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Nonprofiteer
← SETI INSTITUTE

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by SETI INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue
$27,357,400
Total expenses
$30,913,579
Contributions and grants received
$26,940,031
Grants paid
$2,716,545
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$611,222
Other revenue
-$193,853
Total assets, end of year
$247,111,742
Total liabilities, end of year
$8,111,467
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$239,000,275
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$21,515,804
Management and general expenses
$8,472,061
Fundraising expenses
$925,714
Program service expenses (Part III)
$21,515,804

Program services were 69.6% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $109,677

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $19,584,011

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $7,246,343

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $376,682 · unrelated business $64,528 · excluded $312,154

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $7,979,968

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $7,745,428

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $234,540

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $234,540 · excluded $234,540

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $150,466

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $109,677

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $359,490

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$209,024 · excluded -$209,024

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $15,171 · related or exempt $15,171

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $15,171

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $2,034,080 · program services $2,034,080

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $94,000 · program services $94,000

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $588,465 · program services $588,465

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,168,001 · program services $42,817 · management and general $920,441 · fundraising $204,743

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $13,900,284 · program services $10,718,645 · management and general $2,913,318 · fundraising $268,321

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $912,724 · program services $698,047 · management and general $193,532 · fundraising $21,145

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $2,825,028 · program services $2,055,815 · management and general $716,537 · fundraising $52,676

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $1,120,274 · program services $828,646 · management and general $258,093 · fundraising $33,535

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $400,509 · program services $44,618 · management and general $355,891

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $86,749 · management and general $86,749

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $88,700 · fundraising $88,700

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $5,867 · management and general $5,867

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,555,549 · program services $1,015,664 · management and general $461,196 · fundraising $78,689

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $79,217 · management and general $79,217

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $354,681 · program services $132,633 · management and general $140,734 · fundraising $81,314

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $604,404 · program services $140,337 · management and general $438,897 · fundraising $25,170

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $1,562,724 · program services $321,631 · management and general $1,238,551 · fundraising $2,542

  • 17 · Travel

    total $934,373 · program services $772,120 · management and general $132,750 · fundraising $29,503

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $183,369 · program services $93,415 · management and general $84,664 · fundraising $5,290

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $1,341,650 · program services $1,261,589 · management and general $80,061

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $183,645 · program services $27,835 · management and general $154,781 · fundraising $1,029

  • 24a · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $672,360 · program services $507,414 · management and general $164,264 · fundraising $682

  • 24b · Other expenses: POSTAGE AND PRINTING

    total $178,844 · program services $119,271 · management and general $41,797 · fundraising $17,776

  • 24c · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $23,453 · program services $8,537 · management and general $1,559 · fundraising $13,357

  • 24d · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $14,629 · program services $10,225 · management and general $3,162 · fundraising $1,242

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $5,920,807 · end of year $4,150,751

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    end of year $519,617

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $151,638,724 · end of year $103,399,065

  • 7 · Other notes and loans receivable

    beginning of year $168,785 · end of year $168,804

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $319,266 · end of year $347,715

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $22,149,651

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $11,167,438

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $10,278,832 · end of year $10,982,213

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $7,963,773 · end of year $130,741

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $55,452,048 · end of year $122,847,338

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $5,290,529 · end of year $4,565,498

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $2,870,710 · end of year $3,380,346

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $47,923 · end of year $0

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $5,479,375 · end of year $4,731,121

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $75,350,405 · end of year $135,013,434

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $153,284,351 · end of year $103,986,841

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO EXPLORE, UNDERSTAND AND EXPLAIN THE ORIGIN AND NATURE OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE AND THE EVOLUTION OF INTELLIGENCE.

  • THE 100+ SCIENTISTS IN THE CARL SAGAN CENTER FOR RESEARCH CONDUCT GROUNDBREAKING WORK PERTAINING TO FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORIGIN AND PROLIFERATION OF LIFE RIGHT HERE ON EARTH AND BEYOND. FROM THE EARLY UNIVERSE AND THE FORMATION OF GALAXIES, STARS, PLANETS, MOONS AND OTHER SMALL BODIES, TO THE PREVALENCE OF ENVIRONMENTS THAT CAN SUPPORT LIFE, INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, WE WORK TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, "ARE WE ALONE?" WE PARTNER WITH NASA, THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN AREAS OF BASIC RESEARCH, AND SUPPORT SCIENCE MISSIONS, INCLUDING AS CONTRACTORS TO NASA'S OFFICE OF PLANETARY PROTECTION. WE ALSO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN NON-HUMAN COMMUNICATIONS, QUANTUM ASTRONOMY AND THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE (SETI), USING BOTH RADIO AND OPTICAL TELESCOPES.

