THE ASPEN INSTITUTE INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE ASPEN INSTITUTE INC

EIN 84-0399006 · Science & Technology Research Institutes & Services (V200)

What they do

WE DRIVE CHANGE THROUGH DIALOGUE, LEADERSHIP, and ACTION to HELP SOLVE SOCIETYS GREATEST CHALLENGES.THE ASPEN INSTITUTE IGNITES HUMAN POTENTIAL to BUILD UNDERSTANDING and CREATE NEW POSSIBILITIES for A BETTER WORLD. WE DRIVE CHANGE THROUGH DIALOGUE, LEADERSHIP, and ACTION to HELP SOLVE THE GREATEST CHALLENGES of OUR TIME IN SERVICE of A MORE FREE, JUST, and EQUITABLE SOCIETY. WE DO SO BY CONVENING A BROAD SPECTRUM of PEOPLE, WITH A FOCUS ON DIALOGUE, COMMUNITY BUILDING, and CREATIVE COLLABORATION; CREATING TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT ENABLE DIVERSE LEADERS to DISCOVER and REFINE THEIR APPROACHES; and ENABLING POWERFUL, PRACTICAL, and APPLICABLE SOLUTIONS THAT ACCELERATE PROGRESS, EMPHASIZING CO-CREATION and PARTNERSHIP. THE ASPEN INSTITUTE is HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON, DC, and HAS A CAMPUS IN ASPEN, COLORADO, AS WELL AS AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK of PARTNERS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $79.20 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

41.79%of revenue went to mission work79.2% of expenses · Program services

1.13%of revenue went to fundraising2.1% of expenses

$52.78spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

9.86%of revenue went to management and office costs18.7% of expenses

$3.23in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

85.9%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 $911,570 for DANIEL R PORTERFIELD (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$443,841,184

Mission workProgram services$185,499,11441.79% of revenue79.2% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$43,743,1159.86% of revenue18.7% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$5,021,9491.13% of revenue2.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$209,577,00647.22% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$234,264,17852.78% 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: 79.2% mission · 18.7% management · 2.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 52.78% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 80.0% mission · 18.0% management · 1.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.26% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 80.3% mission · 17.5% management · 2.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.67% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 78.2% mission · 19.3% management · 2.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 83.96% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.1% mission · 21.2% management · 2.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.37% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 79.4% mission · 18.0% management · 2.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.92% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 78.1% mission · 19.0% management · 2.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.69% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 77.7% mission · 19.5% management · 2.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 105.93% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$443,841,184

Expenses$234,264,178

Annual surplus $209,577,006 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)$185,499,114 · 79.2% of expenses

Management and office costs$43,743,115 · 18.7% of expenses

Fundraising$5,021,949 · 2.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$443,841,184

Expenses$234,264,178

Assets$756,622,679

Income$666,645,462

Contributions$381,262,788

Mission work (program services)$185,499,114

Fundraising$5,021,949

Grants given$123,338,699

Average grant$142,753

Management and general$43,743,115

Stocks and bonds$283,247,031

Accounting fees$383,282

Investing fees$1,042,058

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

DANIEL R PORTERFIELDPRESIDENT & CEO · 40 hrs/week $911,570Base $802,875 · Other $108,695

ELLIOT GERSONEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT · 40 hrs/week $585,353Base $498,051 · Other $87,302

DAVID LANGSTAFF EVPUNTIL 11/24, SEN. ADV. TO PRES/CEO · 40 hrs/week $559,194Base $460,588 · Other $98,606

ANDREW AXELRODEVP FINANCE & EBD, TREASURER · 40 hrs/week $529,219Base $463,970 · Other $65,249

JAMES SPIEGELMANEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $482,310Base $378,027 · Other $104,283

STEPHEN PATRICKEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $481,539Base $372,292 · Other $109,247

ANNE MOSLEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $481,306Base $375,269 · Other $106,037

VIVIAN SCHILLERVP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $478,523Base $391,180 · Other $87,343

SUZANNE BERGERVP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $440,982Base $414,422 · Other $26,560

MARIA ACEBALEVP STRATEGY & CORP SECRETARY · 40 hrs/week $411,680Base $352,833 · Other $58,847

JAMES PICKUPGENERAL COUNSEL · 40 hrs/week $373,264Base $281,239 · Other $92,025

KAYATANYA HENDERSONEVP, ED CENTER FOR RISING GENERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $151,681Base $145,011 · Other $6,670

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)

