Sphere Institute

Tax-deductible

Burlingame, CA501(c)(3)Social ScienceEIN 91-1748201Revenue $1.8M in FY2024

On file with the IRSsphereinstute.org500 Airport Blvd Ste 340, 94010-1934 · Burlingame, CATax-exempt since Jul 1997Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The mission is to innovate and improve the data and information provided to policy makes at the federal, state, and local levels who design, change, and implement healthcare and social policies.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
98¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $500K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
98%
of spending
Looks good: 98% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$7.1M
27% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 27% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.8M
+140% vs prior year
Spent
$1.6M
To programs
98%
Net assets
$18.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.8M
FY2024▲ +140%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$35.0M
FY2021$38.9M
FY2022$45.5M
FY2023$755K
FY2024$1.8M
Expenses
$1.6M
FY2024▲ +193%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$33.2M
FY2021$38.7M
FY2022$45.5M
FY2023$541K
FY2024$1.6M
Net assets
$18.9M
FY2024▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$16.6M
FY2021$16.8M
FY2022$16.7M
FY2023$18.5M
FY2024$18.9M

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 Jul 1997.

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

Where the money goes

98 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 98% · $1.6M Management & general 2% · $29K Fundraising 0% · $6K

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

11 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Employee Development
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Human Resources
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Gregory Boro’s $244K as Director of Business Operations is at the 75th percentile of top reported officer pay among 146 $1–10M social science 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

NameFY2022FY2021FY2020
Gregory Boro$243,862$227,517$220,307
Jonathan Stanton$228,783$226,445$212,394
Maria Del Mar Jauregui Vazquez$216,392$221,177—
Jeffrey S Carwile$212,012$194,351—
Bruno Garcia$205,810—$171,746
Edward Sung$197,361—$158,263
Binglie Luo$195,565—$150,650
Amy Brehm—$194,943—

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.

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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

Programs and updates

Improves data for policymakers shaping healthcare and social programs.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Environment

The sphere institute sponsors activities committed to improving the environmental quality of the local communities where people work. Sphere's flagship endeavor, bay rise park, transforms an undeveloped 9.4-ACRE plot of california state-owned land on the burlingame waterfront of san francisco bay into a nature and recreation park.

$1.6Mprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$210K
Money outPt IX
$1.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.6M
Managementcol C$29K
Fundraisingcol D$6K
Owns and owesPt X
$18.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.8M
Total assetsLn 16$26.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$210K
Total revenueLn 12$1.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.8M
SavingsLn 2$51K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$489
Other assetsLn 15$100K
Total assetsLn 16$26.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.1M
Net assetsLn 32$18.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5323
VolunteersI 60
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.3M$1.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10.3M$10.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$611$489
Total assetsLn 16$27.1M$26.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.6M$7.1M
Net assetsLn 32$18.5M$18.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$45K$34K$9K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$21K$16K$4K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$10K$7K$2K$500
OccupancyLn 16$44K$33K$9K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$122$122
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.5M$1.5M$741$185
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.6M$1.6M$29K$6K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.8M$1.6M$225K$18.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $755K$541K$215K$18.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $45.5M$45.5M$49K$16.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $38.9M$38.7M$196K$16.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $35.0M$33.2M$1.8M$16.6M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,809,880 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $577,313$1,600,224
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $178,144$209,656
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $755,457$1,809,880
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 $73,917$66,607
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $466,958$1,518,459
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $540,875$1,585,066
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $214,582$224,814
Part VI · Governance 4 of 6 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
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 $1,809,880 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,600,224
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,600,224
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $209,656$209,656
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $209,656$1,809,880
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,585,066 across 8 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $33,914 · Management $9,044 · Fundraising $2,261$45,219
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $16,041 · Management $4,278 · Fundraising $1,069$21,388
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,403$1,403
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,494 · Management $1,997 · Fundraising $500$9,991
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $32,705 · Management $8,721 · Fundraising $2,180$43,606
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $122$122
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,500$2,500
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,459,911 · Management $741 · Fundraising $185$1,460,837
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,550,065 · Management $28,806 · Fundraising $6,195$1,585,066
Part X · Balance sheet $25,957,706 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,827,386$1,761,158
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,425,428$51,215
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $13,396,372$13,557,209
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $611$489
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $2,333,645$2,487,335
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $8,000,000$8,000,000
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $100,300$100,300
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $27,083,742$25,957,706
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $6,909,805$5,397,988
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $1,673,185$1,673,185
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $8,582,990$7,071,173
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $18,500,752$18,886,533
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $27,083,742$25,957,706
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $18,886,533 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,809,880
XI-2 Total expenses$1,585,066
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$224,814
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$18,500,752
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$65,102
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$226,069
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$18,886,533

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

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