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Nonprofiteer
← SETI INSTITUTE

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by SETI INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue
$55,182,076
Total expenses
$28,838,314
Contributions and grants received
$50,678,280
Grants paid
$2,847,226
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$4,585,156
Other revenue
-$81,360
Total assets, end of year
$237,032,764
Total liabilities, end of year
$8,398,008
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$228,634,756
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$19,879,710
Management and general expenses
$8,403,734
Fundraising expenses
$554,870
Program service expenses (Part III)
$19,879,710

Program services were 68.9% 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

    $99,172

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $17,894,616

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $32,684,492

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $279,116

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $182,561 · excluded $182,561

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $238,505,977

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

    securities $234,103,382

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $4,402,595

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $4,402,595 · excluded $4,402,595

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $125,641

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

    $99,172

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $220,657

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$95,016 · excluded -$95,016

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $13,656 · related or exempt $13,656

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $13,656

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $1,965,249 · program services $1,965,249

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $84,700 · program services $84,700

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $797,277 · program services $797,277

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,010,311 · program services $22,278 · management and general $880,895 · fundraising $107,138

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $12,015,670 · program services $9,018,806 · management and general $2,897,691 · fundraising $99,173

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $784,582 · program services $589,270 · management and general $187,700 · fundraising $7,612

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $2,419,413 · program services $1,647,077 · management and general $760,695 · fundraising $11,641

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $970,188 · program services $692,239 · management and general $263,885 · fundraising $14,064

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $310,765 · program services $56,624 · management and general $253,516 · fundraising $625

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $86,803 · management and general $86,803

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $212,627 · fundraising $212,627

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,857,618 · program services $1,356,767 · management and general $488,021 · fundraising $12,830

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $106,496 · management and general $106,496

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $348,257 · program services $111,362 · management and general $184,461 · fundraising $52,434

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $538,197 · program services $247,064 · management and general $282,764 · fundraising $8,369

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $1,505,871 · program services $318,037 · management and general $1,187,755 · fundraising $79

  • 17 · Travel

    total $934,287 · program services $773,301 · management and general $160,986

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $344,886 · program services $138,593 · management and general $200,760 · fundraising $5,533

  • 20 · Interest

    total $58 · management and general $58

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $1,413,129 · program services $1,334,775 · management and general $78,354

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $179,503 · program services $32,795 · management and general $146,144 · fundraising $564

  • 24a · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $767,235 · program services $563,485 · management and general $203,440 · fundraising $310

  • 24b · Other expenses: POSTAGE AND PRINTING

    total $107,135 · program services $78,774 · management and general $20,062 · fundraising $8,299

  • 24c · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $50,645 · program services $35,945 · management and general $9,676 · fundraising $5,024

  • 24d · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $27,412 · program services $15,292 · management and general $3,572 · fundraising $8,548

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $8,842,667 · end of year $5,920,807

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $22,916

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $124,624,666 · end of year $151,638,724

  • 7 · Other notes and loans receivable

    beginning of year $172,718 · end of year $168,785

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $235,702 · end of year $319,266

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

    $20,104,620

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

    $9,825,788

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $10,559,062 · end of year $10,278,832

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $60,031,145 · end of year $7,963,773

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $1,400,000 · end of year $55,452,048

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $4,860,777 · end of year $5,290,529

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $2,811,726 · end of year $2,870,710

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $214,478 · end of year $47,923

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    beginning of year $450,000

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $5,051,180 · end of year $5,479,375

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $77,015,719 · end of year $75,350,405

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $125,206,550 · end of year $153,284,351

Mission and programs · 2023

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 $17,977,355 · Grants $2,621,109 · Revenue $13,656

  • THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION HAS IMPACTED MORE THAN A HALF MILLION STUDENTS 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 $1,422,017 · Grants $226,117

  • 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 $480,338

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Bill Diamond

    SECRETARY, PRESIDENT & CEO

    Total calculated
    $397,344
    From this org
    $334,364
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $62,980
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $334,364
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $27,164
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,816
    Filer's total
    $397,344

  • 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

  • Erik Charlton

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Fritz Demopoulos

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Helmy Eltoukhy

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Andrew Fraknoi

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $7,088
    From this org
    $7,088
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • John Giannadrea

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mohanjit Jolly

    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

  • Mannan Latif

    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

  • Bruce Campbell

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $230,380
    From this org
    $186,294
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $44,086
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $186,294
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $15,299
    Nontaxable benefits
    $28,787
    Filer's total
    $230,380

  • Stephen Bourdow

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

    Total calculated
    $212,596
    From this org
    $168,166
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $44,430
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $168,166
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $13,619
    Nontaxable benefits
    $30,811
    Filer's total
    $212,596

  • Janice Bishop

    SENIOR SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $306,093
    From this org
    $234,635
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $71,458
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $234,635
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $19,108
    Nontaxable benefits
    $52,350
    Filer's total
    $306,093

  • Joseph Twicken

    SENIOR SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMMER

    Total calculated
    $231,079
    From this org
    $213,870
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,209
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $213,870
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $17,110
    Nontaxable benefits
    $99
    Filer's total
    $231,079

  • Peter Tenenbaum

    DATA SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $266,838
    From this org
    $208,311
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $58,527
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $208,311
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $22,678
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,849
    Filer's total
    $266,838

  • James Andy Spry

    SENIOR SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $220,843
    From this org
    $204,013
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,830
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $204,013
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $16,341
    Nontaxable benefits
    $489
    Filer's total
    $220,843

  • Margaret Turnbull

    RESEARCH SCIENTIST

    Total calculated
    $207,849
    From this org
    $192,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,849
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $192,000
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $15,360
    Nontaxable benefits
    $489
    Filer's total
    $207,849

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
2023
Filed
27 March 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202531329349301633

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

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