Marine Biological Laboratory
Marine Biological Laboratory reported $55.4 million in revenue and $56.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.62 went to program services, $12.67 to management and general costs and $2.71 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 71.4% of the total. Government grants made up 29.8%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $2,082,741 (Former Chair of the Board of Trustees). 54 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 27% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $56MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $55MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.6% | 83.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.7% | 15.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.7% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 71.4% | 51.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 29.8% | 3.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 15.4% | 19.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $2,082,741 | $513,729 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.70% | 1.72% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 54 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 45.2 | 14.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 25 of 28 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) maintains laboratories for the scientific study and investigation of a wide range of biological topics, from biomedical to ecological research. MBL Resident Scientists are based full-time in Woods Hole and conduct funded research in areas of science that are relevant to the MBL's mission of fundamental biological discovery. Areas of focus include new discoveries emerging from the study of new research organisms, encompassing studies in cell biology, regenerative biology, neuroscience, sensory physiology, and comparative evolution and genomics; the study…
The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) offers a wide range of scientific courses (from high school to post-doctoral level), workshops, conferences, and internships throughout the year. Central to the MBL's identity are its advanced, discovery-based courses for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. In these courses students learn from internationally renowned scientists and are immersed in the laboratory, learning cutting-edge techniques while investigating contemporary research problems. Each year, MBL advanced courses attract more than 500 graduate students and postdoctoral…
Visiting (Whitman) Research: The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) hosts hundreds of researchers, postdocs, and graduate students from around the world to participate in scientific discovery courses, research, lectures, and field studies. As a convener of biology, the MBL is well known for fostering a highly collaborative environment, with scientists and students engaged in intensive research in a collegial and informal atmosphere. Whitman Center Scientists are provided with infrastructure and an informal, interactive scientific community that allows them to launch into research almost…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Former Chair of the Board of Trustees Former, 1 hrs/week | $0 | $2,031,564 | $51,177 | $2,082,741 |
| Trustee Director/trustee, 2 hrs/week | $0 | $718,364 | $59,745 | $778,109 |
| Secretary of the MBL Corporation Officer, 2 hrs/week | $0 | $660,240 | $44,024 | $704,264 |
| Director of the MBL Director/trustee, officer, 40 hrs/week | $508,513 | $0 | $53,019 | $561,532 |
| Director of Education Key employee, 40 hrs/week | $298,527 | $0 | $40,498 | $339,025 |
| Chief Operating Officer Officer, 40 hrs/week | $294,682 | $0 | $38,588 | $333,270 |
| Director of Research Key employee, 40 hrs/week | $281,671 | $0 | $13,586 | $295,257 |
| Chief Financial Officer Officer, 40 hrs/week | $236,781 | $0 | $48,608 | $285,389 |
54 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Marine Biological Laboratory (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.6M (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
FY2025 · 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–1b28 · 25 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 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- 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 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5441
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Sodexo Inc and Affiliates Food service | $2,388,778 |
| Reliable Roofing & Sheet Metal LLC Construction | $1,085,975 |
| CES Northeast LLC Construction | $798,186 |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sub-award | $611,803 |
| Yale University Sub-Award | $529,531 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 20 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
31 private foundations reported grants to Marine Biological Laboratory totaling $6.2M 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 Marine 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 Marine Biological Laboratory, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Marine Biological Laboratory spent in FY2025, $84.62 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Experimental Aircraft AssociationOshkosh, WI · revenue $54M · programs 87.6% · FY2025
- American Geophysical UnionWashington, DC · revenue $56M · programs 88.4% · 2024
- Hudson-Alpha Institute for BiotechnologyHuntsville, AL · revenue $52M · programs 72.9% · 2024
- Hugo W Moser Research Institute at Kennedy KriegerBaltimore, MD · revenue $57M · programs 90.5% · FY2025
- Santa Fe InstituteSanta Fe, NM · revenue $52M · programs 62.7% · 2024
All science & technology charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Marine Biological Laboratory's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Marine Biological Laboratory reported that 84.6% of its $56.3 million in expenses went to program services, 12.7% to management and general and 2.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Marine Biological Laboratory pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Marine Biological Laboratory reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $2,082,741, for the role of Former Chair of the Board of Trustees (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Marine Biological Laboratory get its money?
Of $55.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 71.4% came from contributions and grants (including 29.8% from government grants) and 15.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Marine Biological Laboratory a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2104690 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202631349349311308 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511359349303046 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349307410 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301359349311535 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201369349306690 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101329349301100 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2104690: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.