You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file.
See the latest (FY2025) →
Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 1924.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
48 people listed on the 990; $9.2M paid to officers and key staff.
Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Secretary of the Smithsonian
$726,156Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Investment Officer
$673,679Pt VII · Sec A
Investment Officer
$615,259Pt VII · Sec A
Investment Officer
$530,390Pt VII · Sec A
President, Smithsonian Enterprises
$501,299Pt VII · Sec A
Investment Officer
$472,123Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Secretary & COO
$448,911Pt VII · Sec A
Interim Director, Cooper Hewitt
$417,958Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
$405,663Pt VII · Sec A
Assistant Secretary for Advancement
$392,559Pt VII · Sec A
Under Secretary for Administration
$357,033Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Scholar and Ambassador-At-Large
$335,295Pt VII · Sec A
Acting Under Secretary for Museums & Culture
$301,673Pt VII · Sec A
Director, National Air and Space Museum
$288,132Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel
$250,021Pt VII · Sec A
Acting Under Secretary for Science & Research
$241,512Pt VII · Sec A
Asst. Secretary for Communications and External Af
$239,927Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Equal Employment & Supplier Diversity
$225,054Pt VII · Sec A
Inspector General
$223,061Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff - Regents
$221,143Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Advancement
$211,155Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Information Officer
$202,284Pt VII · Sec A
Acting Under Secretary for Administration
$200,916Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Advisor
$199,854Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Smithsonian Facilities
$198,366Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Planning, Mgmt and Budget
$196,143Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
$158,371Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (concluded Jan 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (commence June 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (commence Apr 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (concluded Jan 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (concluded Jan 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (commence Feb 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (commence Jan 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent (concluded Jan 2021)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Regent
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Lonnie G Bunch III’s $960K as Secretary of the Smithsonian is at the 68th percentile of top reported officer pay among 53 $100M+ arts & culture 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.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Chen | $738,911 | $1,147,877 | $1,110,792 | $778,762 | $673,679 | $662,776 |
| Lonnie G Bunch III | $960,266 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mr Lonnie G Bunch III | — | $915,469 | $861,379 | $738,754 | $726,156 | $857,930 |
| Jeffrey Smith | $449,717 | $699,892 | $680,092 | $422,679 | $615,259 | $479,016 |
| Michael Giovenco | — | $647,978 | $625,494 | — | $530,390 | $404,477 |
| Meroe Park | $640,049 | $613,661 | $580,769 | $528,377 | $448,911 | — |
| Ryan Dotson | — | $573,416 | $612,491 | — | $472,123 | — |
| Carol Leblanc | $608,701 | $530,461 | $387,874 | $353,673 | $501,299 | $448,874 |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
See Smithsonian Institution executive salaries →On this list? Claim this org
Something off? Claim to add context
Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Operates world-class museums, research complexes, and national educational programs to preserve heritage and share knowledge globally.
Questions for Smithsonian Institution
Your first name shows with your question. Smithsonian Institution answers here, for everyone.
Provided by the organization
Know this org? Add your story
3 programs · $966.2M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01
Research and collections (see schedule o)
$558.3Mprogram expense
02
Education, public programs and exhibitions (see schedule o)
$344.1Mprogram expense
03
Membership (see schedule o)
$63.7Mprogram expense
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Catmosphere Foundation INCFY2025$2.5M
The Ayco Charitable FoundationFY2025$678K
Americana Corner LLCFY2025$250K
Hyde FoundationFY2025$100K
Via Art Fund INCFY2025$60K
National Film Preservation FoundationFY2025$43K
Give Back FoundationFY2025$27K
Total grants receivedfrom 16 funders$4.0M
Grants paid · 96 grants · $80.4M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$14,345,407
Florida State UniversityFL · FY2024$100,000
President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeMA · FY2024$99,117
Tuskegee UniversityAL · FY2024$86,200
Texas Southern UniversityFY2024$63,700
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University TermFL · FY2024$63,700
Jackson State UniversityMS · FY2024$63,700
Clark Atlanta University INCGA · FY2024$63,700
Montana State UniversityFY2024$30,863
Fisk UniversityTN · FY2024$20,500
Baylor UniversityTX · FY2024$11,975
Chicago Historical SocietyIL · FY2024$5,100
Unitemized GrantFY2023$13,800,101
President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeMA · FY2023$109,590
Tuskegee UniversityAL · FY2023$73,950
Texas Southern UniversityFY2023$63,700
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University TermFL · FY2023$63,700
Jackson State UniversityMS · FY2023$63,700
By the numbers
The FY2021 990, line by line.
