Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research reported $222.3 million in revenue and $174.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.26 went to program services, $11.59 to management and general costs and $1.15 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was investment income: 31.5% of the total. Government grants made up 5.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,081,921 (DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT). 88 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 207% 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 $174MFor context, the median across 169 covered medical research charities: $87.02 programs, $12.87 management, $0.11 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 $222MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.3% | 83.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.6% | 12.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.1% | 0.1% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 13.7% | 72.7% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 5.6% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.1% | 5.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,081,921 | $628,890 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.62% | 1.94% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 88 | 18 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 57.1 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 17 | 93.8% |
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 expenseWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is an independent nonprofit research institution located in cambridge, massachusetts. The institute was incorporated in 1981 to promote and expand human knowledge in the biomedical and other scientific fields with the ultimate goal of improving human health and well-being. The research of the institute focuses on basic biological processes investigated mainly from a molecular or cellular perspective. Research is conducted in several areas, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, regenerative biology, immunology and genetics. The research of…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,031,797 | $0 | $50,124 | $1,081,921 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $548,079 | $0 | $50,124 | $598,203 |
| VP & SECRETARY (END 12/2024) Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $427,063 | $0 | $73,848 | $500,911 |
| CFO & TREASURER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $398,735 | $0 | $74,891 | $473,626 |
| MEMBER (FACULTY) Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $391,954 | $0 | $63,989 | $455,943 |
| MEMBER (FACULTY) Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $366,154 | $0 | $63,589 | $429,743 |
| MEMBER (FACULTY) Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $363,183 | $0 | $63,589 | $426,772 |
| MEMBER (FACULTY) Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $350,818 | $0 | $71,452 | $422,270 |
88 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (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
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–1b17 · 16 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5368
- Volunteers Part I, line 616
Private foundation grants it received
16 private foundations reported grants to Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research 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 Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research spent in FY2025, $87.26 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All medical research charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research reported that 87.3% of its $174.3 million in expenses went to program services, 11.6% to management and general and 1.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $1,081,921, for the role of DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research get its money?
Of $222.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 13.7% came from contributions and grants (including 5.6% from government grants) and 1.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 06-1043412 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 202631349349310413 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511359349304126 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349309120 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301329349307020 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211369349307656 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111349349305181 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 06-1043412: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.