National Geographic Society
76% goes to programs $10 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
National Geographic Society is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, District of Columbia, registered in 1938, with $231,981,168 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 76% of spending to programs.
1145 17th St Nw, Washington, DC, 20036 EIN 53-0193519 Since 1938
Revenue (FY2023)
$232.0M
▲ 47.2% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$212.7M
Net assets
$1.6B
Employees
671
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
BProgram efficiency40% of the rating76% to programs · $10 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 National Geographic Society: 76% to programs · $10 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating88 mo reserves · +8% 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 National Geographic Society: 88 mo reserves · +8% 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 National Geographic Society: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 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 National Geographic Society: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The purpose of the society shall be to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge and use the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of the world.
What they do
Science & innovation the science & innovation team oversees the society's grantmaking efforts in science, conservation and technology, develops and manages major programs, and establishes programmatic partnerships with like-minded non-governmental organizations (ngos). science & innovation program descriptions continued on sch. o
National geographic education programs national geographic's education division amplifies and extends the work of explorers into classrooms, communities, and with young people to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. we work to build an explorer mindset - the attitudes, skills, and knowledge that ngs explorers use to find solutions to the world's most challenging problems - by designing learning resources and other solutions, live interactions with explorers, and explorer-focused experiences that support explorers' impact. we build strategic and impact partnerships, gis modules, education-focused grants, and support research, knowledge creation, and skill development to diverse audiences. continued on sch. o education program descriptions
In 2023, miscellaneous program activity included a continuing sustainability initiative and impact investing. continued on sch. o other miscellaneous programs.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1145 17th St Nw, Washington, DC, 20036
- City
- Washington
- State
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Alliances, Advocacy & Professional Societies
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $529.8M (FY2013) to $232.0M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $320.2MNet assets $1.6B
Operating margin
8.3%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$1.9B
Total liabilities
$320.2M
Net assets
$1.6B
Salaries & benefits
$79.7M
37% of expenses
Board members
21
20 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $231,981,168▲47.2% | $212,737,237▲12.6% | $1,552,539,687▲5.8% | $1,872,730,796▲4.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $157,560,446▼22.7% | $188,921,145▲33.8% | $1,467,816,428▼14.8% | $1,790,673,716▼12.1% | 990 |
| 2021 | $203,876,504▲189% | $141,186,606▼2.9% | $1,722,829,596▲9.4% | $2,037,588,957▲20.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $70,469,785▼32.7% | $145,411,426▼18.3% | $1,574,901,429▲4.7% | $1,696,779,808▲2.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $104,693,614▼19.9% | $177,902,113▲10.7% | $1,504,301,647▲7.3% | $1,655,505,558▲7.6% | 990 |
| 2018 | $130,737,807▼30.5% | $160,652,694▲8.6% | $1,402,189,130▼9.6% | $1,538,241,169▼9.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $188,235,265▲136% | $147,966,362▲2.7% | $1,551,569,653▲6.4% | $1,693,379,570▲1.9% | 990 |
| 2016 | $79,693,428▼92.6% | $144,040,945▼65.9% | $1,457,878,678▼1.9% | $1,661,975,358▼2.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $1,073,388,436▲98.8% | $422,501,093▼18.3% | $1,486,476,608▲85.6% | $1,695,152,141▲34.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $539,976,957▲1.9% | $517,225,460▲2.6% | $800,897,271▼10.6% | $1,263,706,493▼2.9% | 990 |
| 2013 | $529,780,148 | $504,309,459▲12.3% | $895,539,346▲20.3% | $1,301,040,375▲6.0% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $448,981,998▼0.7% | $744,668,668▲2.8% | $1,227,203,295▼1.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $451,921,544▲1.4% | $724,511,016▼7.4% | $1,250,753,645▼1.7% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $445,784,844 | $781,993,401 | $1,271,825,161 | 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 (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Jill Tiefenthaler — $1,351,593 (0.64% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jill Tiefenthaler | Ceo | 45 | $1,351,593 |
