Median Foundation d/b/a Median Group is an educational organization formed for the purpose of conducting and sponsoring research with respect to significant issues of importance to the public, particularly with respect to scientific and historical research, in order to create a shared knowledge for the common benefit of all. The Foundation focuses much of its research on identifying and assessing global catastrophic risks and the potential to mitigate or avert these risks.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2022 · 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
Surplus or deficit
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $140K a year · 35% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $250K
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
$965K
×12 vs prior year
Spent
$352K
To programs
80%
Net assets
$690K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$965K
FY2022▲ ×12
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$429K
FY2021$83K
FY2022$965K
FY2023$221K
FY2024$18K
FY2025$0
Expenses
$352K
FY2022▲ +29%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$273K
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$352K
FY2023$286K
FY2024Not on file
FY2025$143K
Net assets
$690K
FY2022▲ +713%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$156K
FY2021$85K
FY2022$690K
FY2023$625K
FY2024$451K
FY2025$308K

From the FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 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 Feb 2019.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $282K Management & general 20% · $70K

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

5 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Director, President, Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Benjamin Hoffman’s $77K as Director, Secretary is at the 88th 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.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2020
Benjamin Hoffman$76,680$83,070$31,950—
Jessica Liu Taylor———$60,000
Jamison Bryce Hidysmith———$26,500

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 Median 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Sponsors research on significant scientific and historical issues, especially global catastrophic risks and mitigation.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $282K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Silent Cry fiscal sponsorship Median Group fiscally sponsored Silent Cry (https://www.silentcryinc.org/) to indirectly receive grants from another organization related to prison reform and mental health, including provision of a farm for alternative prison.

$224Kprogram expense
02

We experimented with psychological measurements and interventions such as EEG and TMS. We plan to study the potential for TMS to improve psychological well-being.

$47Kprogram expense
03

We are experimenting with use of machine learning to analyze ongoing conversations to detect features relevant to the quality of the discussion and possible interventions to improve them.

$11Kprogram 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 · FY2022
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$250K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $24K · 2020–2020
Silent CryNY · FY2020$14,000

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$965K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$681K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$298K
Money outPt IX
$352K
Ln 25
Programscol B$282K
Managementcol C$70K
Owns and owesPt X
$690K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$261K
Total assetsLn 16$690K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$681K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$429K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$298K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$14K
Total revenueLn 12$965K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$250K
SavingsLn 2$11K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$261K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Other assetsLn 15$429K
Total assetsLn 16$690K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$690K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 610
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9K$261K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$77K$690K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$77K$690K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0$0$0$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$11K$0$11K$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$806$0$806$0
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$11K$11K$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0$0$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$0$0$0$0
Information technologyLn 14$47K$47K$0$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$4K$0$4K$0
TravelLn 17$9K$0$9K$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0$0$0$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0$0$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$536$0$536$0
All other expensesLn 24e$269K$224K$45K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$352K$282K$70K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $0$143K−$143K$308K 990 PDF
FY2024 $18K$451K 990 PDF
FY2023 $221K$286K−$65K$625K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $965K$352K$613K$690K 990 PDF
FY2021 $83K$85K 990 PDF
FY2020 $429K$273K$156K$156K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $965,143 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $83,000$681,466
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$298,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0−$14,323
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $83,000$965,143
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $40,000$11,346
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $113,876$340,841
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $153,876$352,187
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$70,876$612,956
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $965,143 across 15 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$681,466
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$429,385
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$681,466
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $298,000 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$298,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$14,323 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0−$14,323
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $283,677 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$965,143
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $352,187 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0 · Management $10,540 · Fundraising $0$10,540
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0 · Management $806 · Fundraising $0$806
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $11,125 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$11,125
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $47,095 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$47,095
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $3,590 · Fundraising $0$3,590
IX-17 TravelPrograms $0 · Management $9,426 · Fundraising $0$9,426
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $536 · Fundraising $0$536
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $224,000 · Management $45,069 · Fundraising $0$269,069
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $282,220 · Management $69,967 · Fundraising $0$352,187
Part X · Balance sheet $690,406 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $7,449$250,146
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,431$10,875
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $68,570$429,385
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $77,450$690,406
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$0
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $77,450$690,406
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $77,450$690,406
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $690,406 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$965,143
XI-2 Total expenses$352,187
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$612,956
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$77,450
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$690,406

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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