Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory reported $20.5 million in revenue and $18.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $73.33 went to program services, $20.57 to management and general costs and $6.10 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 91.6% of the total. Government grants made up 41.1%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $406,546 (President). 16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 96% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $18MFor context, the median across 192 covered science & technology charities: $84.33 programs, $15.67 management, $0.00 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $20MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 73.3% | 83.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.6% | 15.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 91.6% | 51.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 41.1% | 3.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 5.3% | 19.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $406,546 | $513,729 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.22% | 1.72% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 16 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.8 | 14.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 20 | 94.3% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseResearch: Our scientists study a broad array of research models to identify the cellular basis for regeneration and aging in humans and how environmental toxins such as arsenic and PFAS impact our susceptibility to disease. Our goal is to develop new therapeutic approaches to enhance our ability to repair cellular damage and resist the degenerative changes that occur with age.In 2024, we welcomed a new faculty member Dr. Emily Spaulding, whose outstanding research on the cellular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health. We were awarded…
Education:The MDI Biological Laboratory provides hands-on biomedical training to hundreds of students and professional from all around the world each year. 2024 was a milestone year for MDI Biological Laboratory as we celebrated the renewal of our Maine INBRE grant, a collaborative effort of 17 education and research institutions working to boost the State's research capacity and create a bioscience workforce in Maine.In 2024, we welcomed a new innovative course to campus, ReBilD: Emerging Leaders in Regenerative Biology and Development which explored multiple models for both developmental…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $355,885 | $0 | $50,661 | $406,546 |
| VP of Research Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $193,319 | $0 | $33,965 | $227,284 |
| VP of Finances Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $150,228 | $0 | $37,764 | $187,992 |
| Director of Computational Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,611 | $0 | $21,351 | $177,962 |
| VP External Affairs/Chief Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $153,544 | $0 | $19,214 | $172,758 |
| Associate Professor Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $125,127 | $0 | $36,564 | $161,691 |
| Assistant Professor Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $117,007 | $0 | $35,955 | $152,962 |
| Associate Professor Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $128,842 | $0 | $22,480 | $151,322 |
16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b20 · 18 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26Yes
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5118
- Volunteers Part I, line 637
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Harold MacQuinn Inc Groundwork and contracting | $141,795 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
6 private foundations reported grants to Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory totaling $497K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory spent in 2024, $73.33 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Virginia Tech Applied Research CorporationArlington, VA · revenue $20M · programs 89.1% · FY2025
- Botanical Research Institute of TexasFort Worth, TX · revenue $20M · programs 86.1% · 2025
- Scratch FoundationNew York, NY · revenue $20M · programs 80.2% · 2024
- North Carolina Biotechnology CenterDurham, NC · revenue $21M · programs 84.1% · FY2025
- New York Structural Biology CenterNew York, NY · revenue $20M · programs 83.6% · 2024
All science & technology charities · Largest charities in Maine
Questions people ask
How much of Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory reported that 73.3% of its $18.3 million in expenses went to program services, 20.6% to management and general and 6.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $406,546, for the role of President (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory get its money?
Of $20.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 91.6% came from contributions and grants (including 41.1% from government grants) and 5.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 01-0202467 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202533179349301538 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403199349310945 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323189349309172 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223199349316202 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103199349301870 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003179349304595 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 01-0202467: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.