| Kristi Craig | Chief Investment Officer | 45 | $956,383 |
| Michael Ulica | President/coo/treasurer | 45 | $832,955 |
| Kara Ramirez Mullins | Chief Advancement Officer | 45 | $602,736 |
| Crystal Brown | Chief Communications Officer | 45 | $573,984 |
| Sumeet Seam | Chief Legal Officer | 45 | $567,735 |
| Ian Miller | Chief Science & Innovation Officer | 45 | $526,180 |
| Mara Dell | Chief Human Resources Officer | 45 | $458,525 |
| Enric Sala | Explorer In Residence | 45 | $428,809 |
| Robert Young | Cfo | 45 | $403,421 |
| Kim Waldron | Chief of Staff & Program Alignment | 45 | $402,023 |
| Deborah Grayson | Chief Education Officer | 45 | $396,083 |
| Kaitlin Yarnall | Chief Storytelling Officer & Svp | 45 | $380,434 |
| Alex Moen | Chief Explorer & Engagement Officer | 45 | $374,095 |
| Jason Southern | Chief Technology Officer | 45 | $368,518 |
| John Coombe | Director, Investments | 45 | $352,648 |
| Shannon Bartlett | Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer | 45 | $323,620 |
| Frank Borman | Trustee Emeritus | — | $11,917 |
| Afsaneh Beschloss | Trustee | 4 | — |
| Angel Cabrera | Trustee | 4 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hitt Contracting Inc | Construction | $26,752,379 |
| Hbp Inc | Fundraising | $5,896,135 |
| Digital Velocity Partners LLC | It Services/consulting | $3,734,683 |
| Hickok Cole Architects Inc | Architecture | $3,392,344 |
| The Wild Bird Trust | Wildlife Conservation Management | $3,023,596 |
Grants received · $20.9M total
166 grants to National Geographic Society totaling $20.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $611,650 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $589,011 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2024 | $127,250 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $114,550 |
| Communities Foundation of Texas | This grant is designated for general support. | 2024 | $105,100 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $103,600 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Environment & animal protection | 2024 | $75,625 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $51,716 |
| Jewish Communal Fund | In furtherance of grantee's tax-exempt purpose | 2024 | $36,100 |
| Greater Horizons | Education | 2024 | $26,750 |
| The Bessemer Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $25,050 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $19,488 |
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| The Seattle Foundation | To provide general support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2024 | $10,000 |
Grants made · $8.2M in FY2023
64 grants totaling $8.2M in FY2023 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by National Geographic Society →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Two Wolves Films LLC | Storytelling grant | $565,000 |
| University of California Santa Barbara | Ocean conservation | $530,844 |
| Zambian Carnivore Programme | Wildlife conservation | $450,000 |
| Peregrine Fund Inc | Wildlife conservation | $430,212 |
| Looking For Satyrus LLC | Wildlife conservation | $379,098 |
| Institute For Regional Conservation | Photo ark | $350,000 |
| Conservation Through Public Health | Research grant | $342,454 |
| The International Snow Leopard Trust | Wildlife conservation | $299,355 |
| Trustees of Dartmouth College | Wildlife conservation | $276,575 |
| Appalachian State University | Perpetual planet-mountains expedition | $222,100 |
| Archaeology In the Community | Education grant | $218,827 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation | Pristine seas | $214,707 |
| Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc | Azimuth grant | $207,977 |
| Wildlife Conservation Network Inc | Azimuth grant | $207,000 |
| Groovy Girl Media LLC | Research grant | $200,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is National Geographic Society a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. National Geographic Society is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 53-0193519, based in Washington, District of Columbia. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is National Geographic Society's EIN?
- National Geographic Society's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 53-0193519.
- How much revenue does National Geographic Society report?
- National Geographic Society reported $231,981,168 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of National Geographic Society's spending goes to programs?
- National Geographic Society spends about 76% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does National Geographic Society have?
- CharityIndex grades National Geographic Society B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does National Geographic Society's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on National Geographic Society's latest Form 990 is $1,351,593, paid to Jill Tiefenthaler (Ceo).
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Data for National Geographic Society (EIN 53-0193519) 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.