Romero Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EXPOSE SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS FOR GLOBAL WARMING, ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, HUMAN AND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS. INTERFAITH LAW AND POLICY CENTER USING IMPACT LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE GOALS.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 94%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 1,179
- Highest pay
- $145,011, 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: 40 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 44% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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
Good: 80 out of 100.
Independent board
5 of 253 of 6 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 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 (4)
- $841,571 spent. THE LAKOTA PEOPLE'S LAW PROJECT CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE THROUGHOUT 2024 FOR THE RIGHTS AND SOVEREIGNTY OF THE LAKOTA SIOUX PEOPLE, BUT THE MAJOR PROJECT FOR THE YEAR WAS PREPARING FOR THE FULL TRANSITION OF LPLP'S INFRASTRUCTURE TO INDEPENDENT NATIVE CONTROL/LEADERSHIP. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF LPLP'S LONGTIME CO-DIRECTOR, CHASE IRON EYES, A SEPARATE 501C3 ORGANIZATION CALLED "SACRED DEFENSE" WAS ESTABLISHED AND THEN, AFTER MUCH PREPARATION, POSSESSION OF LPLP'S INFRASTRUCTURE WAS OFFICIALLY TRANSFERRED TO SACRED DEFENSE ON DECEMBER 1, 2024. WHILE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE TRANSITION REMAIN IN PROGRESS, THE FULL SEPARATION OF LPLP FROM THE ROMERO INSTITUTE IS EXPECTED TO BE FINALIZED BY MID-2025.DURING JANUARY TO NOVEMBER OF 2024, LPLP OPERATED AS A FULLY INTEGRATED AUXILIARY, OR PROJECT, OF THE ROMERO INSTITUTE. OUR DOMINANT EFFORT IN 2024 WAS UNWINDING OUR WORK ON BEHALF OF THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE, FOR WHOM WE SPENT 3 YEARS PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN RELATION TO ITS ONGOING EFFORT TO RESIST THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE. PRIOR TO 2024, AND DURING THE EARLY MONTHS OF 2024, WE MANAGED THE TRIBE'S COMMUNICATION FLOW, INCLUDING THEIR E-BLASTS, VIDEO PRODUCTION, FUNDRAISING, WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT, AND PRESS RELEASES. AT STANDING ROCK WE ALSO OPERATED OUR KINSHIP CARE HOME, WHERE 3 CHILDREN WERE HOUSED THROUGHOUT 2024, AND WE MADE STRIDES IN DEVELOPING OUR "NODAPL" ARCHIVE WHICH, WHEN EVENTUALLY LAUNCHED IN COLLABORATION WITH SITTING BULL COLLEGE AND LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO, WILL PROVIDE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF FREE MEDIA ABOUT TRIBALLY-LED OIL PIPELINE FIGHTS TO EDUCATORS, JOURNALISTS, LAWYERS, AND OTHERS ACROSS THE WORLD.
- $100,751 spent. LET'S GREEN CALIFORNIA - IN 2024 THE LEADERS OF OUR PROJECT CONTINUED TO WORK WITH LABOR LEADERS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTIVISTS TO ESTABLISH LABOR STANDARDS IN THE COMMUNITY CHOICE ENERGY AGENCIES IN THE BAY AREA AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. BY JOINING WITH LABOR TO SUPPORT THESE STANDARDS, WE ENCOURAGED THE BUILDING OF TRUST AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE THREE COMMUNITIES. THE SUCCESS OF THESE EFFORTS PERSUADED A LARGE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION TO INCORPORATE OUR TEAM INTO THEIR PROGRAM. WE FACILITATED THAT TRANSITION, KNOWING THAT THE SUCCESS OF CLIMATE POLICIES IN CALIFORNIA DEPENDS ON LABOR BEING AT THE TABLE. OUR STRATEGIC WORK WITH LABOR IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SINCE 2016 WILL NOW BE TAKEN THROUGHOUT THE STATE. CALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO BE A STATE THAT COULD CREATE A MODEL OF EQUITABLE CLIMATE POLICIES THAT CAN BE REPLICATED WORLDWIDE.KNOWING THAT MEMBERS OF LOW TO MODERATE INCOME COMMUNITIES NEED EDUCATION ON WHY ELECTRIC CARS AND ELECTRIC KITCHENS ARE MORE ECONOMICAL AND HEALTHY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR PROGRAM WITH THE MONTEREY CATHOLIC DIOCESE. WORKING WITH DIOCESAN LEADERS AND LEADERS IN LOCAL PARISHES IN PREDOMINANTLY HISPANIC COMMUNITIES, WE BROUGHT IN EXPERTS, KITCHEN EQUIPMENT, AND ELECTRIC CARS. WE PROVIDED FOOD COOKED ON ELECTRIC STOVES AND RIDES IN THE ELECTRIC CARS. WE GENERATED GATHERINGS AFTER CHURCH SERVICES AND EDUCATED PARISHIONERS ON HOW TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR PURCHASING THESE ITEMS, AND HOW IMPORTANT THE HEALTH BENEFITS WERE COMPARED TO NATURAL GAS STOVES AND GASOLINE CARS.
