Process Studies International
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
We conduct interdisciplinary research and education to cultivate holistic understanding for advancing human and planetary flourishing.
- Income
- $587,748
- Spending
- $411,103
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 3.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $39,808, executive director
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 67% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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)
- $167,782 spent. During the year, the organization organized 5 international conferences and symposia focused on process-relational thought and its applications to science, philosophy, religion, psychology, and ecological civilization. These included the Renewing Faith conference focused on process and open and relational theologies and featuring 28 scholars, professors, and ministers as speakers; the Revitalizing Biophilosophy conference featuring approximately 15 experts from a range of philosophical and scientific fields; the Process Philosophy, Plasma Cosmology, and Transpersonal Psychology conference at University of Exeter, United Kingdom, co-organized with the University of Exeter, the California Institute of Integral Studies, and the University of Hawaii Manoa; the 18th International Forum on Ecological Civilization and 7th Youth Forum on Ecological Civilization, held at Pomona College and featuring more than 90 presenters from around the world; and the International Symposium on Organic Process Philosophy, Traditional Chinese Culture, and Ecological Civilization, hosted at Zhejiang Normal University and featuring talks by 18 scholars from China, South Korea, Canada, and the United States. The organization also supported ongoing public education through regular webinars, public lectures, and workshops. Topics included cosmology and biology, neuroscience and cultural evolution, process theology, comparative religion, mysticism, psychedelics and transformation, ecological spirituality, eco-psychology, music, poetry, and more. Across these programs, the organization hosted approximately 60 events, featured more than 70 speakers, and served thousands of participants, attendees, viewers, or learners around the world. These activities furthered the organization's exempt purpose by making interdisciplinary scholarship accessible to wider publics, fostering dialogue across academic and religious communities, and cultivating process-relational approaches to contemporary social, ecological, scientific, and spiritual questions. Program revenue in this area largely consists of conference registration fees. Program expenses in this area largely consist of speaker travel and accommodations and related staff hours.
- $85,000 spent. During the year, the organization offered several online courses, including courses on philosophy, sciences, religion, ecological civilization, and the arts. The organization also hosted ongoing learning circles and reading groups, and launched SPARKS-a new arts collective dedicated to exploring process-relational experience through creativity and the arts. The organization also continued international educational and network-building work through programs connected to China and ecological civilization. The 18th Process Summer Academy, a week-long intensive course held at Zhejiang Normal University and Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, served two dozen students and supported cross-cultural education in process thought, traditional Chinese culture, and ecological civilization. Across these community learning programs, the organization offered approximately 7 courses, 5 learning circles and recurring discussion programs, 4 community cohorts structured around special interests, 1 online certificate program in process thought & practices, and 1 Summer Academy. Many courses averaged around 40 participants from the general public. These programs served students, scholars, clergy, artists, activists, and lifelong learners interested in philosophy, science, religion, spirituality, ecological civilization, and the arts. These activities furthered the organization's exempt purpose by cultivating educational communities, training new generations of process-relational thinkers, and supporting the application of process thought in scholarship, spirituality, ecological practice, and the arts. Program revenue in this area largely consists of course registration fees. Program expenses in this area largely consist of staff hours.
- $45,000 spent. During the year, the organization published two issues of Process Studies journal, including a special issue on Whitehead's legacy at Harvard inspired by a prior CPS conference. The organization also published a new book on Whitehead and Teilhard, which grew out of previous conference programming, and a new book titled Renewing Faith, which emerged from the organization's conference and programming on process and open and relational theologies. The organization also continued developing new research initiatives and publication platforms. This included planning and issuing calls for papers for future conferences and research projects, including the Mind-at-Large Project on consciousness studies, and the 14th International Whitehead Conference; the creation of multi-media resources, including a new podcast series, YouTube videos, and an Educator's Toolbox (a set of resources for those teaching process thought). The organization also launched a call for submissions for the first issue of the Journal of Ecological Civilization Studies, a new publication dedicated to interdisciplinary research on ecological civilization. Through these publication and research activities, the organization published 2 books, 2 volumes of a peer-reviewed journal, 5 podcast episodes, and nearly 70 new YouTube videos. The organization's publication and research programs advanced its mission by generating new knowledge, supporting interdisciplinary research networks, and disseminating process-relational scholarship for academic and public audiences. Program revenue in this area largely consists of journal subscription fees and books sales. Program expenses in this area largely consist of staff hours.
- $10,000 spent. In addition to the major program services described above, the organization supported other mission-related activities, including a memorial event honoring the life and legacy of the organization's founder. These activities contributed to the organization's broader educational and community-building mission by preserving institutional memory, strengthening networks of scholars and practitioners, and honoring the intellectual and spiritual legacy that continues to guide the organization's work.
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
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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 August 2022.
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 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.