Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← SETI INSTITUTE

Form 990 for tax year 2022

Filed by SETI INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue
$209,908,662
Total expenses
$25,047,459
Contributions and grants received
$209,880,169
Grants paid
$2,409,337
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$17,001
Other revenue
$11,492
Total assets, end of year
$210,749,653
Total liabilities, end of year
$8,527,384
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$202,222,269
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$18,660,553
Management and general expenses
$6,157,187
Fundraising expenses
$229,719
Program service expenses (Part III)
$18,660,553

Program services were 74.5% 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

    $69,501

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $19,807,366

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $190,003,302

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $6,179 · excluded $6,179

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $737,106

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

    securities $726,284

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $10,822

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $10,822 · excluded $10,822

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $125,439

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

    $69,501

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $120,496

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $4,943 · excluded $4,943

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $6,549 · related or exempt $6,549

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $6,549

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $2,033,233 · program services $2,033,233

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $78,212 · program services $78,212

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $297,892 · program services $297,892

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $811,888 · program services $20,988 · management and general $713,703 · fundraising $77,197

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $11,326,054 · program services $9,152,001 · management and general $2,122,858 · fundraising $51,195

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $764,954 · program services $613,764 · management and general $146,884 · fundraising $4,306

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $1,978,321 · program services $1,510,017 · management and general $457,721 · fundraising $10,583

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $950,345 · program services $727,328 · management and general $213,992 · fundraising $9,025

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $157,937 · program services $9,958 · management and general $143,429 · fundraising $4,550

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $79,631 · management and general $79,631

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $6,094 · fundraising $6,094

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,080,056 · program services $945,583 · management and general $122,829 · fundraising $11,644

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $34,320 · management and general $34,320

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $210,274 · program services $57,317 · management and general $145,762 · fundraising $7,195

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $1,105,139 · program services $852,778 · management and general $247,423 · fundraising $4,938

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $1,215,596 · program services $7,545 · management and general $1,208,051

  • 17 · Travel

    total $830,438 · program services $738,795 · management and general $77,520 · fundraising $14,123

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $99,344 · program services $59,491 · management and general $38,230 · fundraising $1,623

  • 20 · Interest

    total $26,348 · management and general $26,348

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $1,137,542 · program services $1,077,621 · management and general $59,921

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $158,293 · program services $32,093 · management and general $125,958 · fundraising $242

  • 24a · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $485,671 · program services $342,569 · management and general $132,213 · fundraising $10,889

  • 24b · Other expenses: POSTAGE AND PRINTING

    total $126,007 · program services $76,103 · management and general $45,120 · fundraising $4,784

  • 24c · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $27,413 · program services $12,723 · management and general $3,559 · fundraising $11,131

  • 24d · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $26,061 · program services $14,394 · management and general $11,667

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $396 · program services $148 · management and general $48 · fundraising $200

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $3,096,009 · end of year $8,842,667

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,312,675 · end of year $22,916

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $5,009,516 · end of year $124,624,666

  • 7 · Other notes and loans receivable

    beginning of year $169,117 · end of year $172,718

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $227,634 · end of year $235,702

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

    $18,971,722

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

    $8,412,660

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $10,579,147 · end of year $10,559,062

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    end of year $60,031,145

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $750,000 · end of year $1,400,000

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $5,580,302 · end of year $4,860,777

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $3,620,729 · end of year $2,811,726

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $96,306 · end of year $214,478

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    end of year $450,000

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $5,716,113 · end of year $5,051,180

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $11,342,671 · end of year $77,015,719

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $5,948,581 · end of year $125,206,550

Mission and programs · 2022

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 $16,740,674 · Grants $2,138,822 · Revenue $6,549

  • THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION HAS IMPACTED MORE THAN A HALF MILLION STUDENT AND DEVELOPS STEM RESOURCES THAT TEACH, EXCITE AND INSPIRE CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS AND EDUCATORS. THESE PROGRAMS FOSTER FUTURE LEADERS AND INCLUDE: GIRL SCOUT STARS, WHICH DEVELOPS SPACE SCIENCE BADGES FOR GIRL SCOUTS, PROVIDES TRAINING FOR ADULT VOLUNTEERS AND FACILITATES HANDS-ON ASTRONOMY ACTIVITIES; GIRLS GO TO MARS ACTIVITIES THAT TEACH STEM BY FOCUSING ON MARS EXPLORATION; AIRBORNE ASTRONOMY AMBASSADORS PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCIENCE EDUCATORS AND INCLUDES AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE ONBOARD NASA'S STRATOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED ASTRONOMY; AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES, AN 8-WEEK SUMMER INTERNSHIP THAT PAIRS STUDENTS WITH SCIENTIST MENTORS.

    Expenses $1,580,979 · Grants $270,515

  • THE CENTER FOR OUTREACH BELIEVES THAT UNDERSTANDING OUR WORK PLACES HUMANITY IN A GREATER CONTEXT. WE SHARE RESEARCH AND LEARNING WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH DIGITAL, REAL WORLD AND BROADCAST ACTIVITIES. THESE INCLUDE BIG PICTURE SCIENCE, A RADIO SHOW AND PODCAST CARRIED BY MORE THAN 150 RADIO STATIONS; SETI TALKS, A MONTHLY LECTURE SERIES SHOWCASING OUR SCIENCE AND SHARED ACROSS MULTIPLE DIGITAL CHANNELS; SETI AIR, WHICH FOSTERS AN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS BETWEEN ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS; SETI LIVE, A WEEKLY LIVESTREAMED DISCUSSION FEATURING SETI INSTITUTE RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS ENGAGED IN SIMILAR WORK; PUBLIC TALKS AT SCHOOLS, MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES AND OTHER EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS; EXPLORER, AN ANNUAL MAGAZINE, JOURNEY, AN E-NEWSLETTER; AND THE SETI.ORG WEBSITE.

    Expenses $338,900

As filed on the 2022 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Bill Diamond

    SECRETARY, PRESIDENT & CEO

    Total calculated
    $359,036
    From this org
    $300,690
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $58,346
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $300,690
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $24,384
    Nontaxable benefits
    $33,962
    Filer's total
    $359,036
  • 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
  • Fritz Demopoulos

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Helmy Eltoukhy

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Andrew Fraknoi

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $12,863
    From this org
    $12,863
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    4
  • John Giannadrea

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mohanjit Jolly

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Reema Khan

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Amaresh Kollipara

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Marco Larsen

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mannan Latif

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dava Newman

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Pierre Schwob

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jill Tarter

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Stephen Trimberger

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Avery Wang

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Wendi Zhang

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Bruce Campbell

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $216,027
    From this org
    $175,354
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $40,673
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,354
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $14,356
    Nontaxable benefits
    $26,317
    Filer's total
    $216,027
  • Stephen Bourdow

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

    Total calculated
    $192,542
    From this org
    $161,150
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,392
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $161,150
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,937
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,455
    Filer's total
    $192,542
  • Janice Bishop

    SENIOR SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $291,328
    From this org
    $223,472
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $67,856
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $223,472
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $18,198
    Nontaxable benefits
    $49,658
    Filer's total
    $291,328
  • Joseph Twicken

    SENIOR SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMMER

    Total calculated
    $231,064
    From this org
    $213,870
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,194
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $213,870
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $17,110
    Nontaxable benefits
    $84
    Filer's total
    $231,064
  • Peter Tenenbaum

    DATA SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $251,941
    From this org
    $207,100
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $44,841
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $207,100
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,852
    Nontaxable benefits
    $33,989
    Filer's total
    $251,941
  • James Andy Spry

    SENIOR SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $214,099
    From this org
    $197,815
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,284
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $197,815
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $15,846
    Nontaxable benefits
    $438
    Filer's total
    $214,099
  • Margaret Turnbull

    RESEARCH SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $207,798
    From this org
    $192,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,798
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $192,000
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $15,360
    Nontaxable benefits
    $438
    Filer's total
    $207,798

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
2022
Filed
15 April 2024
IRS schema version
2022v5.0
Source object
202441219349302814

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

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.