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Summer Institute of Linguistics
Also known as dba SIL Global
Summer Institute of Linguistics reported $54.0 million in revenue and $61.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $73.04 went to program services, $24.65 to management and general costs and $2.31 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 78.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $181,767 (Executive Dir.). 11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 44% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $62MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $54MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 73.0% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 24.7% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.3% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 78.9% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 17.2% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $181,767 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.29% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 11 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.7 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLanguage Engagements - SIL works with over 1,500 communities worldwide (impacting more than 950 million people) as they build their capacity for sustainable development with their own languages. Program engagements include language development that involves ongoing planned actions that a language community takes to ensure that its language continues to serve its needs and goals. SIL's expertise includes training and consulting in linguistic analysis, orthography and writing systems development, literature development (including translation) and mother tongue-based multilingual education and…
Logistics - SIL works with non-dominant language communities who may reside in remote locations. It is often necessary for SIL to provide services to its staff that are unavailable in the local economy, such as housing, schools for dependent children, communications services, transportation, health care and access to food and supplies
Language Services - SIL has three primary areas of language services: training in language development and multilingual education, and materials development and publications. 1) Training in language development and multilingual education: In addition to working with communities at the local level, SIL is an acknowledged leader in formal academic programs for the components of cross-cultural language-based service. SIL works in partnership with more than 20 institutions around the world to offer classroom and online training in applied linguistics and related subjects. SIL offers technical…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Dir. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $157,865 | $0 | $23,902 | $181,767 |
| Sr Data Scientist Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $111,955 | $0 | $30,050 | $142,005 |
| Data Scientist Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $120,536 | $0 | $20,285 | $140,821 |
| IT Project Mgr Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $134,752 | $0 | $5,085 | $139,837 |
| Systems Manager Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $132,615 | $0 | $0 | $132,615 |
| Assoc Exec Dir-Ops Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $115,946 | $0 | $3,285 | $119,231 |
| Executive Dir. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $97,723 | $0 | $17,567 | $115,290 |
| Director Director/trustee, 40.00 hrs/week | $62,020 | $0 | $0 | $62,020 |
11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Summer Institute of Linguistics (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $216K (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 · 9 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5202
- Volunteers Part I, line 63,039
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| EC Group International Inc Software dev & testing | $631,202 |
| Guard Dog Security Services Guard services | $379,175 |
| Arketec Software dev & testing | $150,342 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to Summer Institute of Linguistics totaling $19,111 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 Summer Institute of Linguistics's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Summer Institute of Linguistics, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Summer Institute of Linguistics spent in FY2025, $73.04 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Summer Institute of Linguistics's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Summer Institute of Linguistics reported that 73.0% of its $61.7 million in expenses went to program services, 24.7% to management and general and 2.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Summer Institute of Linguistics pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Summer Institute of Linguistics reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $181,767, for the role of Executive Dir. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Summer Institute of Linguistics get its money?
Of $54.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 78.9% came from contributions and grants and 17.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Summer Institute of Linguistics a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 75-1840827 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 September 30, 2025, object 202642299349302384 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202502259349302435 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202422259349303157 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202331469349300648 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021 (amended), object 202242149349301004 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202142119349300229 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 75-1840827: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.