    Expenses $19,417,391 · Grants $2,512,480 · Revenue $15,171

  • THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION HAS IMPACTED MORE THAN A HALF MILLION STUDENTS AND DEVELOPS STEM RESOURCES THAT TEACH, EXCITE, AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS AND A SCIENCE LITERATE PUBLIC. THESE PROGRAMS FOSTER FUTURE LEADERS AND INCLUDE: ASTRONOMY ACTIVATION AMBASSADORS, PROVIDING TRAINING AND INSPIRATION TO HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS; THE NASA COMMUNITY COLLEGE NETWORK, BRINGING NASA SCIENCE AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE INTO THE NATION'S COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLASSROOMS, AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES, AN 8-WEEK SUMMER INTERNSHIP THAT PAIRS STUDENTS WITH SCIENTIST MENTORS.

    Expenses $1,632,017 · Grants $204,065

  • THE SETI INSTITUTE BELIEVES THAT UNDERSTANDING OUR WORK HELPS PLACE HUMANITY IN A BROADER COSMIC CONTEXT, AND THAT SHARING THIS WORK WITH THE WORLD IS CENTRAL TO ITS MISSION. THE CENTER FOR OUTREACH ADVANCES THIS GOAL BY ENGAGING THE PUBLIC THROUGH DIGITAL, IN-PERSON, BROADCAST, AND MEDIA ACTIVITIES. THESE INCLUDE SETI LIVE, A WEEKLY LIVESTREAMED CONVERSATION WITH SETI INSTITUTE RESEARCHERS AND COLLEAGUES; SETI AIR, WHICH FOSTERS CREATIVE EXCHANGE BETWEEN ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS; AND BIG PICTURE SCIENCE, A RADIO SHOW AND PODCAST CARRIED BY MORE THAN 150 STATIONS. THE CENTER FOR OUTREACH ALSO LEADS MEDIA OUTREACH, PRODUCES THE SETI INSTITUTE'S ANNUAL REPORT, SUPPORTS PUBLIC EVENTS AT SCHOOLS, MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CREATES DYNAMIC SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT, AND MAINTAINS SETI.ORG AS A HUB FOR NEWS, DISCOVERIES, AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES.

    Expenses $466,396

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Bill Diamond

    SECRETARY, PRESIDENT & CEO

    Total calculated
    $494,048
    From this org
    $421,694
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $72,354
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $421,694
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $34,194
    Nontaxable benefits
    $38,160
    Filer's total
    $494,048
  • Andrew Fraknoi

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $11,175
    From this org
    $11,175
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dan Lankford

    CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dane Glasgow

    VICE CHARIMAN OF THE BOARD

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Wendi Zhang

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Fritz Demopoulos

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Helmy Eltoukhy

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Reema Khan

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Amaresh Kollipara

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Marco Larsen

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dava Newman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Pierre Schwob

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jill Tarter

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Stephen Trimberger

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Elizebeth Varghese

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Avery Wang

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mannan Latif

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mohanjit Jolly

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Bruce Campbell

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $282,109
    From this org
    $230,886
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $51,223
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $230,886
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $18,817
    Nontaxable benefits
    $32,406
    Filer's total
    $282,109
  • Stephen Bourdow

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

    Total calculated
    $233,203
    From this org
    $183,369
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $49,834
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $183,369
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $14,800
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,034
    Filer's total
    $233,203
  • Janice Bishop

    SENIOR SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $322,457
    From this org
    $246,314
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $76,143
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $246,314
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $20,063
    Nontaxable benefits
    $56,080
    Filer's total
    $322,457
  • Joseph Twicken

    SENIOR DATA SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $232,730
    From this org
    $215,112
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,618
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $215,112
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $17,216
    Nontaxable benefits
    $402
    Filer's total
    $232,730
  • Nathalie Cabrol

    DIRECTOR CARL SAGAN CENTER

    Total calculated
    $227,338
    From this org
    $210,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,338
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $210,000
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $17,338
    Filer's total
    $227,338
  • Peter Tenenbaum

    SENIOR PIPELINE ARCHITECT

    Total calculated
    $264,048
    From this org
    $208,974
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $55,074
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $208,974
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $16,876
    Nontaxable benefits
    $38,198
    Filer's total
    $264,048
  • Simon Steel

    DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH

    Total calculated
    $252,211
    From this org
    $198,019
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $54,192
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $198,019
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $16,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $38,192
    Filer's total
    $252,211

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
19 May 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202601479349301140

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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