Institute for Humane Studies
Institute for Humane Studies reported $21.1 million in revenue and $20.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $82.05 went to program services, $9.66 to management and general costs and $8.29 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 93.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $572,498 (President & Chief Executive Officer). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 0% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $20MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $21MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.1% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.3% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 93.1% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $572,498 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.80% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 17.5 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 8 of 8 | 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 expenseIntellectual Talent Development:Intellectual Talent Development supports work and partnerships that identify, develop, and connect emerging scholars, thinkers, and practitioners who advance ideas that expand human freedom and flourishing
Liberalism, Pluralism, and Democracy:The Liberalism, Pluralism, and Democracy Initiative advances research and education that strengthen constitutional liberal democracy by promoting individual liberty, pluralism, free expression, and institutions that support peaceful coexistence and self governance
Economic Freedom and Abundance: Economic Freedom and Abundance supports work and partnerships that advance understanding of how economic freedom, markets, and entrepreneurship contribute to innovation, prosperity, and broad based human flourishing
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President & Chief Executive Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $537,300 | $0 | $35,198 | $572,498 |
| Executive Director Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $343,650 | $0 | $33,848 | $377,498 |
| Chief of Staff Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $201,718 | $0 | $27,716 | $229,434 |
| Managing Director of Programs and Partnerships Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $175,000 | $0 | $178 | $175,178 |
| Senior Application Development Engineer Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,170 | $0 | $13,227 | $159,397 |
| Director of Development Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $135,151 | $0 | $22,635 | $157,786 |
| Managing Dir of Bus Intelligence & Academic Relati Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $153,333 | $0 | $186 | $153,519 |
| Director of Human Resources Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $139,150 | $0 | $13,497 | $152,647 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Institute for Humane Studies (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.3M (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–1b8 · 8 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 596
- Volunteers Part I, line 68
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Solution Design Group Inc Digital platform development services | $221,045 |
| Salesforce Inc Cloud-based online software services | $140,443 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
57 private foundations reported grants to Institute for Humane Studies totaling $14M 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 Institute for Humane Studies's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Institute for Humane Studies, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Institute for Humane Studies spent in FY2025, $82.05 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Institute for Humane Studies's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Institute for Humane Studies reported that 82.1% of its $20.4 million in expenses went to program services, 9.7% to management and general and 8.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Institute for Humane Studies pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Institute for Humane Studies reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $572,498, for the role of President & Chief Executive Officer (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Institute for Humane Studies get its money?
Of $21.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 93.1% came from contributions and grants and 1.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Institute for Humane Studies a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-1623852 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 August 31, 2025, object 202610709349301481 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202530769349301503 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202440579349300704 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202330589349300318 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202240409349300709 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202120399349301452 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-1623852: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.