To advance a culture of purpose, creativity, and innovation in a diverse set of fields. This mission is achieved through education, research, and analysis of local, regional, national, and international issues.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 50 volunteers and 42 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $395K a year · 4% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.5M
to officers and key staff · 26% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 26% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $500K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$485K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$11.8M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$13.2M
To programs
91%
Net assets
$9.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$11.8M
FY2024▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$9.3M
FY2021$11.7M
FY2022$10.1M
FY2023$10.2M
FY2024$11.8M
Expenses
$13.2M
FY2024▲ +34%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.9M
FY2021$11.5M
FY2022$10.8M
FY2023$9.8M
FY2024$13.2M
Net assets
$9.6M
FY2024▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$11.1M
FY2021$11.3M
FY2022$10.6M
FY2023$11.0M
FY2024$9.6M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 1996.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $12.0M Management & general 2% · $317K Fundraising 7% · $869K

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

55 people listed on the 990; $3.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President
$252,539Pt VII · Sec A
President
$252,539Pt VII · Sec A
$218,000Pt VII · Sec A
$218,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Pres/PR
$215,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Pres/PR
$215,000Pt VII · Sec A
$163,894Pt VII · Sec A
$163,894Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Stephen Meyer$218,000$233,008$268,008$198,404$225,000
Steven Buri$252,539$227,601$216,268$208,700$184,632
John West$215,000$199,941$199,941$163,838$154,780
Jonathan Choe$163,894$145,266———
Keri Ingrahm$155,120$148,420$140,400$128,812—
Jonathan Witt$147,734$144,642$134,568$117,569$111,655
Nate Jacobson$137,355$134,500———
David Klinghoffer$131,421$128,284$126,608——

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 Discovery Institute 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

Fosters purpose, creativity, and innovation through education and research on global issues.

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Provided by the organization

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4 programs · $22.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The center for science and culture promotes research, education, and discussion relating to the scientific theory of intelligent design. The center's activities include the sponsorship of scientific research and writing; the production of books, articles, reports, and curricula; the organizing of seminars and conferences; and the…

$10.3Mprogram expense
02

The center for science and culture promotes research, education, and discussion relating to the scientific theory of intelligent design. The center's activities include the sponsorship of scientific research and writing; the production of books, articles, reports, and curricula; the organizing of seminars and conferences; and the…

$10.3Mprogram expense
03

The center on wealth and poverty connects the practical truths of economics with the perennial truths of ethics. The program - home to leading scholars in philosophy and economics - is building sustained and accessible defense of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and stewardship in the moral categories consonant with most americans.

$878Kprogram expense
04

The center on wealth and poverty connects the practical truths of economics with the perennial truths of ethics. The program - home to leading scholars in philosophy and economics - is building sustained and accessible defense of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and stewardship in the moral categories consonant with most americans.

$878Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$500K
Grants paid · 77 grants · $7.4M · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$337,831
Unitemized GrantFY2024$337,831
William Marsh Rice UniversityTX · FY2024$260,000
William Marsh Rice UniversityTX · FY2024$260,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$200,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$200,000
Education Access LLCFY2024$125,000
Education Access LLCFY2024$125,000
Stony Brook Foundation INCNY · FY2024$85,676
Stony Brook Foundation INCNY · FY2024$85,676
Unitemized GrantFY2024$77,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$77,500
Continental EconomicsFY2024$42,500
Continental EconomicsFY2024$42,500
Baylor UniversityTX · FY2024$32,000
Baylor UniversityTX · FY2024$32,000
Tellus1 Scientific LLCFY2024$31,252
Tellus1 Scientific LLCFY2024$31,252
See all 77 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$11.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$371K
Investment incomeLn 3$212K
Money outPt IX
$13.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$12.0M
Managementcol C$317K
Fundraisingcol D$869K
Owns and owesPt X
$9.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.5M
Total assetsLn 16$10.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$485K
PeoplePt VI, VII
55
listed · VII A
PaidVII A23
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$371K
Investment incomeLn 3$212K
Other incomeLn 4–11$156K
Total revenueLn 12$11.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$9.5M
Total assetsLn 16$10.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$485K
Net assetsLn 32$9.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 542
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $11.8M$13.2M−$1.4M$9.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $10.2M$9.8M$395K$11.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $10.1M$10.8M−$717K$10.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $11.7M$11.5M$239K$11.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $9.3M$5.9M$3.4M$11.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (1 part)
Part VI · Governance 16 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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

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

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