The Foresight Institute

Analysis

The Foresight Institute is a registered charity in United States, based in San Francisco, CA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in May 1991, 35 years ago. Its declared purposes cover science and technology, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, The Foresight Institute reported income of $3.6m and spending of $2.6m, leaving 26% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $513k to $3.6m (+594%), an average of +62% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 219%. Over the whole period it spent 76% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Foresight Institute sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile, and in the 91st percentile within CA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Palm Beach Symphony Society Inc ($3.6m), Green-Wood Historic Fund Inc ($3.6m) and Portland Community Media ($3.6m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 82% and program service revenue 9.4% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $342k (13% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $313k. At year end it held assets of $3.1m against liabilities of $56k, net assets of $3.0m. It reported 8 employees.