Effective Altruism Foundation INC

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The foundation's primary purpose is to undertake and contribute to research to improve the quality of life of as many sentient beings as extensively as possible and to otherwise engage in activities in furtherance of this objective. As a think tank, IT contributes ot the development and discussion of fundamental conceptions and understandings of Effective ethical behavior and action. In particular IT is committed to an evidence-based approach to proverty reduction, the reduction of animal suffering, the improvement of international cooperation and stability, and the development and promotion of responsible approaches to future technologies, IT promotes the philosophy and social movement referred to as Effective Altruism.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
62¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $35K a year · 4% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
62%
of spending
Worth a look: 62% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$223K
to officers and key staff · 33% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 33% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $18K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$450K
+34% vs prior year
Spent
$678K
To programs
62%
Net assets
$325K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$450K
FY2024▲ +34%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$529K
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$335K
FY2024$450K
Expenses
$678K
FY2024▲ +80%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$573K
FY2021$755K
FY2022$2.3M
FY2023$375K
FY2024$678K
Net assets
$325K
FY2024▼ -41%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$926K
FY2021$700K
FY2022$592K
FY2023$552K
FY2024$325K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2019.

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

Where the money goes

62 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 62% · $419K Management & general 28% · $188K Fundraising 10% · $71K

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; $223K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$223,019Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ruairi Donnelly’s $223K as Executive Dir. is at the 97th percentile of top reported officer pay among 312 $100K–1M 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.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022
Ruairi Donnelly$223,019$158,956—
Ruairi Donnelly - Beg 09-2022——$24,192

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 Effective Altruism Foundation INC executive salaries →

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

Improves lives through research on poverty, animal welfare, global cooperation, and future technologies.

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1 program · $419K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Research and writing of various scientific articles and papers, primarily on the safety issues of using artificial intelligence

$419Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$18K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $11K · 2020–2020
Unitemized GrantFY2020$11,014

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$450K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$450K
Money outPt IX
$678K
Ln 25
Programscol B$419K
Managementcol C$188K
Fundraisingcol D$71K
Owns and owesPt X
$325K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$320K
Total assetsLn 16$325K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$450K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$450K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$320K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$320K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5K
Total assetsLn 16$325K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$325K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Grants to other countriesSch F Pt II–III$150K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$566K$320K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5K
Total assetsLn 16$571K$325K
LiabilitiesLn 26$19K$0
Net assetsLn 32$552K$325K
5Every 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$150K$150K
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$242K$141K$58K$43K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$98K$42K$32K$24K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$17K$17K
Payroll taxesLn 10$22K$13K$6K$4K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$34K$34K
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$25K$25K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$1K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$20K$20K
TravelLn 17$54K$54K
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$453$453
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$10K$2K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$678K$419K$188K$71K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 11, 2025 $450K$678K−$227K$325K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Sep 12, 2024 $335K$375K−$40K$552K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2023 $2.1M$2.3M−$108K$592K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2022 $529K$755K−$226K$700K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 10, 2021 $1.0M$573K$429K$926K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $450,235 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $335,428$450,235
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $335,428$450,235
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$150,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $180,094$378,705
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $195,343$148,872
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $375,437$677,577
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$40,009−$227,342
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $450,235 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$450,235
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$450,235
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$450,235
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $677,577 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 recipientsPrograms $150,000$150,000
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $140,992 · Management $57,509 · Fundraising $43,131$241,632
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $42,081 · Management $31,699 · Fundraising $23,775$97,555
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $17,101$17,101
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $12,635 · Management $5,590 · Fundraising $4,192$22,417
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $34,240$34,240
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $25,280$25,280
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,290$1,290
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $19,970$19,970
IX-17 TravelPrograms $53,944$53,944
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 amortizationManagement $453$453
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,956$1,956
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,038 · Management $7,558$9,596
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $2,143$2,143
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $418,791 · Management $187,688 · Fundraising $71,098$677,577
Part X · Balance sheet $324,777 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $566,186$320,022
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-5 Loans to officers and key people$0
X-6 Loans to other insiders$0
X-7 Notes and loans 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$4,755
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 assetsStart of year $5,247$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $571,433$324,777
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $19,314$0
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year $552,119$324,777
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $552,119$324,777
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $571,433$324,777
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $324,777 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$450,235
XI-2 Total expenses$677,577
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$227,342
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$552,119
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$324,777

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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