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Optical Society of America
Optical Society of America reported $61.8 million in revenue and $57.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $92.22 went to program services, $7.78 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 73.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $3,192,334 (Former CEO). 77 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 25% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $58MFor context, the median across 314 covered diseases, disorders & medical disciplines charities: $88.73 programs, $10.89 management, $0.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $62MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.2% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.8% | 10.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 1.2% | 24.7% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 73.5% | 59.5% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $3,192,334 | $391,657 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 5.52% | 1.45% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 77 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 24.6 | 7.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseTechnical production and dissemination of scientific content related to optics
Member Programs - The Organization develops and runs programs designed specifically for members in order to increase their knowledge of public policy career opportunities educational programs and programs designed to promote the global optics and photonics community
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Former CEO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $3,148,956 | $0 | $43,378 | $3,192,334 |
| CEO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $534,757 | $0 | $143,378 | $678,135 |
| COO CIO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $492,711 | $0 | $53,561 | $546,272 |
| Chief Science and Technology Officer Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $336,112 | $0 | $62,073 | $398,185 |
| Former Optica Fnd Executive Director Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $342,497 | $0 | $46,660 | $389,157 |
| Chief Employee and Membership Engagement Officer Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $302,733 | $0 | $39,134 | $341,867 |
| Senior Director IT Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $276,460 | $0 | $36,475 | $312,935 |
| Senior Industry Advisor Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $270,362 | $0 | $35,124 | $305,486 |
77 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Optical Society of America (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.6M (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
2024 · 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 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5173
- Volunteers Part I, line 68,350
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Skadden Arp Slate Meagher & Flom LLP Legal Services | $2,622,185 |
| Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Legal Services | $2,446,812 |
| Freeman Expositions Conference & Event Management | $916,443 |
| Freeman Audio Visual LLC Conference & Event Management | $767,210 |
| Centerplate Catering | $518,096 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 54 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Optical Society of America totaling $900 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 Optical Society of America's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Optical Society of America, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Optical Society of America spent in 2024, $92.22 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All diseases, disorders & medical disciplines charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Optical Society of America's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Optical Society of America reported that 92.2% of its $57.9 million in expenses went to program services, 7.8% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Optical Society of America pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Optical Society of America reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $3,192,334, for the role of Former CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Optical Society of America get its money?
Of $61.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 1.2% came from contributions and grants and 73.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Optical Society of America a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 53-0259696 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543189349309444 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433209349325663 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303199349314120 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233199349318558 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143159349307849 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003179349308640 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 53-0259696: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.