Fermi Research Alliance LLC is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Batavia, Illinois, registered in 2007, with $715,499,867 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 100% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2023)
$715.5M
▲ 8.6% vs prior year
Science & Tech median: $288K
Expenses (FY2023)
$715.6M
Net assets
$62K
Employees
2,264
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 Fermi Research Alliance LLC: 100% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Fermi Research Alliance LLC: 0 mo reserves · -0% margin earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Fermi Research Alliance LLC: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Fermi Research Alliance LLC: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Fra llc's purpose is the management and operation of fermilab, an international scientific user facility owned by the us department of energy at which the fundamental nature of matter and energy is studied.
Revenue grew from $373.7M (FY2013) to $715.5M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
-0.0%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$18.9M
Total liabilities
$18.8M
Net assets
$62K
Salaries & benefits
$266.9M
37% of expenses
Board members
14
11 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $715,499,867▲8.6% | $715,592,349▲8.7% | $62,026▼59.9% | $18,880,484▲29.9% | 990 |
| 2022 | $658,749,338▲10.9% | $658,194,829▲11.3% | $154,508▼92.7% | $14,532,147▲9.7% | 990 |
| 2021 | $593,848,536▲2.9% | $591,229,941▲2.9% | $2,118,594▲2.1% | $13,250,391▼3.7% | 990 |
| 2020 | $577,062,640▲12.5% | $574,388,053▲12.6% | $2,074,586▼4.2% | $13,763,706▲27.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $512,797,198▲7.2% | $510,031,928▲7.2% | $2,165,269▲22.6% | $10,785,834▲23.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $478,201,204▲14.8% | $475,835,159▲14.8% | $1,766,045▲3.4% | $8,704,566▲13.1% | 990 |
| 2017 | $416,675,962▲3.3% | $414,367,753▲3.4% | $1,708,208▼17.2% | $7,697,336▲20.6% | 990 |
| 2016 | $403,384,026▼4.1% | $400,720,475▼4.3% | $2,063,550▲46.8% | $6,381,773▲50.3% | 990 |
| 2015 | $420,754,619▲8.9% | $418,749,193▲9.0% | $1,405,425▼3.6% | $4,245,466▲36.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $386,432,066▲3.4% | $384,274,488▲3.4% | $1,457,577▲2.1% | $3,114,418▼9.0% | 990 |
| 2013 | $373,656,208 | $371,528,475▼11.6% | $1,427,732▲24.2% | $3,424,150▲1.0% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $420,309,696▲0.1% | $1,149,855▼7.7% | $3,391,769▼3.3% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $419,749,367▼3.3% | $1,245,926▼7.2% | $3,506,386▼19.4% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $433,858,428▲2.7% | $1,342,180▼3.6% | $4,351,333▲8.2% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $422,289,354 | $1,392,704 | $4,022,982 | 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.
Highest-paid: Nikolitsa Lia Merminga — $698,657 (0.10% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolitsa Lia Merminga | President | 40 | $698,657 |
| Bonnie Fleming | Deputy Director/chief Research Officer | 40 | $496,917 |
| Scott Tingey | Deputy Lab Director and Coo Through 12/30/2023 | 40 | $494,794 |
| Christopher Mossey | Deputy Lab Director For Lbnf/dune-us Through 04/18/2024 | 40 | $375,313 |
| Richard Goffi | Director of Strategic Planning | 40 | $364,781 |
| Teresa Ann Nightengale | Fermilab Cfo (through 3/2/2024) | 40 | $359,484 |
| Martha Michels | Dir of Cont Assur & Perf Mgmt | 40 | $326,736 |
| Joseph Lykken | Hd of Fermi Quantum Institute | 40 | $326,271 |
| Richard P Stanek | Sqms Deputy Proj Director Through 6/1/2024 | 40 | $306,784 |
| Stephen Gourlay | Division Head | 40 | $290,506 |
| Douglas Glenzinski | Deputy Cro For Sci & Tech | 40 | $283,065 |
| Kurt Vetter | Lbnf Project Manager | 40 | $276,068 |
| Panagiotis Spentzouris | Associate Lab Director | 40 | $269,310 |
| Sergey Belomestnykh | Former Chief Technology Officer | 40 | $263,379 |
| Patricia Mcbride | Former Particle Physics Division Head | 40 | $262,626 |
| Beth Fancsali | Interim General Counsel and Fra Secretary | 40 | $253,090 |
| Alexander Valishev | Associate Lab Director | 40 | $249,531 |
| Alexander Romanenko | Former Chief Technology Officer | 40 | $240,761 |
| Elizabeth Sexton-kennedy | Former Chief Information Officer | 40 | $237,702 |
| Ronald Ray | Former Mu2e Project Manager | 40 | $230,321 |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Thyssen Mining | Excavation Services | $74,183,449 |
| Thyssen Mining | Excavation Services | $74,183,449 |
| Kiewit Infrastructure Co | Construction | $19,893,590 |
| Kiewit Infrastructure Co | Construction | $19,893,590 |
| Air Products & Chemicals Inc | Engineering Services | $15,834,251 |
| Air Products & Chemicals Inc | Engineering Services | $15,834,251 |
| Cern | Lhc Support | $14,498,842 |
| Cern | Lhc Support | $14,498,842 |
| Whittaker Construction and Excavating | Construction | $7,731,624 |
| Whittaker Construction and Excavating | Construction | $7,731,624 |
6 grants to Fermi Research Alliance LLC totaling $1.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | Subaward | 2023 | $73,879 |
| Trustees of Boston University | Research | 2021 | $250,539 |
| Brown University of Providence | Subcontract grant award | 2017 | $785,617 |
| American Institute of Physics Incorporated | See part iv | 2015 | $10,000 |
| Cornell University | Research | 2014 | $30,000 |
| University of Notre Dame Du Lac | See footnote 2, part iv | 2014 | $25,334 |
2 grants totaling $23K in FY2015. All grants made by Fermi Research Alliance LLC →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | 1) ichep 2016: international conference on high energy physics - to gather physicists from around the world to share the latest advancements in particle physics, astrophysics/cosmology, and accelerator science and to discuss plans for major future facilities. 2) pse 2016: physics of sustainable energy - workshop aimed at researchers and students, and private and public sector professionals active in energy affairs to discuss and explore using energy efficiently and producing it renewably. | $13,000 |
| Dakota State University | To promote an organized research in physics, astrophysics, geoscience, geomicrobiology and other fields related to the underground science bringing together scientists scattered around the world. | $10,000 |
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Data for Fermi Research Alliance LLC (EIN 57-1239010) 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.