Southwest Research Institute
Southwest Research Institute reported $978.6 million in revenue and $935.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 26, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.56 went to program services, $15.44 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: 98.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,799,081 (Pres./CEO/Dir.). 1,287 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 39% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 26, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $935MFor context, the median across 192 covered science & technology charities: $84.33 programs, $15.67 management, $0.00 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 26, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $979MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.6% | 83.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.4% | 15.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | Not reported | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 51.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 98.9% | 19.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,799,081 | $513,729 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.19% | 1.72% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 1,287 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.3 | 14.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 13 | 94.3% |
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 expenseSouthwest Research Institute exists to benefit government, industry and the public by conducting innovative applied and basic research developing/transferring technology; establishing, maintaining and operating research facilities; and providing a challenging and rewarding work environment to fulfill its scientific, charitable, testing for public safety, literary and educational purposes. During fiscal year 2025, research yielded 376 papers published, 507 technical presentations, 21 technical podcasts, 58 webinars, and 36 streaming technical media presentations, as well as 26 U.S. patent…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pres./CEO/Dir. Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $1,739,762 | $0 | $59,319 | $1,799,081 |
| Exec.VP/COO/Dir Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $1,028,204 | $0 | $62,675 | $1,090,879 |
| Sr. Vice Pres. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $735,603 | $0 | $60,310 | $795,913 |
| Vice President Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $613,053 | $0 | $69,450 | $682,503 |
| CFO/Sec/VP-Fin. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $623,828 | $0 | $57,790 | $681,618 |
| Associate VP Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $595,146 | $0 | $48,555 | $643,701 |
| Vice President Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $541,304 | $0 | $68,141 | $609,445 |
| Associate V.P. Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $529,110 | $0 | $76,170 | $605,280 |
1,287 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Southwest Research Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $13M (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–1b13 · 10 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 2Yes
- 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 53,529
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Millennium Space Systems R&D Services | $16,781,600 |
| Sabreliner Aviation LLC Engineering | $11,813,267 |
| Barlett Cocke General Contractors Construction | $11,633,033 |
| Swinerton Builders Construction | $10,421,871 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 567 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Southwest Research Institute totaling $140K 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 Southwest Research 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 Southwest Research Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Southwest Research Institute spent in FY2025, $84.56 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All science & technology charities · Largest charities in Texas
Questions people ask
How much of Southwest Research Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 26, 2025, Southwest Research Institute reported that 84.6% of its $935.2 million in expenses went to program services, 15.4% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Southwest Research Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Southwest Research Institute reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 26, 2025 was $1,799,081, for the role of Pres./CEO/Dir. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Southwest Research Institute get its money?
Of $978.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 26, 2025, 0.0% came from contributions and grants and 98.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Southwest Research Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 74-1070544 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 September 26, 2025, object 202622249349301527 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 27, 2024, object 202542269349302994 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 29, 2023, object 202422269349302162 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202312279349303161 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 24, 2021, object 202212249349300521 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 25, 2020, object 202122299349301322 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 74-1070544: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.