The Iris Foundation (the "Foundation") exists to support the application, engagement and dissemination of "first principles thinking" in science, education, community, development and civic engagement.the Foundation is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code, including the advancement of education, science and social science by conducting labs, case studies, discussion groups, forums, panels, lecturs, and similar programs.the Foundation will offer its facilities and resources to individuals and organizations, including students, professors, and universities, initially with a focus on those students, professors, and universities located within illinois including, without limitaiton, the university of illinois at champaign-urbana, to support labs and case studies to test concepts and generate data to effectuate social and community benefits. The results of these labs will be available

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 8 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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FY2020 · 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
FY2020
latest Form 990
Concern: the latest return is for FY2020, 6 tax years back; more than 4 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$79K
to officers and key staff · 98% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 98% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $79K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
25% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 25% 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
$88K
Spent
$80K
To programs
90%
Net assets
$6K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2024-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2020. IRS ruling in Aug 2025.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $72K Management & general 10% · $8K

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

3 people listed on the 990; $79K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$79,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Pericles Toscas’s $79K as Executive Dir. is at the 89th percentile of top reported officer pay among 115 <$100K 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.

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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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Promotes "first principles thinking" through science, education, and community programs.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $72K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

In pursuit of the foundation mission to support "first principles thinking" in science, education, community development and civic engagement, iris foundation develops core organizational tenets and methodology for educational on-boarding and program actualization.

$72Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$79K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$88K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$88K
Money outPt IX
$80K
Ln 25
Programscol B$72K
Managementcol C$8K
Owns and owesPt X
$6K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8K
Total assetsLn 16$8K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$88K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$88K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$8K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$8K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$8K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$6K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 68
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$472$8K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$472$8K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K$2K
Net assetsLn 32−$2K$6K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$79K$71K$8K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1K$1K$71
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$80K$72K$8K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2020 Latest Viewing $88K$80K$8K$6K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $88,000 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $84,462$88,000
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $84,462$88,000
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $82,747$79,000
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,122$1,312
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $84,869$80,312
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$407$7,688
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $88,000 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1d Related organizations$88,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$88,000
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenue$88,000
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $80,312 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $71,100 · Management $7,900$79,000
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wages$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxes$0
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 Travel$0
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,241 · Management $71$1,312
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $72,341 · Management $7,971 · Fundraising $0$80,312
Part X · Balance sheet $8,160 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $472$8,160
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $472$8,160
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,000$2,000
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$1,528$6,160
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$1,528$6,160
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $472$8,160
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,160 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$88,000
XI-2 Total expenses$80,312
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$7,688
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$1,528
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,160

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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