Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

The Milken Institute

EIN 95-4240775 · Santa Monica, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MILKEN INSTITUTE IS A NON-PROFIT, NONPARTISAN THINK TANK DETERMINED TO INCREASE GLOBAL PROSPERITY BY ADVANCING COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WIDEN ACCESS TO CAPITAL, CREATE JOBS, AND IMPROVE HEALTH. WE DO THIS THROUGH INDEPENDENT, DATA-DRIVE RESEARCH, ACTION-ORIENTED MEETINGS AND MEANINGFUL POLICY INITIATIVES.

Income
$389.0 million
Spending
$151.4 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
56.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
357
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$1.1 million, chief executive officer & 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 56.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 61% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 47% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 12 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 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)
  1. $117.3 million spent. THE MILKEN INSTITUTE PURSUES ITS MISSION THROUGH A RANGE OF PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES IN OUR CENTERS.MI HEALTH-FASTERCURES WORKS TO IMPROVE THE MEDICAL RESEARCH SYSTEM-- TO CLEAR ROADBLOCKS THAT PREVENT MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS FROM REACHING PATIENTS SOONER. ITS MISSION IS TO ACCELERATE THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL SOLUTIONS THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS, AMPLIFY BEST PRACTICES, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERS ACROSS SECTORS TO COME TOGETHER AND EFFECT CHANGE.THE MI FINANCE PROMOTES FINANCIAL MARKET UNDERSTANDING AND WORKS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CAPITAL, STRENGTHEN - AND DEEPEN - FINANCIAL MARKETS, AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST PRESSING GLOBAL CHALLENGES.THE MILKEN INSTITUTE ASIA CENTER, BASED IN SINGAPORE, ANALYZES THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS, TRADE RELATIONSHIPS AND CAPITAL FLOWS THAT WILL DEFINE THE FUTURE. IT PROVIDES RESEARCH AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP THAT CAN ASSIST GOVERNMENTS, INVESTORS AND INDUSTRY AS THE ASIAN CAPITAL MARKETS AND INDUSTRIES RAPIDLY EXPAND.MI HEALTH-PUBLIC HEALTH USES APPLIED RESEARCH, ECONOMICS, POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS TO SOLVE PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES. CPH REACHES OUT, CONVENES AND COLLABORATES WITH LIKE-MINDED INSTITUTIONS AND THOUGHT LEADERS IN BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, PHILANTHROPY, EDUCATION AND THE MEDIA TO SHAPE SYSTEM-LEVEL SOLUTIONS TO THE WORLD'S MOST URGENT HEALTH CHALLENGES.THE MISSION OF MI HEALTH-FUTURE OF AGING IS TO IMPROVE LIVES AND STREGTHEN SOCIETIES BY PROMOTING HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE AND PURPOSEFUL AGING.THE MI PHILANTHROPY WORKS TO MAXIMIZE RETURN ON PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT BY ENSURING THAT INNOVATION USED TO ADDRESS ONE SOCIAL ISSUE IS TRANSLATED TO ANOTHER, BEST PRACTICES AND METRICS GUIDE NEW AND EXISTING GIVING PROGRAMS, AND RESOURCES ARE INVESTED TO OPTIMIZE OUTCOMES.MILKEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT, EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND MENTORING TO COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE GENERALLY OF MODEST TO MIDDLE INCOME AND ARE SELECTED AFTER A RIGOROUS PROCESS. THE PROGRAM WAS APPROVED AS A SCHOLARSHIP GRANTING PROGRAM BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE WHILE IT WAS OPERATED BY MILKEN FAMILY FOUNDATION.BD2 WAS FOUNDED TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC AND MEDICAL RESEARCHERS TO FURTHER LEARNING RELATED TO BIPOLAR DISORDER.
  2. $17.7 million spent. THE MILKEN INSTITUTE ACTIVELY ENGAGES AND EDUCATES LEADERS IN BUSINESS, SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES RELATED TO ITS CHARITABLE PURPOSE. THESE INCLUDE: GLOBAL CONFERENCE, FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT, ASIA SUMMIT, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA SUMMIT. THE SENIOR STAFF AND FELLOWS SPEAK REGULARLY AT EVENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD. THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR SPEAKING AT CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
  3. $2.5 million spent. THE MILKEN INSTITUTE PURSUES ITS MISSION THROUGH APPLIED ECONOMIC RESEARCH AND PUBLISHES THE MILKEN INSTITUTE REVIEW - A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE THAT PROVIDES A FORUM FOR ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY ON U.S. AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC POLICY AND PRACTICE.

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

  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 October 13, 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 December 2024.

    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 1991.

    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 October 21, 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.