Download 990
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.8B
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5B
Investment incomeLn 3$173.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$72.9M
Money outPt IX
$1.4B
Ln 25
Programscol B$966.2M
Managementcol C$389.2M
Fundraisingcol D$60.7M
Owns and owesPt X
$5.5B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$908.2M
Total assetsLn 16$7.1B
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6B
PeoplePt VI, VII
48
listed · VII A
PaidVII A27
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b17
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5B
Government grantsLn 1e$1.13B
Noncash giftsLn 1g$14.4M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$138K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$72.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$173.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$30.2M
Gains on assetsLn 7$162.7M
Total revenueLn 12$1.8B
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$844.5M
SavingsLn 2$63.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$908.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.85B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.77B
Other assetsLn 15$9.4M
Total assetsLn 16$7.1B
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6B
Net assetsLn 32$5.5B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57,334
VolunteersI 6100,729
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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
| Line | Start FY21 | End FY21 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $1.02B | $908.2M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $2.05B | $2.85B |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $2.74B | $2.77B |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $6.05B | $7.06B |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $1.42B | $1.56B |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $4.64B | $5.50B |
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $247K | $247K | ||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $11.8M | $11.8M | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $3.0M | $3.0M | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $7.7M | $2.9M | $4.3M | $469K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $1.6M | $1.6M | ||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $540.9M | $421.4M | $90.6M | $28.8M |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $74.1M | $31.3M | $42.8M | |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $72.6M | $26.0M | $43.0M | $3.6M |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $38.6M | $14.3M | $24.3M | $35K |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $348K | $213K | $129K | $5K |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $1.2M | $1.2M | $9K | |
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $1.9M | $1.9M | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $3.2M | $3.2M | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $120.6M | $75.5M | $34.5M | $10.6M |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $2.4M | $1.5M | $291K | $576K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $42.4M | $25.1M | $8.9M | $8.4M |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $43.8M | $7.9M | $34.6M | $1.4M |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $360K | $360K | ||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $157.7M | $117.3M | $38.3M | $2.0M |
| TravelLn 17 | $3.4M | $3.4M | $137K | −$162K |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $2.2M | $913K | $1.1M | $135K |
| InterestLn 20 | $6.9M | $6.9M | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $168.5M | $140.3M | $28.0M | $253K |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $1.9M | $740K | $1.2M | $52 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $108.8M | $74.5M | $31.7M | $2.6M |
| All other expensesLn 24e | −$91K | $439K | −$529K | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.42B | $966.2M | $389.2M | $60.7M |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $1.9B | $1.7B | $210.1M | $6.5B | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $2.0B | $1.7B | $276.5M | $6.1B | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $1.9B | $1.6B | $274.7M | $5.7B | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $1.9B | $1.5B | $368.3M | $5.4B | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 Viewing | $1.8B | $1.4B | $388.6M | $5.5B | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $1.6B | $1.4B | $167.6M | $4.6B | 990 PDF |
More to add? Claim this org
Schedules filed Part IV
III · Programs
R · Related orgs
G · Fundraising
L · Interested persons
I · Grants
A · Public support
F · Foreign
M · Noncash
J · Pay
O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,804,763,983 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,308,610,079$1,527,783,787
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $70,900,273$72,854,595
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $138,930,823$173,911,340
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $43,158,810$30,214,261
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,561,599,985$1,804,763,983
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $15,999,050$15,009,433
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $740,009,927$735,501,143
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $2,351,761$1,928,096
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $635,654,155$663,681,466
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,394,014,893$1,416,120,138
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $167,585,092$388,643,845
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members17
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $1,804,763,983 across 16 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $6,721,533 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$41,540
VIII-1b Membership dues$26,150,117
VIII-1c Fundraising events$137,934
VIII-1d Related organizations$313,659
VIII-1e Government grants$1,128,227,740
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$372,912,797
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$14,415,001
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,527,783,787
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $72,848,355 · Unrelated business $6,240$72,854,595
