The Youth Science Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF YOUTH SCIENCE INSTITUTE (YSI) IS TO "INSPIRE ENTHUSIASM FOR SCIENCE AND A LOVE OF LEARNING" IN PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. YSI'S CORE PROGRAMS ARE SCHOOL AND GROUP PROGRAMS, SUMMER SCIENCE CAMPS, AND SCIENCE SAFARIS, TEACHING HANDS-ON, NATURE-BASED SCIENCE TO NEARLY 30,000 INDIVIDUALS PER YEAR. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS YSI TEACHES ARE SCHOOLCHILDREN (K-6) WHO ARE INTRODUCED TO YSI THROUGH ITS SCHOOL AND GROUP PROGRAMS. YSI IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THESE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO LOW-INCOME, ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK, AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
- Income
- $944,100
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- -0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 51%
- Employees
- 41
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $192,739, executive director thru 9/24
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 39 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 42% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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 May 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 (1)
- $780,409 spent. DURING FY24-25, YOUTH SCIENCE INSTITUTE CONTINUED TO DELIVER ITS CORE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND NATURE-BASED EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SCHOOL-BASED FIELD TRIPS, OUTREACH PROGRAMS, AND SEASONAL CAMPS. DURING THE YEAR, YSI DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY 625 SCHOOL AND GROUP PROGRAMS SERVING AN ESTIMATED 16,000 STUDENTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GRADE LEVELS. PROGRAMMING INCLUDED CURRICULUM ALIGNED WITH APPLICABLE SCIENCE STANDARDS AND EMPHASIZED HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. IN ADDITION TO SCHOOL AND GROUP PROGRAMS, YSI HOSTED SUMMER CAMPS DURING 2024, SERVING MORE THAN 500 CHILDREN OVER A NINE-WEEK PERIOD.NOTABLE DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE YEAR INCLUDED THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF YSI'S SUMMER CAMP OFFERINGS, INCREASED OUTREACH TO TITLE I SCHOOLS, AND THE LAUNCH OF PILOT PROGRAMMING IN CLIMATE SCIENCE AND YOUTH WELL-BEING. YSI ALSO STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BROADEN ACCESS TO SCIENCE EDUCATION.DURING FY24-25, YSI EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONAL TRANSITIONS. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING PROGRAM CONTINUITY WHILE STRENGTHENING INTERNAL SYSTEMS RELATED TO FINANCE, OPERATIONS, AND DOCUMENTATION. THESE EFFORTS SUPPORTED IMPROVED INTERNAL CONTROLS AND ORGANIZATIONAL STABILITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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 May 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 July 1962.
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.