Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1996.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
62 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
7 people listed on the 990.
Michael Shermer’s $143K as President is at the 98th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M 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.
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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
Educates the public about controversial claims through magazines, lectures, conferences, and field trips.
Questions for Skeptic Society
Your first name shows with your question. Skeptic Society answers here, for everyone.
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Makes available to its members a subscription to skeptic magazine. Also, sponsors a monthly science lecture at the california institute of technology and annual science conferences. Hosts science education field trips, such as geology tours. Educates the public about controversial claims.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $1.4M | $10K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $5.9M | |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $2K | $552 |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $1.5M | $6.0M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $41K | $21K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $1.4M | $5.9M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $3K | $3K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $455K | $280K | $88K | $88K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $18K | $9K | $9K | |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $45K | $15K | $15K | $15K |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $18K | $18K | ||
| InterestLn 20 | $722 | $722 | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $1K | $1K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $17K | $6K | $6K | $6K |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $43K | $43K | ||
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $602K | $372K | $122K | $108K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest Viewing | $722K | $602K | $120K | $5.9M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $765K | $626K | $139K | $1.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $310K | $326K | −$16K | $1.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $1.0M | $496K | $521K | $1.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $493K | $623K | −$130K | $931K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $414K | $643K | −$230K | $1.1M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $721,729 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 6 of 7 board members independent, 4 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $721,729 across 6 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $602,001 across 9 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $5,954,057 assets, 10 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,932,623 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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