Science & Technology (U500) IRS Verified DX Registered 990 on File

MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

EIN: 04-2104690 · WOODS HOLE, MA 02543-1015 · United States · FY 2023 Data

3 out of 5 57 / 100 Based on 2+ years of filings

Financial strength (30%) 80/100

Reliability (20%) 55/100

Effectiveness (25%) 88/100

Impact (25%) No data yet

Financial data: FY 2023 · Scored 9/13/2026

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Mission Statement

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery and improving the human condition through research and education in biology, biomedicine, and environmental science. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago.

Financial Overview — FY 2023

$53.6M

Total Revenue

$54.0M

Total Expenses

$203.2M

Net Assets

444

Employees

Revenue Sources

Expense Breakdown

Program Expense Ratio 84.1%

Fundraising Efficiency N/A

Operating Reserve 45.12x

Liability-to-Asset 14.9%

Revenue Diversification 83.6%

Executive Compensation $1.7M

Compared with Peers

FY 2023

Compared with 125 similar organizations (United States, Science & Technology, $10M–$100M in expenses), FY 2023.

This organization Middle half of peers (P25–P75) Peer median

Ratio	This org	Peer median	Position (P10 → P90)
Program expense ratio Program expenses / total expenses · higher is better	84.1%	82.4%	P10P90	Above median
Admin expense ratio Management and general / total expenses · lower is better	13.4%	16.3%	P10P90	Above median
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expenses / total expenses · lower is better	2.5%	0.0%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Operating reserve Months of expenses covered by net assets · higher is better	45.1 mo	16.1 mo	P10P90	Top quarter
Liabilities to assets Total liabilities / total assets · lower is better	14.9%	22.3%	P10P90	Above median
Revenue concentration Share of revenue from the largest source · lower is better	83.6%	86.3%	P10P90	Above median
Revenue growth Year over year revenue growth	-10.4%	6.9%	P10P90
Expense growth Year over year expense growth	10.2%	10.2%	P10P90
Surplus margin Surplus as a share of revenue	-0.8%	0.7%	P10P90

Financial History

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Net Assets	Program %	Staff
2023	$53.6M	$54.0M	$203.2M	84.1%	444
2022	$59.8M	$49.0M	$200.1M	82.1%	385
2021	$44.9M	$41.0M	N/A	—	327

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Organization Details

EIN: 04-2104690
State: MA
City: WOODS HOLE
ZIP: 02543-1015
Classification: U500
Category: Science & Technology
Rating: 3★
Coverage: A
Last Updated: Aug 2026
IRS Ruling Year: 1888
Foundation Code: 15
Form 990: On File

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CharityAI™ rates charities from 0 to 100 using public filings (IRS Form 990 and the equivalent registries outside the US) together with the information the charity itself provides on DonationX. Ratings are recalculated every quarter, without human bias, and shown as stars.

Four pillars

Financial strength30%

Program expense ratio, fundraising efficiency, operating reserves, liabilities and revenue diversification, compared with similar organizations.

Reliability20%

Standing with the registry, filing history, verification and how complete the profile is.

Effectiveness25%

How much goes to programs and how consistently the organization delivers them.

Impact25%

The outcomes the charity reports on DonationX: people served, cost per service and results.

Stars

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