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $137,334 · Excluded from tax $11,050,648$11,187,982
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $12,307,816$12,307,816
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossUnrelated business $753,257 · Excluded from tax $100,369$853,626
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $1,369,676 · Excluded from tax $161,353,682$162,723,358
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$139,987−$139,987
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,608,858 · Unrelated business $7,862,415$10,471,273
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $83,548,422 · Unrelated business $8,759,246 · Excluded from tax $184,672,528$1,804,763,983
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,416,120,138 across 26 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $247,353$247,353
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $11,810,520$11,810,520
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $2,951,560$2,951,560
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $2,934,444 · Management $4,295,402 · Fundraising $469,389$7,699,235
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsManagement $1,616,163$1,616,163
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $421,418,733 · Management $90,584,736 · Fundraising $28,849,930$540,853,399
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $31,273,191 · Management $42,820,586$74,093,777
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $26,044,590 · Management $43,011,959 · Fundraising $3,566,439$72,622,988
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,325,857 · Management $24,254,459 · Fundraising $35,265$38,615,581
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $213,032 · Management $129,202 · Fundraising $5,300$347,534
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,236,815 · Fundraising $9,228$1,246,043
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $1,928,096$1,928,096
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,234,653$3,234,653
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $75,524,834 · Management $34,457,644 · Fundraising $10,611,840$120,594,318
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,511,376 · Management $291,354 · Fundraising $575,924$2,378,654
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $25,148,140 · Management $8,864,172 · Fundraising $8,402,536$42,414,848
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,851,005 · Management $34,559,237 · Fundraising $1,380,776$43,791,018
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $360,282$360,282
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $117,329,399 · Management $38,319,047 · Fundraising $2,047,074$157,695,520
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,440,335 · Management $136,818 · Fundraising −$161,599$3,415,554
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $913,186 · Management $1,128,318 · Fundraising $135,498$2,177,002
IX-20 InterestPrograms $6,911,571$6,911,571
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $140,277,320 · Management $27,971,213 · Fundraising $252,752$168,501,285
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $740,271 · Management $1,158,408 · Fundraising $52$1,898,731
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $74,535,351 · Management $31,673,714 · Fundraising $2,595,932$108,804,997
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $438,754 · Management −$529,298−$90,544
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $966,201,104 · Management $389,214,602 · Fundraising $60,704,432$1,416,120,138
Part X · Balance sheet $7,059,162,886 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $886,734,458$844,451,216
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $132,486,826$63,712,426
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $174,700,566$384,207,924
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $35,118,164$14,015,641
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $12,284,919$10,864,725
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $7,827,545$5,422,180
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,740,772,945$2,768,299,157
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $296,159,722$14,017,884
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $1,751,236,768$2,834,308,164
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$110,422,301
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $16,042,720$9,441,268
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $6,053,364,633$7,059,162,886
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $295,826,945$272,879,396
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $677,540,432$730,285,978
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $94,604,197$92,743,241
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $51,668,648$47,720,399
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,416,385,130$1,563,199,727
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,655,815,646$2,805,038,537
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,981,163,857$2,690,924,622
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,636,979,503$5,495,963,159
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $6,053,364,633$7,059,162,886
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,495,963,159 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,804,763,983
XI-2 Total expenses$1,416,120,138
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$388,643,845
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,636,979,503
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$477,058,901
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$6,719,090
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,495,963,159
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit
Names, privacy, and removal requests More
The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.
Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.
We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.
Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.
If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.
Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.
If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.
Your org? Add context
Made it to the end? Claim this org