DANIEL R PORTERFIELDPRESIDENT & CEO

ELLIOT GERSONEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

DAVID LANGSTAFF EVPUNTIL 11/24, SEN. ADV. TO PRES/CEO

ANDREW AXELRODEVP FINANCE & EBD, TREASURER

JAMES SPIEGELMANEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

STEPHEN PATRICKEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ANNE MOSLEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

VIVIAN SCHILLERVP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

SUZANNE BERGERVP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MARIA ACEBALEVP STRATEGY & CORP SECRETARY

JAMES PICKUPGENERAL COUNSEL

KAYATANYA HENDERSONEVP, ED CENTER FOR RISING GENERATIONS

MICHAEL KLEINTRUSTEE

MERCEDES BASSTRUSTEE

LYNDA R RESNICKTRUSTEE

MICHAEL D EISNERTRUSTEE

MIGUEL MIKE BEZOSTRUSTEE

MELONY LEWISTRUSTEE

MARK S HOPLAMAZIANTRUSTEE

MARGOT L PRITZKERCHAIR

PERRI PELTZTRUSTEE

LESTER CROWNTRUSTEE

LEONARD LAUDERTRUSTEE

LAWRENCE D BOBOTRUSTEE

LAURIE M TISCHTRUSTEE

LAURA HELLER LAUDERTRUSTEE

L JOHN DOERRTRUSTEE - UNTIL 04/24

RUSSELL GOLDSMITHTRUSTEE

WILLIAM E MAYERTRUSTEE

WILLIAM D BUDINGERTRUSTEE

WILLIAM RESNICKTRUSTEE

WILLIAM BYNUMTRUSTEE

VIN WEBERTRUSTEE - UNTIL 08/24

TROY CARTERTRUSTEE

THELMA DUGGINTRUSTEE

SONIA KAPADIATRUSTEE

OLARA A OTUNNUTRUSTEE

ROGER W FERGUSON JRTRUSTEE

RODERICK K VON LIPSEYTRUSTEE

ROBERT K STEELTRUSTEE

ROBERT J HURSTTRUSTEE

PHYLLIS COULTERTRUSTEE

KAYA HENDERSONTRUSTEE - UNTIL 08/24

PAULA CROWNTRUSTEE

PATRICK W GROSSTRUSTEE

BETH BROOKETRUSTEE

DIANE L MORRISTRUSTEE

CRAIG C MARTINTRUSTEE

CLARE MUNANATRUSTEE

CHRISTOPHER VARELASTRUSTEE

CESAR R CONDETRUSTEE

CARRIE WALTON PENNERTRUSTEE

CARLA PINEYRO-SUBLETTTRUSTEE

BONNIE PALMER MCCLOSKEYTRUSTEE

DONNA BARKSDALETRUSTEE

ASUTOSH PADHITRUSTEE

ARNE DUNCANTRUSTEE

ARJUN GUPTATRUSTEE

ANTONIO GRACIASTRUSTEE

ANNE WELSH MCNULTYTRUSTEE

ANNA DEAVERE SMITHTRUSTEE

ANDREA CUNNINGHAMTRUSTEE

ALICE YOUNGTRUSTEE

JEFFREY S ARONINTRUSTEE

KENNETH L DAVIS MDTRUSTEE

KELI LEETRUSTEE

ALEX M AZAR IITRUSTEE

KATIE COURICTRUSTEE

KATHARINE ALBRIGHTTRUSTEE

KARLHEINZ MUHRTRUSTEE

JESSIE WOOLLEY-WILSONTRUSTEE

JERRY MURDOCKTRUSTEE

L BROOKS ENTWISTLETRUSTEE

JANE HARMANTRUSTEE

JAMES M MANYIKATRUSTEE

J MICHAEL LUTTIGTRUSTEE

HER MAJESTY QUEEN NOORTRUSTEE

HENRY LOUIS GATES JRTRUSTEE - UNTIL 04/24

GERALD D HOSIERTRUSTEE

ELIZABETH A FLEMINGTRUSTEE

ELAINE PAGELSTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1951
Location: 2300 N ST NW STE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20037-1122
County: District of Columbia
In care of: % PAYROLL DEPARTMENT
Primary officer: ANDREW AXELROD, EVP FIN. & ENTERPRISE BUS. DEV

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(202) 736-5800

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CBIZ ADVISORS LLC
NTEE classification: Science & Technology Research Institutes & Services (V200)
Grant-giving organization: Yes