SETI INSTITUTE

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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

1984

Legal Domicile

Principal Officer

BILL DIAMOND

Phone

6509616633

Tax Period

2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30

SETI INSTITUTE, founded in 1984, is a mid-sized nonprofit in the Science & Technology sector that reported $27.4M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue fell 50% from the prior year — a significant decline worth monitoring. Expenses of $30.9M exceeded revenue, resulting in a 13% operating deficit.

Mission

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

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1

Expenses: $19,417,391 Revenue: $15,171

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...

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.

Program 2

Expenses: $1,632,017

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...

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.

Program 3

Expenses: $466,396

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.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $26,940,031

Program Service Revenue $0

Investment Income $611,222

Other Revenue $-193,853

TOTAL REVENUE $27,357,400

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $2,716,545

Salaries & Benefits $19,926,311

Fundraising Expenses $925,714

Program Expenses $21,515,804

Other Expenses $8,182,023

TOTAL EXPENSES $30,913,579

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2024	2023	Change
Revenue	$27,357,400	$55,182,076	-0.5%
Expenses	$30,913,579	$28,838,314	+0.1%
Net Income	$-3,556,179	$26,343,762	-1.1%

Key Indicators

✓ Grants to Organizations ✓ Grants to Individuals ✗ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✓ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

177

Volunteers

Governance Policies

✓ Conflict of Interest Policy

✓ Whistleblower Policy

✓ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✗ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

⚠ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✗ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✗ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

$1,009,360

Total Directors

$505,223

Key Employees

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
BILL DIAMOND	SECRETARY, PRESIDENT & CEO	40.00	Officer Director	$421,694	$72,354	$494,048
ANDREW FRAKNOI	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$11,175	$0	$11,175
DAN LANKFORD	CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
DANE GLASGOW	VICE CHARIMAN OF THE BOARD	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
WENDI ZHANG	SECRETARY	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
FRITZ DEMOPOULOS	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
HELMY ELTOUKHY	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
REEMA KHAN	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
AMARESH KOLLIPARA	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MARCO LARSEN	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DAVA NEWMAN	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
PIERRE SCHWOB	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JILL TARTER	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
STEPHEN TRIMBERGER	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELIZEBETH VARGHESE	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
AVERY WANG	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MANNAN LATIF	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MOHANJIT JOLLY	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BRUCE CAMPBELL	CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER	40.00	Officer	$230,886	$51,223	$282,109
STEPHEN BOURDOW	DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS	40.00	Officer	$183,369	$49,834	$233,203
JANICE BISHOP	SENIOR SCIENTIST	40.00	Highest	$246,314	$76,143	$322,457
JOSEPH TWICKEN	SENIOR DATA SCIENTIST	40.00	Highest	$215,112	$17,618	$232,730
NATHALIE CABROL	DIRECTOR CARL SAGAN CENTER	40.00	Highest	$210,000	$17,338	$227,338
PETER TENENBAUM	SENIOR PIPELINE ARCHITECT	40.00	Highest	$208,974	$55,074	$264,048
SIMON STEEL	DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH	40.00	Highest	$198,019	$54,192	$252,211

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2025	$27,357,400	$30,913,579	$247,111,742	$-3,556,179
2024	No data	No data	No data	No data
2023	$209,908,662	$25,047,459	$210,749,653	$184,861,203
2022	$28,045,270	$24,508,635	$26,724,400	$3,536,635
2021	$25,926,114	$21,934,929	$16,235,939	$3,991,185
2020	$22,680,216	$23,138,089	$14,536,591	$-457,873
2019	$24,921,264	$22,256,048	$13,272,127	$2,665,216
2018	$20,108,757	$19,984,987	$10,514,710	$123,770
2018	$20,108,757	$19,984,987	$10,514,710	$123,770