NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH INC

EIN 13-1641075 · Science & Technology Research Institutes & Services (V220)

What they do

THE NATIONAL BUREAU of ECONOMIC RESEARCH is A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN RESEARCH ORGANIZATION DEDICATED to PROMOTING A GREATER UNDERSTANDING of HOW THE ECONOMY WORKS. IT is COMMITTED to UNDERTAKING and DISSEMINATING UNBIASED ECONOMIC RESEARCH AMONG ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS, POLICY-MAKERS, and BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $70.20 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders81 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

58.12%of revenue went to mission work70.2% of expenses · Program services

0.21%of revenue went to fundraising0.3% of expenses

$82.83spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

24.50%of revenue went to management and office costs29.6% of expenses

$5.29in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

65.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $968,625 for JAMES M POTERBA (PRESIDENT & CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$46,995,418

Mission workProgram services$27,311,78258.12% of revenue70.2% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$11,514,52724.50% of revenue29.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$97,6550.21% of revenue0.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$8,071,45417.17% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$38,923,96482.83% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 70.2% mission · 29.6% management · 0.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.83% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 69.3% mission · 30.5% management · 0.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 63.01% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 71.1% mission · 28.7% management · 0.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.32% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 71.2% mission · 28.6% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 80.01% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 72.7% mission · 27.2% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 61.41% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 74.4% mission · 25.4% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.53% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 75.7% mission · 24.0% management · 0.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 93.84% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 78.3% mission · 21.4% management · 0.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.57% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$46,995,418

Expenses$38,923,964

Annual surplus $8,071,454 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$27,311,782 · 70.2% of expenses

Management and office costs$11,514,527 · 29.6% of expenses

Fundraising$97,655 · 0.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$46,995,418

Expenses$38,923,964

Assets$206,005,855

Income$56,705,969

Contributions$30,571,240

Mission work (program services)$27,311,782

Fundraising$97,655

Management and general$11,514,527

Stocks and bonds$186,911,023

Accounting fees$119,250

Investing fees$124,249

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

JAMES M POTERBAPRESIDENT & CEO · 35 hrs/week $968,625Base $886,629 · Other $81,996

ALTERRA MILONECORP SEC & DIR OF GRANTS · 35 hrs/week $391,010Base $291,601 · Other $99,409

ERIN RICHARDSONDIR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS · 35 hrs/week $390,906Base $308,434 · Other $82,472

KELLY HORAKASST CORP SEC & CONTROLLER · 35 hrs/week $347,864Base $266,032 · Other $81,832

MOHAN RAMANUJANUNIX SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR · 35 hrs/week $330,993Base $243,769 · Other $87,224

STEVE HARRIMANASST DIR OF ACCOUNTING · 35 hrs/week $277,202Base $197,059 · Other $80,143

RICHARD WOODBURYAGING PROGRAM SPECIALIST · 26 hrs/week $276,717Base $207,774 · Other $68,943

ALISON OAXACAASST DIR OF GRANTS · 35 hrs/week $225,776Base $175,572 · Other $50,204

DEBORAH NICHOLSONWEBMASTER · 28 hrs/week $217,948Base $157,227 · Other $60,721

DENIS HEALYASST CORP SEC & DIR CORP RELATIONS · 35 hrs/week $199,532Base $146,659 · Other $52,873

ABIGAIL MURRELLASST CORP SEC & CORP/FOUND. RELATIONS · 35 hrs/week $73,506Base $64,054 · Other $9,452

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (81)

