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Seismic Catalyst Foundation

Tax-deductible

Wilmington, DE501(c)(3)Science & TechnologyEIN 33-3325360Revenue $5.2M in FY2025

On file with the IRSseismic.org211 W 9th St 983, 19801-1619 · Wilmington, DETax-exempt since Aug 2025Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Seismic foundation's mission is to make responsible ai a human priority by mobilizing public demand for meaningful global ai governance that ensures ai will be safe and beneficial for all.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 3 volunteers and 11 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$516K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 80% of similar orgs
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.1 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$124K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.2M
Spent
$2.8M
To programs
82%
Net assets
$2.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2025.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $2.3M Management & general 14% · $394K Fundraising 4% · $107K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

6 people listed on the 990; $516K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Sander Volten
Chief Executive Officer
$271,971Pt VII · Sec A
Alona Elkayam
Creative Officer
$133,170Pt VII · Sec A
Philip Trippenbach
Strategy Director
$110,463Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Kellie Liket
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sander Volten’s $272K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 80th percentile of top reported officer pay among 363 $1–10M science & technology nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

See Seismic Catalyst Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Advocates for global AI governance to ensure safe and beneficial artificial intelligence for everyone.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.3M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

In its first year of operations, seismic foundation provided specialist research, communications and campaign expertise that advocacy organizations, researchers and policymakers need to reach and educate the public.

$2.3Mprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.2M
Money outPt IX
$2.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.3M
Managementcol C$394K
Fundraisingcol D$107K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12K
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$124K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.2M
Total revenueLn 12$5.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$12K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$12K
Other assetsLn 15$219K
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$124K
Net assetsLn 32$2.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 63
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12K
Total assetsLn 16$0$2.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$124K
Net assetsLn 32$0$2.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$278K$139K$83K$56K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$540K$475K$50K$15K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$8K$7K$825$285
Other employee benefitsLn 9$19K$15K$3K$1K
Management feesLn 11a$114K$85K$18K$10K
Legal feesLn 11b$44K$44K
Accounting feesLn 11c$17K$17K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$177K$96K$81K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$18K$18K
Office expensesLn 13$57K$57K
Information technologyLn 14$12K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$39K$30K$6K$3K
TravelLn 17$87K$52K$13K$22K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.4M$1.4M
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.8M$2.3M$394K$107K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $5.2M$2.8M$2.5M$2.5M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,248,744 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$5,248,744
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenue$5,248,744
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$845,036
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$1,936,263
I-18 Total expenses$2,781,299
I-19 Revenue less expenses$2,467,445
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,248,744 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,248,744
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,248,744
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$5,248,744
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,781,299 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $138,927 · Management $83,355 · Fundraising $55,571$277,853
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $474,739 · Management $50,448 · Fundraising $15,274$540,461
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $7,008 · Management $825 · Fundraising $285$8,118
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $14,560 · Management $2,710 · Fundraising $1,334$18,604
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $85,341 · Management $18,451 · Fundraising $9,735$113,527
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $44,304$44,304
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $16,725$16,725
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $96,003 · Management $80,847$176,850
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $17,727$17,727
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $56,792$56,792
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $12,077$12,077
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $29,675 · Management $6,416 · Fundraising $3,385$39,476
IX-17 TravelPrograms $52,348 · Management $13,087 · Fundraising $21,812$87,247
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $8,055$8,055
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,363,483$1,363,483
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,279,811 · Management $394,092 · Fundraising $107,396$2,781,299
Part X · Balance sheet $2,591,930 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$11,794
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$2,245,460
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$116,028
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$218,648
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$2,591,930
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$124,485
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$124,485
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictions$221,985
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$2,245,460
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$2,467,445
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$2,591,930
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,467,445 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,248,744
XI-2 Total expenses$2,781,299
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,467,445
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,467,445

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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