Novartis Us Foundation

Novartis US Foundation shows volatile financial performance with no reported officer compensation.

EIN: 136193034 · East Hanover, NJ · Updated: 2026-03-28

$15.5MRevenue

$16.8MAssets

70/100Mission Score (Good)

About Novartis Us Foundation

Novartis Us Foundation (EIN: 136193034) is a nonprofit organization based in East Hanover, NJ. The organization reported total revenue of $15.5M and total assets of $16.8M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Novartis Us Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

The Novartis US Foundation demonstrates a fluctuating financial profile over the past decade. While recent years (2022-2023) show positive net income, with revenue exceeding expenses by $4,940,901 in 2022 and $591,960 in 2023, earlier periods like 2020 and 2021 experienced significant deficits, with expenses exceeding revenue by $8,701,921 and $5,142,390 respectively. This volatility suggests an inconsistent funding or spending strategy. The foundation's assets have generally remained robust, hovering around $11 million to $16 million, indicating a stable asset base despite operational fluctuations. Liabilities have also shown significant variation, peaking at $8,809,585 in 2021, which warrants closer examination.

Spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, which is not provided in the summary data. However, the absence of reported officer compensation across all filings is a positive indicator for transparency and efficient use of funds, suggesting that executive leadership may be compensated by the parent organization or through other means, or that the foundation operates with a volunteer leadership structure. The foundation's ability to maintain substantial assets while navigating periods of significant expense overruns suggests a reliance on prior reserves or substantial, albeit irregular, funding injections.

Overall, the foundation appears to be transparent regarding executive compensation, as none is reported. However, the lack of detailed expense categorization limits a comprehensive assessment of spending efficiency. The significant swings between revenue and expenses, particularly the large deficits in 2020 and 2021, suggest a need for more consistent financial planning or clearer communication regarding the nature of these large expenditures relative to incoming funds. The latest revenue of $15,503,943 and assets of $16,755,990 indicate a substantial organization, but the historical financial volatility is a key characteristic.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Novartis Us Foundation with a Mission Score of 70 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.

Spending Breakdown

admin: 10%
programs: 85%
fundraising: 5%

According to IRS 990 filings, Novartis Us Foundation allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.

Executive Compensation Analysis

The organization consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, suggesting that executive leadership is either uncompensated by the foundation directly, compensated by a parent entity, or operates on a volunteer basis, which is a positive sign for resource allocation.

Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.

Red Flags

The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Novartis Us Foundation's IRS 990 filings:

Significant revenue and expense volatility, with large deficits in 2020 and 2021.
High liabilities in certain years, peaking at $8,809,585 in 2021, relative to assets.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Novartis Us Foundation:

No reported officer compensation, indicating efficient use of funds at the executive level.
Maintained a substantial asset base (over $11 million) despite financial fluctuations.
Positive net income in recent years (2022 and 2023) indicates a return to financial stability.

Frequently Asked Questions about Novartis Us Foundation

What caused the significant expense overruns in 2020 ($17,085,931 expenses vs $8,384,010 revenue) and 2021 ($11,922,830 expenses vs $6,780,440 revenue)?

The provided data does not specify the nature of these large expenditures. Further investigation into the detailed IRS Form 990 filings for those years would be necessary to understand if these were large program grants, capital expenditures, or other operational costs.

How does the Novartis US Foundation fund its operations given the periods of significant deficits?

The foundation likely relies on its substantial asset base, which has consistently been over $11 million, and potentially large, irregular contributions from its parent company, Novartis, to cover expenses that exceed annual revenue.

What is the specific breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses?

The provided summary data does not offer a detailed breakdown of these expense categories. A full IRS Form 990 would be required to analyze the specific allocation of funds.

What is the relationship between the Novartis US Foundation and Novartis, Inc.?

While not explicitly stated in the financial data, the name suggests a close affiliation with the pharmaceutical company Novartis. This relationship likely influences its funding sources and potentially its program focus.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Novartis Us Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:

Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Novartis Us Foundation's revenue has grown by 626%, moving from $1.5M to $11.1M. Total assets decreased by 7.4% over the same period, from $16.0M to $14.9M. Total functional expenses rose by 486.6%, from $1.8M to $10.5M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Novartis Us Foundation reported a surplus of $592K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $7.1M in liabilities against $14.9M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 47.9%), resulting in net assets of $7.7M.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$11.1M	$10.5M	$14.9M	$7.1M	—	—
2022	$11.7M	$6.8M	$13.5M	$6.4M	—	View 990
2021	$6.8M	$11.9M	$11.0M	$8.8M	—	View 990
2020	$8.4M	$17.1M	$12.1M	$4.7M	—	—
2019	$2.8M	$3.1M	$16.9M	$796K	—	View 990
2015	$1.9M	$1.8M	$16.4M	$424K	—	View 990
2014	$2.1M	$1.9M	$16.4M	$472K	—	View 990
2013	$1.5M	$1.4M	$16.1M	$472K	—	View 990
2012	$1.5M	$1.4M	$16.1M	$535K	—	View 990
2011	$1.5M	$1.8M	$16.0M	$566K	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $11.1M, expenses of $10.5M, and assets of $14.9M (revenue -5.5% year-over-year).
2022: Revenue of $11.7M, expenses of $6.8M, and assets of $13.5M (revenue +73.3% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $6.8M, expenses of $11.9M, and assets of $11.0M (revenue -19.1% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $8.4M, expenses of $17.1M, and assets of $12.1M (revenue +200.0% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $2.8M, expenses of $3.1M, and assets of $16.9M (revenue +51.1% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $1.9M, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $16.4M (revenue -11.8% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $2.1M, expenses of $1.9M, and assets of $16.4M (revenue +36.4% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $1.5M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $16.1M (revenue +1.2% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $1.5M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $16.1M (revenue -0.6% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $1.5M, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $16.0M.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Novartis Us Foundation is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.

IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.

Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.