Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
82% goes to programs $8 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Saint Louis, Missouri, registered in 1998, with $63,779,784 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 82% of spending to programs.
975 N Warson Rd, Saint Louis, MO, 63132 EIN 31-1584621 Since 1998
Revenue (FY2024)
$63.8M
▼ 2.9% vs prior year
Science & Tech median: $288K
Expenses (FY2024)
$67.8M
Net assets
$612.6M
Employees
477
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating82% to programs · $8 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Donald Danforth Plant Science Center: 82% to programs · $8 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating108 mo reserves · -6% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Donald Danforth Plant Science Center: 108 mo reserves · -6% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Donald Danforth Plant Science Center: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Donald Danforth Plant Science Center: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
Improve the human condition through plant science/research: feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew our environment and enhance our region's economy.
Contact & location
- Address
- 975 N Warson Rd, Saint Louis, MO, 63132
- City
- Saint Louis
- State
- Missouri
- Category
- Science & Technology
- Subcategory
- Biological & Life Sciences
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $36.5M (FY2013) to $63.8M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $13.0MNet assets $612.6M
Operating margin
-6.3%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$625.7M
Total liabilities
$13.0M
Net assets
$612.6M
Salaries & benefits
$35.4M
52% of expenses
Board members
26
26 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,779,784▼2.9% | $67,771,092▲5.6% | $612,627,154▲4.5% | $625,668,262▲3.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $65,680,473▲36.7% | $64,163,875▲8.1% | $586,490,500▲3.3% | $602,402,435▲3.2% | 990 |
| 2022 | $48,059,784▼75.3% | $59,342,714▲12.1% | $568,023,060▼11.4% | $583,977,985▼11.1% | 990 |
| 2021 | $194,606,406▲234% | $52,923,078▲6.2% | $641,289,431▲31.6% | $656,600,635▲30.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $58,321,490▲6.1% | $49,816,083▼4.4% | $487,196,865▲10.9% | $503,520,795▲10.7% | 990 |
| 2019 | $54,968,873▲89.2% | $52,132,116▲11.3% | $439,241,561▲7.6% | $454,804,788▲7.4% | 990 |
| 2018 | $29,050,059▼53.7% | $46,834,503▲5.5% | $408,217,689▼3.6% | $423,288,155▼3.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $62,806,917▲16.0% | $44,408,416▲7.8% | $423,253,527▲4.5% | $438,010,212▲3.5% | 990 |
| 2016 | $54,131,576▲48.8% | $41,203,997▲14.6% | $404,852,870▲4.0% | $423,266,276▲4.4% | 990 |
| 2015 | $36,370,757▼33.1% | $35,952,294▼9.7% | $389,111,467▼3.0% | $405,452,262▼3.5% | 990 |
| 2014 | $54,335,063▲49.0% | $39,826,915▼1.6% | $401,002,894▲4.5% | $420,001,418▲4.4% | 990 |
| 2013 | $36,457,279 | $40,459,532▼4.8% | $383,569,870▲5.0% | $402,210,873▲3.7% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $42,505,139▲14.9% | $365,415,200▲11.1% | $387,749,734▲11.5% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $36,982,986▲4.9% | $328,884,180▲55.1% | $347,875,903▲35.7% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $35,263,599 | $211,999,925 | $256,427,830 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Dr James Carrington — $760,086 (1.12% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr James Carrington | President and Ceo | 40 | $760,086 |
| Mr Harold Davies | Coo and V.p. For Finance | 40 | $356,299 |
| Dr Donald Mackenzie | Executive Director of Iici | 40 | $276,974 |
| Mr Tom Laurita | Ceo of Dtc | 40 | $270,248 |
| Dr Rebecca Bart | V.p. For Research | 40 | $261,983 |
| Dr Keith Slotkin | Principal Investigator | 40 | $260,429 |
| Mr Michael Bander | V.p. For Development | 40 | $254,125 |
| Dr James Umen | Principal Investigator | 40 | $237,540 |
| Ms Anna Dibble | V.p. For People and Culture | 40 | $229,667 |
| Mr Todd Hornburg | V.p. of Facilities | 40 | $228,008 |
| Mr Djuan Coleman | V.p. of Finance | 40 | $142,584 |
| Ms Ellen Atwell | Controller | 40 | $140,789 |
| Ms Diane Moleski | Assistant Secretary | 40 | $134,013 |
| Dr Andrew D Martin | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Benjamin Ola Akande | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Lisa Ainsworth | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Mun Y Choi | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Patrick O Brown | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Peter Wyse Jackson | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Robert J Jones | Director | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| K&s Associates Inc | Construction Services | $2,613,969 |
| Gs&s Inc | Construction Services | $480,290 |
| Polsinelli PC | Legal Services | $287,833 |
| Christner Inc | Architectural Services | $262,891 |
| 4m Building Solutions Inc | Janitorial Services | $227,481 |
Grants received · $34.9M total
128 grants to Donald Danforth Plant Science Center totaling $34.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $431,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Environment & animal protection | 2024 | $200,000 |
| St Louis Community Foundation Incorporated | Annual gift, general support, assist in the international effort to improve agricultural productivity in africa | 2024 | $102,400 |
| Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory | Research | 2024 | $87,629 |
| Breakthrough Energy Foundation | Ecosystem grant | 2024 | $50,000 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $35,900 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Science | 2024 | $25,250 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $14,875 |
| United Way of Greater St Louis Inc | Ccs-health and well-being | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $5,000 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Food security | 2023 | $425,817 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Environment & animal protection | 2023 | $225,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $209,500 |
| Washington University | Research | 2023 | $172,612 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $163,109 |
Grants made · $6.4M in FY2024
28 grants totaling $6.4M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Donald Danforth Plant Science Center →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Kansas Center For Research Inc | Research | $881,742 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Research | $796,710 |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | Research | $477,329 |
| Michigan State University | Research | $468,409 |
| University of Rhode Island | Research | $388,146 |
| Washington State University | Research | $363,364 |
| Regents of the University of California At Berkeley | Research | $353,564 |
| University of Minnesota | Research | $339,011 |
| Arizona Board of Regents | Research | $312,137 |
| Trustees of Purdue University | Research | $300,800 |
| Curators of the University of Missouri | Research | $265,431 |
| Chicago Horticultural Society | Research | $254,985 |
| Land Institute | Research | $223,299 |
| St Louis University | Research | $178,661 |
| University of Hawaii | Research | $147,480 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Donald Danforth Plant Science Center a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 31-1584621, based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's EIN?
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 31-1584621.
- How much revenue does Donald Danforth Plant Science Center report?
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center reported $63,779,784 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's spending goes to programs?
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center spends about 82% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have?
- CharityIndex grades Donald Danforth Plant Science Center A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's latest Form 990 is $760,086, paid to Dr James Carrington (President and Ceo).
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Data for Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (EIN 31-1584621) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.