDED EACH YEAR, BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED, TO YOUNG SCHOLARS TO ASSIST WITH EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.
  2. $3.5 million spent. DAVIDSON ACADEMY ONLINE, LLC, A SUBSIDIARY OF DAVIDSON INSTITUTE, IS AN ONLINE SCHOOL FOR THE PROFOUNDLY GIFTED SERVICING 95 - 105 STUDENTS FROM 8TH - 12TH GRADE THROUGHOUT THE U.S. DAVIDSON ACADEMY ONLINE CHARGES OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS OF THE ONLINE CAMPUS WITH ANNUAL TUITION UP TO $16,200 PER YEAR FOR FULL-TIME HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS. DISCOUNTED TUITION IS AVAILABLE BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED.
  3. $5.3 million spent. IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS OBJECTIVE TO SERVE GIFTED YOUTH, THE DAVIDSON INSTITUTE FOR TALENT DEVELOPMENT OPERATES A TUITION-FREE, PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR PROFOUNDLY GIFTED MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. DAVIDSON ACADEMY IS A "UNIVERSITY SCHOOL FOR PROFOUNDLY GIFTED PUPILS" THAT WAS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO LEGISLATION ENACTED BY THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE IN 2005 (NRS CHAPTER 392A). DAVIDSON ACADEMY IS LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO AND HAS AN ENROLLMENT (AS OF SPRING 2024) OF 167 STUDENTS AND 100 ONLINE STUDENTS. STUDENTS ARE ADMITTED SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF MEETING CERTAIN MINIMUM CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THE NEVADA STATUTE. THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN OTHER PROGRAMS OF THE INSTITUTE SUCH AS THE YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH DESIGNATED AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL, DAVIDSON ACADEMY RECEIVES LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF ITS OPERATING BUDGET FROM PUBLIC SOURCES (THE STATE OF NEVADA).
  4. $1.4 million spent. THE DAVIDSON INSTITUTE FELLOWS AWARD CEREMONY IS A ONE-DAY EVENT HELD IN BOSTON TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR YOUNG PEOPLE SELECTED AS DAVIDSON FELLOWS WHO WILL RECEIVE EITHER A $25,000, $50,000 OR $100,000 SCHOLARSHIP COMMITMENT TO FURTHER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR TALENT THROUGH ATTENDANCE AT AN ACCREDITED ACADEMIC INSTITUTION OF LEARNING.THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT IS TO RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF HIGHLY INTELLIGENT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR TALENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF WORK. THIS AWARD PROGRAM SEEKS TO RECOGNIZE AND AWARD THE TRULY EXTRAORDINARY IN RECOGNIZED AREAS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MATHEMATICS, LITERATURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND MUSIC AS WELL AS OUTSIDE THE BOX IDEAS. EACH SUBMISSION MUST BE A PIECE OF ORIGINAL WORK RECOGNIZED BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AS SIGNIFICANT AND IT MUST HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY. EACH SUBMISSION IS EVALUATED ON ITS SCOPE AND QUALITY, LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AND THE APPLICANT'S DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK AND THE RELATED DOMAIN AREA.ONCE THE INDEPENDENT TEAM OF JUDGES, WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN THE DOMAIN AREAS SUBMITTED, HAVE IDENTIFIED A SMALL GROUP OF FINALISTS, EACH FINALIST IS NAMED AS A DAVIDSON FELLOW AND RECEIVES EITHER A $25,000, $50,000 OR $100,000 SCHOLARSHIP, AS DETERMINED BY THE JUDGES USING THE SELECTION CRITERIA. INDIVIDUALS NAMED AS DAVIDSON FELLOWS ARE THEN HONORED AT A HOSTED RECEPTION IN SEPTEMBER EACH YEAR. TRAVEL AND OTHER HOTEL COSTS ARE PAID BY THE DAVIDSON INSTITUTE FOR TALENT DEVELOPMENT. TYPICALLY, 17 TO 20 DAVIDSON FELLOWS ARE SELECTED EACH YEAR. THE DAVIDSON FELLOWS AWARD IS NOT A COMPETITION, BUT RATHER RECOGNITION OF EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 October 13, 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 June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Worth knowing.

    Recognized by the IRS in October 2025. It is too new to have a track record.

    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 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.