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Independent Institute

EIN 94-3008370 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ESTABLISHED IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT OF ITS HOME IN SILICON VALLEY, THE NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE EMPLOYS INNOVATIVE THINKING TO BOLDLY ADVANCE PEACEFUL, PROSPEROUS, AND FREE SOCIETIES GROUNDED IN A COMMITMENT TO HUMAN WORTH AND DIGNITY.

Income
$6.5 million
Spending
$6.6 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
10.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 85%
Employees
33
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$296,289, president

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

Good: 71 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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. $2.6 million spent. DISSEMINATING IDEAS: INDEPENDENT DEPLOYS BEST-IN-CLASS TRANSMEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO CONNECT ITS RIGOROUS RESEARCH TO TARGETED AUDIENCES, ENCOURAGING THE APPLICATION OF THESE IDEAS INTO THE CULTURE AND COMMUNITY IN WINNING THE BATTLE OF IDEAS. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PUBLISHING THE WORK IN VARIOUS FORMATS (BOOK, JOURNAL ARTICLE, OR OTHER PUBLICATION), AND THEN AGGRESSIVELY MARKETING THE RESULTS TO POSITION THE FINDINGS ACROSS MAJOR OPINION AUDIENCES. INDEPENDENT ORGANIZES CONFERENCES AND MEDIA PROGRAMS, AND REPACKAGES THE FINDINGS TO COMMUNICATE TO DIFFERENT KINDS AND LEVELS OF AUDIENCES. WE UTILIZE ONLINE PLATFORMS AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN TARGETING AUDIENCES ON THOSE MATTERS THAT WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM. THESE ACTIVITIES ATTRACT OVER 1 MILLION WEBSITE VISITORS, HALF A MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS, AND 5.5 BILLION MEDIA IMPRESSIONS PER YEAR.
  2. $1.4 million spent. SPARKING ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION: INDEPENDENT REVERSES GOVERNMENT GROWTH BY SPOTLIGHTING WRONGDOING AND OFFERING PRACTICAL, TECH-FORWARD SOLUTIONS GROUNDED IN NATURAL LAW. WE GENERATE SOLUTIONS IN BUSINESS, HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, ENTITLEMENTS, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GLOBAL PROSPERITY. OUR CALIFORNIA GOLDEN FLEECE AWARDS, AWARD-WINNING BOOKS, STUDIES, SPANISH WEBSITE, AND MULTI-MEDIA CAMPAIGNS SHARE OUR SOLUTIONS WITH CIVIC LEADERS, THE MEDIA, AND THE PUBLIC. OUR WORK HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN NATIONAL LEGISLATION, CONTRIBUTED TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL HEALTHCARE MANDATE, MOTIVATED REFORM IN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PREVENTION, AND HAS BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW IN CALIFORNIA.
  3. $573,848 spent. EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION: INDEPENDENT ENGAGES AND INSPIRES YOUNG PEOPLE AND PARENTS WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY, AND EMPOWERS PARENTS TO SELECT THE BEST EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN. OUR SATIRICAL YOUTUBE SERIES, LOVE GOV, APPLIES FREE-MARKET THINKING TO HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND PRIVACY, AND HAS ACHIEVED WELL OVER 7.4 MILLION VIEWS PRIMARILY FROM MILLENNIALS. THIS YEAR, WE LAUNCH LOVE GOV SEASON TWO WITH A COMPLEMENTARY WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PORTFOLIO. OUR INTERNSHIPS AND YOUTH-FOCUSED EVENTS OFFER HANDS-ON LEARNING, AND OUR EFFORTS TO BUILD AWARENESS FOR SCHOOL CHOICE, AFFORDABLE PRIVATE SCHOOL MODELS, AND HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS ARE EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL.
  4. $508,437 spent. DEFENDING CIVIL LIBERTIES: INDEPENDENT REMINDS THE PUBLIC, MEDIA, AND CIVIC LEADERS ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT AND THE CIVIL LIBERTIES THOSE LIMITS PROTECT. OUR PRINCIPLED, PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH CRITICALLY REVIEWS POLICIES AND APPROACHES TO TORT LIABILITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, PROPERTY RIGHTS, CIVIL LIBERTIES, FOREIGN POLICY, AND HUMAN MORALITY TO PRESERVE AND EXPAND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY. OUR RESEARCH AND SOLUTIONS ARE DISSEMINATED THROUGH AWARD-WINNING BOOKS, STUDIES, EVENTS, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL MULTI-MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, AND HAVE INSPIRED LEGISLATIVE TESTIMONY BEFORE A U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, AND HAVE BEEN CITED MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

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 November 6, 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? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1986.

    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 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.