Surdna Foundation Inc
Surdna Foundation maintains over $1 billion in assets with zero reported officer compensation.
EIN: 136108163 · New York, NY · NTEE: T22 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $80.1M |
| Total Expenses | $105.5M |
| Program Spending | 90% |
| Net Assets | $1.1B |
| Transparency Score | 95/100 |
Is Surdna Foundation Inc Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Surdna Foundation Inc directs 90% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Surdna Foundation Inc
Surdna Foundation Inc (EIN: 136108163) is a nonprofit organization based in New York, NY, classified under NTEE code T22. The organization reported total revenue of $80.1M and total assets of $1.2B according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Surdna Foundation Inc's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Surdna Foundation Inc is a major nonprofit that has been operating for 88 years, with 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 17.3%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $193.4M |
| Total Expenses | $105.5M |
| Surplus / Deficit | +$87.9M |
| Total Assets | $1.2B |
| Total Liabilities | $74.2M |
| Net Assets | $1.1B |
| Operating Margin | 45.4% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 6.4% |
| Months of Reserves | 132.6 months |
Financial Health Grade: A
In 2023, Surdna Foundation Inc reported a surplus of $87.9M with revenue exceeding expenses, holds 132.6 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 6.4% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 10 years of filings (2011–2023), Surdna Foundation Inc's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.3%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +280.1% | +106.1% | -4.6% |
| 2022 | -45.5% | -12.3% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | +30.7% | -18.9% | +32.3% |
| 2020 | +42.1% | +45.5% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | -69.1% | +4.3% | +1.9% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 1938 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Surdna Foundation Inc with a Mission Score of 95 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 8%
- programs: 90%
- fundraising: 2%
According to IRS 990 filings, Surdna Foundation Inc allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 8%, programs: 90%, fundraising: 2%. With 90% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a surplus of $87.9M, with revenue exceeding expenses.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 6.4%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that no officers received compensation directly from the foundation, which is highly unusual for an organization of this size and asset base. This suggests a strong commitment to directing funds towards programmatic activities.
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 Surdna Foundation Inc's IRS 990 filings:
- Unusually low reported liabilities relative to assets, which could warrant further scrutiny into financial reporting practices, though it generally indicates strong financial health.
- Consistent 0% officer compensation, which is highly atypical for an organization of this scale and may indicate compensation is reported elsewhere or structured in a non-standard way.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Surdna Foundation Inc:
- Exceptional financial stability with over $1.1 billion in assets.
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating a strong commitment to mission-focused spending.
- Robust revenue generation, with significant surpluses in many periods (e.g., $193M revenue vs $105M expenses in 202306).
- Low liabilities relative to assets, demonstrating a healthy balance sheet.
- Long history of consistent IRS 990 filings, indicating transparency and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions about Surdna Foundation Inc
Is Surdna Foundation Inc a legitimate charity?
Surdna Foundation Inc (EIN: 136108163) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in New York. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 95/100. It has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $80.1M. 2 red flags identified. 5 strengths noted. Financial health grade: A.
How does Surdna Foundation Inc spend its money?
Surdna Foundation Inc directs 90% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 2%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Surdna Foundation Inc tax-deductible?
Surdna Foundation Inc is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 136108163). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Surdna Foundation Inc's spending goes to programs?
Surdna Foundation Inc directs 90% to programs, 2% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Surdna Foundation Inc compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 95/100 (Excellent), Surdna Foundation Inc is above average for NTEE category T22 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Surdna Foundation Inc located?
Surdna Foundation Inc is headquartered in New York, New York and files with the IRS under EIN 136108163. It is classified under NTEE code T22.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Surdna Foundation Inc have?
Surdna Foundation Inc has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record at NonprofitSpending. This extensive filing history provides a strong basis for evaluating long-term financial trends. The most recent filing shows $80.1M in total revenue.
How does Surdna Foundation Inc. manage to report 0% officer compensation?
The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings is highly unusual for an organization of this size. It could indicate that executive salaries are covered by an affiliated entity, paid through a different mechanism not captured in this specific line item, or that the foundation operates with a volunteer executive leadership structure. Further investigation into their detailed financial statements would be needed to understand this structure.
What is the primary source of Surdna Foundation's revenue given its variability?
As a private grantmaking foundation (NTEE T22) with over $1 billion in assets, the primary source of revenue is likely investment income, including capital gains, dividends, and interest from its endowment. The significant fluctuations in annual revenue, such as $193,448,000 in 202306 versus $50,900,057 in 202206, are typical for organizations heavily reliant on market performance.
How much of Surdna Foundation's expenses are directly allocated to grants?
While the provided data does not break down expenses into specific categories like grants, the nature of a private grantmaking foundation (NTEE T22) implies that a very substantial portion of its expenses would be direct grants to other organizations or individuals in furtherance of its mission. Given the high program spending score, it is highly probable that grants constitute the vast majority of its programmatic expenditures.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Surdna Foundation Inc showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:
Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Surdna Foundation Inc's revenue has grown by 580.2%, moving from $28.4M to $193.4M. Total assets increased by 34.5% over the same period, from $867.4M to $1.2B. Total functional expenses rose by 102.5%, from $52.1M to $105.5M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Surdna Foundation Inc reported a surplus of $87.9M, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $74.2M in liabilities against $1.2B in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 6.4%), resulting in net assets of $1.1B.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $193.4M | $105.5M | $1.2B | $74.2M | — | — |
| 2022 | $50.9M | $51.2M | $1.2B | $33.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $93.3M | $58.4M | $1.3B | $40.7M | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $71.4M | $72.0M | $998.0M | $42.8M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $50.2M | $49.5M | $1.0B | $25.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $162.4M | $47.4M | $1.0B | $25.0M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $64.9M | $60.2M | $1.0B | $35.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $96.3M | $43.5M | $929.6M | $27.8M | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $73.3M | $42.8M | $814.9M | $27.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $28.4M | $52.1M | $867.4M | $39.4M | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $193.4M, expenses of $105.5M, and assets of $1.2B (revenue +280.1% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $50.9M, expenses of $51.2M, and assets of $1.2B (revenue -45.5% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $93.3M, expenses of $58.4M, and assets of $1.3B (revenue +30.7% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $71.4M, expenses of $72.0M, and assets of $998.0M (revenue +42.1% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $50.2M, expenses of $49.5M, and assets of $1.0B (revenue -69.1% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $162.4M, expenses of $47.4M, and assets of $1.0B (revenue +150.4% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $64.9M, expenses of $60.2M, and assets of $1.0B (revenue -32.6% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $96.3M, expenses of $43.5M, and assets of $929.6M (revenue +31.2% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $73.3M, expenses of $42.8M, and assets of $814.9M (revenue +157.9% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $28.4M, expenses of $52.1M, and assets of $867.4M.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Surdna Foundation Inc:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Surdna Foundation Inc 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.