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The Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists reported $55.5 million in revenue and $49.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $88.26 went to program services, $6.34 to management and general costs and $5.40 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 91.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $332,676 (FORMER PRESIDENT & CEO). 122 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 21% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $50MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 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) | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.3% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.4% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 91.6% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $332,676 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.67% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 122 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 17.2 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 19 | 100.0% |
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 climate and clean energy program works to limit the magnitude and impacts of climate change, to help communities build resilience in the face of unavoidable climate impacts, and to accelerate a rapid and fair shift in the way we power our lives by modernizing our electricity grid so it can operate reliably with large amounts of renewable energy. In addition, ucs works to make sure the major fossil fuel companies face legal, financial, reputational, and political consequences for misleading the public about climate science and solutions. We advance these efforts by combining rigorous…
The clean transportation program seeks to advance an ambitious and fair clean transportation agenda. We analyze advanced vehicle technologies, biofuels, and related oil-reduction strategies, and working with a broad set of stakeholders and partners advocate for effective and equitable transportation solutions that create new jobs and industries, save consumers billions of dollars at the gas pump, improve air quality and reduce global warming
Global security program seeks to build a more secure and equitable future by reducing the risk of a nuclear war starting by accident or miscalculation, and ultimately eliminating these potentially civilization-ending weapons. We serve as an independent watchdog on a range of nuclear and weapons issues, combining technical analysis and policy expertise to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons
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 PRESIDENT & CEO Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $324,708 | $0 | $7,968 | $332,676 |
| VP, PROGRAMS, POLICY & ADVOCACY Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $265,964 | $0 | $33,573 | $299,537 |
| CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $228,553 | $0 | $52,954 | $281,507 |
| ACTING PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $263,593 | $0 | $9,030 | $272,623 |
| CHIEF JUSTICE & EQUITY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,271 | $0 | $30,681 | $257,952 |
| VP, SCIENCE & INNOVATION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $242,078 | $0 | $14,509 | $256,587 |
| CHIEF FINANCE & ADMIN. OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $238,422 | $0 | $8,149 | $246,571 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $224,975 | $0 | $20,104 | $245,079 |
122 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Union of Concerned Scientists (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.5M (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–1b19 · 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 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5254
- Volunteers Part I, line 619
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MISSION CRM LTD Implementation & configuration | $619,575 |
| M&R STRATEGIC SERVICES Fundraising & member education | $223,483 |
| YOUR PART-TIME CONTROLLER LLC Accounting | $124,313 |
| RICOH Data center work | $113,351 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
258 private foundations reported grants to The Union of Concerned Scientists totaling $7.0M 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 The Union of Concerned Scientists's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Union of Concerned Scientists, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Union of Concerned Scientists spent in FY2025, $88.26 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of The Union of Concerned Scientists's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that 88.3% of its $49.8 million in expenses went to program services, 6.3% to management and general and 5.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Union of Concerned Scientists pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Union of Concerned Scientists reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $332,676, for the role of FORMER PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Union of Concerned Scientists get its money?
Of $55.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 91.6% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Union of Concerned Scientists a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2535767 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 September 30, 2025, object 202641779349300509 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202512119349301666 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202402159349300315 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202332269349302778 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202202249349301600 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202100679349301405 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2535767: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.