JAMES M POTERBAPRESIDENT & CEO

ALTERRA MILONECORP SEC & DIR OF GRANTS

ERIN RICHARDSONDIR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

KELLY HORAKASST CORP SEC & CONTROLLER

MOHAN RAMANUJANUNIX SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR

STEVE HARRIMANASST DIR OF ACCOUNTING

RICHARD WOODBURYAGING PROGRAM SPECIALIST

ALISON OAXACAASST DIR OF GRANTS

DEBORAH NICHOLSONWEBMASTER

DENIS HEALYASST CORP SEC & DIR CORP RELATIONS

ABIGAIL MURRELLASST CORP SEC & CORP/FOUND. RELATIONS

LAURENCE H MEYERDIRECTOR EMERITUS

MAUREEN CROPPERDIRECTOR

MAUREEN OHARADIRECTOR

MARTIN B ZIMMERMANDIRECTOR

MARTIN GRUBERDIRECTOR EMERITUS

MARK WEINBERGERDIRECTOR

MARJORIE B MCELROYDIRECTOR EMERITUS

MARINA V N WHITMANDIRECTOR EMERITUS

LISA JORDANDIRECTOR

PETER HANCOCKDIRECTOR

LAURENCE C MORSEDIRECTOR

LARS STOLEDIRECTOR

KATHLEEN B COOPERDIRECTOR

KARIN KIMBOROUGHDIRECTOR

KAREN N HORNDIRECTOR

RICHARD STECKELDIRECTOR

WILLIAM M LEWIS JRDIRECTOR

TIMOTHY BRESNAHANDIRECTOR

TIMOTHY BEATTYDIRECTOR

SAUL H HYMANSDIRECTOR EMERITUS

SAMUEL KORTUMDIRECTOR

ROBERT T PARRYDIRECTOR EMERITUS

ROBERT S HAMADADIRECTOR EMERITUS

ROBERT MEDNICKDIRECTOR EMERITUS

MICHAEL H MOSKOWDIRECTOR

RICHARD SCHMALENSEEDIRECTOR

RAY C FAIRDIRECTOR EMERITUS

R GLENN HUBBARDDIRECTOR

PETER L ROUSSEAUDIRECTOR

PETER C ALDRICHDIRECTOR EMERITUS

PETER BLAIR HENRYCHAIR & DIRECTOR

JOHN LIPSKYDIRECTOR

MOHAMED EL-ERIANDIRECTOR

BARRY MELANCONTREASURER & DIRECTOR

DIANA FARRELLDIRECTOR

DAVID B YOFFIEDIRECTOR

DARRICK HAMILTONDIRECTOR

DANA M PETERSONDIRECTOR

CRAIG SWANDIRECTOR EMERITUS

CONSTANCE HUNTERDIRECTOR

CHRISTOPHER SIMSDIRECTOR

CHARLES H DALLARADIRECTOR

BENJAMIN HERMALINDIRECTOR

DON R CONLANDIRECTOR EMERITUS

ARTHUR KENNICKELLDIRECTOR

ANNE HUFF STEVENSDIRECTOR

ANNE MCCANTSDIRECTOR

ANGELO MELINODIRECTOR

ANDREW RACINEDIRECTOR

ANDREW POSTLEWAITEDIRECTOR EMERITUS

ALICIA H MUNNELLDIRECTOR

ALAN V DEARDORFFDIRECTOR

HELENA FOULKESDIRECTOR

JOHN S REEDDIRECTOR

JOHN J SIEGFRIEDDIRECTOR EMERITUS

JOHN PEPPERDIRECTOR

JOEL MOKYRDIRECTOR

JESSICA P EINHORNDIRECTOR EMERITUS

JAGDISH BHAGWATIDIRECTOR EMERITUS

JACOB A FRENKELDIRECTOR EMERITUS

INGO WALTERDIRECTOR

KAREN G MILLSVICE CHAIR & DIRECTOR

HAL VARIANDIRECTOR

GREGOR W SMITHDIRECTOR

GRAHAM ELLIOTTDIRECTOR

GEORGE J MAILATHDIRECTOR

GEORGE C EADSDIRECTOR EMERITUS

GEORGE AKERLOFDIRECTOR EMERITUS

ESTHER GEORGEDIRECTOR

DOUGLAS PETERSONDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1921
Location: 1050 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138-5359
County: Middlesex
In care of: JAMES POTERBA
Primary officer: JAMES POTERBA, PRES. & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailwebaccessibility@nber.org Phone(617) 868-3900

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: AAFCPAS INC
NTEE classification: Science & Technology Research Institutes & Services (V220)