- $1.0 million spent. THE NEW PARADIGM INSTITUTE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2023 AFTER THREE WHISTLEBLOWERS PUBLICLY TESTIFIED TO CONGRESS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT HAS CAPTURED NONHUMAN SPACECRAFT AND NONHUMAN BODIES IN CRASH RETRIEVALS, AND THAT NAVY PILOTS ON BOTH COASTS OF OUR COUNTRY SEE NONHUMAN SPACECRAFT EVERY DAY. AFTER OPENING A D.C. OFFICE ACROSS FROM THE SENATE, AND HIRING PROFESSIONAL TEAMS, OUR INITIATIVE BEGAN TO DEVELOP POLICY AND MOBILIZE CITIZENS FOR DISCLOSURE OF THE INFORMATION HIDDEN FROM CITIZENS AND OUR ELECTED LEADERS FOR 80 YEARS. WITH THE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION IN DECEMBER, 2023, "DISCLOSURE HAS BEGUN".IN 2024 WE CONTINUED TO BUILD OUR POWERFUL WEBSITE ENGINE FOR EDUCATION, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, AND FUNDRAISING. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AND 80 PODCASTS APPEARANCES REACHED MILLIONS OF VIEWERS, OUR GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING EFFORTS BEGAN BUILDING OUT 1000 VOLUNTEERS INTO A NATIONWIDE ORGANIZING FORCE TO PRESSURE OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO PROCEED WITH PUBLIC DISCLOSURE HEARINGS, AND WE LAUNCHED A MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN TO BUILD OUR FUNDRAISING BASE. OUR D.C. TEAM EDUCATED CONGRESSIONAL STAFF AND MEMBERS, AND OUR LEGAL TEAM PRODUCED THE MOST THOROUGH UFO WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION BILL EVER WRITTEN. OUR FIVE DIFFERENT CALLS TO ACTION GENERATED 73,000 LETTERS TO CONGRESS MEMBERS. WE HELD A STRATEGIC MEETING AND FORMED A COLLABORATIVE VISION FOR DISCLOSURE WITH 25 SIGNIFICANT ALLIES IN THE UFO SPACE. OUR GENERAL COUNSEL CONTINUED TO LEGALLY REPRESENT WHISTLEBLOWER, LUE ELIZONDO, WHOSE BOOK, IMMINENT, BECAME A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER. OUR LEGAL TEAM BEGAN THE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH TO CRAFT A RICO COMPLAINT AGAINST THE LEADERS OF THE LEGACY PROJECT WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE CRIMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE 80 YEARS OF SECRECY OF OUR CAPTURE AND INTERACTION WITH UFO CRAFT AND PILOTS.WE CO-HOSTED THE FIRST UFO TEACH IN AT YALE UNIVERSITY WITH THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE AND THE YALE STUDENT UFO SOCIETY. AND, ON OCTOBER 20, 2024, WE LAUNCHED GLOBAL DISCLOSURE DAY WITH A PANEL OF EXCELLENT INVESTIGATORS, WHISTLEBLOWERS, AND LOCAL ORGANIZERS. 1000 ZOOM MEMBERS JOINED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND IT REACHED 177,947 LIVE STREAM VIEWERS. IN NOVEMBER, AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING HIGHLIGHTING LUE ELIZONDO, WE ORGANIZED A PRESS CONFERENCE AND A SUCCESSFUL OUTDOOR RALLY WITH OUR ALLY, MUFON, CALLING FOR MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS.AFTER SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL CLASSES, WE SEPARATED NEW PARADIGM INSTITUTE FROM UBIQUITY UNIVERSITY IN ORDER TO FOCUS OUR STAFF AND RESOURCES ON THE CHALLENGING TASK OF GENERATING DISCLOSURE.
- $351,508 spent. SPECIAL MEDIA PROJECT - IS A RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT THAT IS PREPARING TO PRODUCE A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ARCHIVE, A 24-EPISODE PODCAST SERIES, A DOCUMENTARY SERIES, AND A CABLE SERIES ABOUT THE LEGAL, INVESTIGATIVE, AND ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES OF THE CHRISTIC INSTITUTE AND THE ROMERO INSTITUTE. THE RESEARCH COVERS 50 YEARS OF PUBLIC INTEREST WORK AND REVEALS IMPORTANT HISTORICAL INFORMATION THAT IS RELEVANT TODAY TO ILLUMINATE SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE IN CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION, HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS, DRUG SMUGGLING, AND ILLEGAL WAR MAKING. THE ROMERO INSTITUTE ARCHIVAL PROJECT SEEKS TO CORRECT THE HISTORICAL RECORD AND PROVIDE CREDIBLE FACTS IN SEVERAL MEDIA FORMATS. THE GOAL IS TO SHARE TRUE FACTS THAT BEG FOR NEW LAWS AND POLICIES NEEDED TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE, GREEN, AND THRIVING FUTURE FOR THE U.S. AND THE WORLD. IN 2024 WE RECEIVED THIRTY YEARS OF ARCHIVES FROM THE ORIGINAL THERAPIST FOR UFO/ET ABDUCTION EXPERIENCERS, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DIGITIZING THE MATERIAL. SECONDLY, PLANNING AND NEGOTIATING BEGAN ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PODCAST ABOUT DAN SHEEHAN'S HISTORY IN THE UFO/ET COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS.
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 October 13, 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 December 1981.
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 October 21, 2026.
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