Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute reported $114.4 million in revenue and $116.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $82.32 went to program services, $16.17 to management and general costs and $1.51 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 88.2% of the total. Government grants made up 60.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,345,526 (CEO & PRESIDENT). 151 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 2% 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 $116MFor 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 $114MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.3% | 83.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.2% | 12.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.5% | 0.1% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 88.2% | 72.7% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 60.7% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.7% | 5.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,345,526 | $628,890 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.16% | 1.94% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 151 | 18 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 29.2 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 15 | 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 expenseSanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery institute studies the toughest diseases. We are forward-looking, collaborative, flexible and multidisciplinary. We embrace data science and promote entrepreneurship. We are central to a vibrant biomedical community: local, national and international. We are a leader whose achievements are inspiring and measurable
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 & PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $994,322 | $0 | $351,204 | $1,345,526 |
| PROFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $602,266 | $0 | $63,406 | $665,672 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $450,347 | $0 | $83,900 | $534,247 |
| CENTER DIRECTOR, IIDC Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $449,559 | $0 | $64,740 | $514,299 |
| DRUG DISCOVERY & DEV, SR VP Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $443,835 | $0 | $65,838 | $509,673 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $399,446 | $0 | $68,664 | $468,110 |
| CFO & TREASURER (THRU 11/15/24) Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $414,770 | $0 | $50,661 | $465,431 |
| PROFESSOR & TRUSTEE Director/trustee, 50.00 hrs/week | $305,473 | $0 | $78,848 | $384,321 |
151 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (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–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 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 5611
- Volunteers Part I, line 614
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP Professional services | $433,527 |
| 1903 SOLUTIONS LLC Networking, security, it services | $425,572 |
| BIODURO LLC Biotechnology services | $404,003 |
| UNIVERSAL PROTECTION SERVICE LP Building security services | $286,557 |
| JAGGAER LLC Procurement services | $233,784 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 10 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
14 private foundations reported grants to Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute totaling $2.0M 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 Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery 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 Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute spent in FY2025, $82.32 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Van Andel Research InstituteGrand Rapids, MI · revenue $113M · programs 65.3% · FY2024
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All medical research charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute reported that 82.3% of its $116.1 million in expenses went to program services, 16.2% to management and general and 1.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $1,345,526, for the role of CEO & PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute get its money?
Of $114.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 88.2% came from contributions and grants (including 60.7% from government grants) and 0.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 51-0197108 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202641349349310664 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511299349301756 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441349349304654 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331239349303153 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201319349304720 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141379349304144 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 51-0197108: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.