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Rodale Institute
Rodale Institute reported $22.7 million in revenue and $19.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.94 went to program services, $12.91 to management and general costs and $9.15 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 84.7% of the total. Government grants made up 27.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $284,487 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 192% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $19MFor context, the median across 349 covered food, agriculture & nutrition charities: $94.56 programs, $3.12 management, $2.32 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $23MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.9% | 94.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.9% | 3.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.1% | 2.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 84.7% | 96.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 27.6% | 10.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $284,487 | $213,323 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.47% | 0.61% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 13 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 35.3 | 6.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 15 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseRodale Institute (the "institute"), located in kutztown, pennsylvania, is an innovative 501(c)(3) nonprofit, dedicated to advancing regenerative agriculture through independent scientific research, direct farmer support initiatives, consumer education, and workforce training programs. Widely recognized as the birthplace of the modern organic movement in the US, Rodale Institute is celebrated as a prestigious agricultural organization, and is a trusted partner of farmers, corporations, and state and federal governments and agencies. The work of the Rodale Institute, since its establishment in…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $253,076 | $0 | $31,411 | $284,487 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $180,975 | $0 | $34,432 | $215,407 |
| CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $163,496 | $0 | $33,244 | $196,740 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $178,032 | $0 | $10,564 | $188,596 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $156,190 | $0 | $23,378 | $179,568 |
| CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $141,270 | $0 | $21,385 | $162,655 |
| DIR OF VEGETABLE SYSTEMS TRIAL Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $131,978 | $0 | $8,999 | $140,977 |
| RECORDING SECRETARY Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $81,879 | $0 | $17,795 | $99,674 |
13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Rodale Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $600K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b15 · 13 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5158
- Volunteers Part I, line 635
Private foundation grants it received
32 private foundations reported grants to Rodale Institute totaling $3.9M 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 Rodale Institute's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Rodale Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Rodale Institute spent in 2025, $77.94 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All food, agriculture & nutrition charities · Largest charities in Pennsylvania
Questions people ask
How much of Rodale Institute's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Rodale Institute reported that 77.9% of its $19.4 million in expenses went to program services, 12.9% to management and general and 9.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Rodale Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Rodale Institute reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $284,487, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Rodale Institute get its money?
Of $22.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 84.7% came from contributions and grants (including 27.6% from government grants) and 2.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Rodale Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7206884 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202612169349300226 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512699349301506 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442489349300424 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202302149349301680 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202241889349300929 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202101729349300340 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202011699349301901 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7206884: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.