Esalen Institute
Esalen Institute reported $22.4 million in revenue and $22.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $68.04 went to program services, $31.08 to management and general costs and $0.88 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 90.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $468,423 (CEO - UNTIL 10/24). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 20% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $22MFor context, the median across 54 covered social science charities: $84.80 programs, $13.80 management, $1.40 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 $22MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 68.0% | 81.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 31.1% | 13.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.21 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 4.1% | 81.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 90.3% | 4.4% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $468,423 | $467,896 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.13% | 2.13% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 19 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 15.7 | 16.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 14 | 96.5% |
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 expensePublic seminars - each year, esalen holds over 500 workshops on topics ranging from somatic practices and massage to philosophical and scientific inquiry, from psychological process to nature, ecology, and sustainability, from social and political issues to spirituality, from health and healing to arts and creativity, served over 9,700 individuals in 2024
Healing arts, continuing education and other - esalen is an approved provider of continuing education units (ceus) for psychologists, mfts, lcsws, nurses, teachers, and bodyworkers. Annually as many as 200 of its programs offer ceu's. Served over 8,776 individuals in 2024
Center for theory and research - the esalen center for theory and research supports essential philosophic, academic, and research aims of the Esalen Institute. It evaluates frontier inquiry, creates networks of pioneering individuals, and works to catalyze new discoveries that promote personal and social transformation. It carries forward projects at the growing edge of philosophy, psychology, comparative religious studies, education, sociology, somatics, the arts, ecology, and related disciplines that bear upon transformative practice and the continued evolution of humankind. Served over 123…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO - UNTIL 10/24 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $457,283 | $0 | $11,140 | $468,423 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $249,345 | $0 | $8,464 | $257,809 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $173,589 | $0 | $5,901 | $179,490 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $140,065 | $0 | $6,330 | $146,395 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,597 | $0 | $0 | $138,597 |
| MARKETING MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $122,807 | $0 | $0 | $122,807 |
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 10.00 hrs/week | $2,005 | $0 | $10,844 | $12,849 |
| DIRECTOR Director/trustee, 6.00 hrs/week | $10,230 | $0 | $0 | $10,230 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Esalen Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $934K (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–1b14 · 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 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5202
- Volunteers Part I, line 62,673
Private foundation grants it received
9 private foundations reported grants to Esalen Institute totaling $510K 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 Esalen 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 Esalen Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Esalen Institute spent in 2024, $68.04 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All social science charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Esalen Institute's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Esalen Institute reported that 68.0% of its $22.0 million in expenses went to program services, 31.1% to management and general and 0.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Esalen Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Esalen Institute reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $468,423, for the role of CEO - UNTIL 10/24 (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Esalen Institute get its money?
Of $22.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 4.1% came from contributions and grants and 90.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Esalen Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-6114235 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 202513209349301841 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202422199349302202 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333199349316488 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233199349328598 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112729349300001 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202021789349300137 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-6114235: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.