Social Science Research Council
Social Science Research Council reported $14.2 million in revenue and $15.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.72 went to program services, $12.96 to management and general costs and $1.32 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 62.5% of the total. Government grants made up 5.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $383,329 (PRESIDENT). 20 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 32% 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 $15MFor context, the median across 54 covered social science charities: $84.80 programs, $13.80 management, $1.40 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 $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.7% | 81.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.0% | 13.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 62.5% | 81.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 5.2% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.4% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $383,329 | $467,896 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.48% | 2.13% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 20 | 19 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 46.6 | 16.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 96.5% |
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 ssrc is guided by the belief that justice, prosperity, and democracy all require better understanding of complex social, cultural, economic, and political processes. We work with practitioners, policymakers, and academic researchers in the social sciences, related professions, and the humanities and natural sciences
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $341,003 | $0 | $42,326 | $383,329 |
| COO & VP OF ADMIN AND OPS Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $264,481 | $0 | $42,674 | $307,155 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $177,169 | $0 | $59,197 | $236,366 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $207,663 | $0 | $26,295 | $233,958 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $190,784 | $0 | $25,688 | $216,472 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $165,125 | $0 | $34,343 | $199,468 |
| DIRECTOR OF IT & DIGITAL COMMS. Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $140,295 | $0 | $33,923 | $174,218 |
20 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Social Science Research Council (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.2M (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–1b16 · 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 11aNo
- 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 4No
- 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 562
- Volunteers Part I, line 615
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ORION J TAYLOR Data consulting services | $150,000 |
| GENTE Benefits consulting services | $147,348 |
| PKF O'CONNOR DAVIES Auditing & tax services | $100,675 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
18 private foundations reported grants to Social Science Research Council totaling $13M 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 Social Science Research Council's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Social Science Research Council, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Social Science Research Council spent in FY2025, $85.72 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- NextcorpsRochester, NY · revenue $13M · programs 89.0% · FY2025
- American Economic AssociationNashville, TN · revenue $14M · programs 87.4% · 2024
- American Institute for Economic ResearchGreat Barrington, MA · revenue $13M · programs 70.0% · 2025
- Out & EqualOakland, CA · revenue $15M · programs 56.2% · FY2025
- Center for Applied Research SolutionsSanta Rosa, CA · revenue $13M · programs 89.7% · 2024
All social science charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Social Science Research Council's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Social Science Research Council reported that 85.7% of its $15.5 million in expenses went to program services, 13.0% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Social Science Research Council pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Social Science Research Council reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $383,329, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Social Science Research Council get its money?
Of $14.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 62.5% came from contributions and grants (including 5.2% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Social Science Research Council a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-1325070 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 202641339349307834 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511349349312656 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411369349319211 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321359349317717 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211329349307526 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111299349300611 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-1325070: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.