Methods Innovation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Achieving general improvement in the standards and quality of social research and evaluation evidence for the benefit of the public.
- Income
- $445,252
- Spending
- $445,448
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- -6.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 67%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $86,988, 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
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (social science, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 140% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 124% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 21 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (social science, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
0 of 250 of 2 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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, 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 (3)
- $128,615 spent. Participatory engagement and research services are organised to advance public benefit through structured interviews, stakeholder consultations, and survey-based inquiry. Work with 3 clients in the reporting period reached approximately 500 participants and examined ethically complex subjects, including bioethics, neurodiversity in workplace settings, and ethical standards in social science research. The programme demonstrates the value of involving stakeholders and survey respondents at each stage of the research process, ensuring that findings reflect lived experience and practical concerns. The approach supports socially responsible action by grounding recommendations in well-documented evidence and by maintaining procedures that distribute attention fairly across affected groups.
- $261,250 spent. Professional development services (i.e.) training, in 2024 we conducted fifteen training workshops and offered self-paced courses, serving approximately 296 participants. The programs covered topics such as Public Engagement Evaluation, Introduction to Evaluation Design, Survey Design, Logic Models and Theories of Change, Impact Evaluation Design, Developing Evaluation Frameworks, and effective use of ChatGPT for funding applications and communications. These activities aimed to enhance the impact literacy and skills of professionals and academics, enabling them to boost their effectiveness and improve social outcomes. In the longer term, we aim to advance education and build educational capacities in support of research performing institutions and funding organisations and universities.
- $12,058 spent. Social research services encompass the planning, construction, and interpretation of survey-based evidence. Work in this area includes the careful design of instruments, the selection of appropriate sampling approaches, and the production of analytical outputs that support clear decision-making. We had one client in this period with the survey focus on effective conservation education messaging in their live animal exhibits to increase public understanding of wildlife conservation challenges and successes. Continuing support attends to clients' recurrent survey requirements, ensuring that new data are collected to a consistent standard and examined with methods suited to the questions at hand.
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 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 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 September 2023.
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.