The Watson Institute
The Watson Institute reported $40.3 million in revenue and $10.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.49 went to program services, $20.32 to management and general costs and $2.19 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was investment income: 73.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $469,628 (CEO/ASSISTANT SECRETARY). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 108% 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 $10MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 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 $40MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.5% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.3% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.2% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 3.9% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 20.2% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $469,628 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 4.67% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 222.0 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 17 | 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 psychological services program addresses the diagnosis, treatment, & intervention for children with autism & related disorders by providing intensive behavior health services, family & group therapy sessions, social skills groups, & medication management. The number of children served during fiscal year 2025 totaled: 28 intensive behavior health services, 59 extended school year (esy); & 324 outpatient
Training and consultation provides consultation, training, program development and contractual services to school districts, mental health/mental retardation and wrap-around service providers. 32 school districts were served in fiscal year 2025
The Watson Institute social center for academy achievement (wisca) began in the fall of 2008. Wisca is designed to meet the individual needs of adolescents with high functioning autism who require therapeutic intervention and supports that cannot be delivered in a traditional classroom setting. An online academic curriculum is paired with therapeutic training and community based intervention based on each students individualized education plan. Wisca had 101 students enrolled for fiscal year 2025
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO/ASSISTANT SECRETARY Director/trustee, officer, 8.00 hrs/week | $0 | $444,955 | $24,673 | $469,628 |
| CFO Officer, 11.00 hrs/week | $0 | $230,965 | $35,491 | $266,456 |
| CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFIC Officer, 19.00 hrs/week | $0 | $227,123 | $9,292 | $236,415 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $207,668 | $0 | $20,022 | $227,690 |
| VICE PRESIDENT/COO Officer, 11.00 hrs/week | $0 | $176,557 | $18,475 | $195,032 |
| VICE CHAIR/FORMER COO - DEF COMP PMT Director/trustee, officer, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $164,872 | $0 | $164,872 |
| CONSULTANT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,112 | $0 | $26,242 | $131,354 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Watson Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $136K (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 · 15 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 567
- Volunteers Part I, line 619
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to The Watson Institute totaling $288K 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 Watson 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 The Watson Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Watson Institute spent in FY2025, $77.49 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of The Watson Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Watson Institute reported that 77.5% of its $10.1 million in expenses went to program services, 20.3% to management and general and 2.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Watson Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Watson Institute reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $469,628, for the role of CEO/ASSISTANT SECRETARY (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Watson Institute get its money?
Of $40.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 3.9% came from contributions and grants and 20.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Watson Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 25-1561504 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 202601279349300620 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511259349302901 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431239349300738 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202311189349300521 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211249349302451 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141259349301019 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 25-1561504: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.