Marine Biological Laboratory
7 Mbl Street, Woods Hole, MA · IRS data through FY2025
Revenue, expenses and net assets
Revenue Expenses Net assets
| Tax year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $55,357,167 | $56,304,118 | $212,213,991 |
| FY2024 | $57,348,551 | $55,742,822 | $209,668,660 |
| FY2023 | $53,580,215 | $54,031,145 | $203,160,941 |
| FY2022 | $59,784,190 | $49,044,602 | $200,143,299 |
| FY2021 | $44,910,519 | $40,979,434 | $204,657,523 |
| FY2020 | $43,562,786 | $45,064,874 | $173,440,774 |
| FY2019 | $51,749,819 | $48,296,826 | $176,488,634 |
| FY2018 | $44,050,703 | $44,821,827 | $172,485,838 |
| FY2017 | $40,401,396 | $42,842,812 | $170,169,602 |
| FY2016 | $46,272,164 | $44,007,941 | $165,490,312 |
| FY2015 | $21,154,076 | $22,659,005 | $168,646,462 |
| FY2014 | $53,302,326 | $44,768,519 | $167,928,249 |
| FY2013 | $53,454,612 | $47,168,263 | $166,661,704 |
| FY2012 | $44,720,043 | $47,242,588 | $109,733,079 |
Form 990 filings
The returns filed by Marine Biological Laboratory (EIN 04-2104690), including Form 990 PDFs and e-file data by year, are available in ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. The figures on this page come from IRS data files built from those returns.
Where the revenue came from
| Source | Amount | % of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions & grants | $39,516,654 | 71% |
| Program service revenue | $8,518,345 | 15% |
| Other revenue | $7,322,168 | 13% |
Where the money was spent
| Category | Amount | % of expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Program services | $47,643,043 | 85% |
| Management & general | $7,134,090 | 13% |
| Fundraising | $1,526,985 | 3% |
What the numbers show
- Contributions & grants made up 71% of total revenue in FY2025.
- Program services accounted for 85% of functional expenses, management & general 13%, and fundraising 3%.
- 85% of functional expenses went to program services in FY2025. That is higher than 62% of 171 Science & Technology organizations nationwide (too few in MA for a state comparison).
- Net assets covered about 45.2 months of expenses at the end of the reporting year. That puts it in the 79th percentile among 94 Science & Technology organizations in MA.
- Total revenue was higher than 97.9% of 96 Science & Technology organizations in MA.
- Total revenue rose from $44,720,043 in FY2012 to $55,357,167 in FY2025. Revenue increased in 7 and decreased in 6 of 13 year-over-year comparisons.
- Expenses exceeded revenue in 7 of 14 reported years (FY2012, FY2015, FY2017, FY2018, FY2020, FY2023, FY2025).
- The highest revenue on record here is $59,784,190 in FY2022.
- Net assets grew from $109,733,079 to $212,213,991 between FY2012 and FY2025.
- Contributions and grants made up 57% of revenue in FY2012 and 71% in FY2025.
- Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity).
Figures compared against other organizations of the same NTEE program area in the same state. See the methodology page for how these are calculated and the guide to reading nonprofit financials for their limits.
About this organization
The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery - exploring fundamental biology, understanding biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education in biology, biomedicine, and environmental science.
IRS status
| Ruling year | 1938 |
| Subsection | 501(c)(3) |
| Classification | Public charity |
| Program area (NTEE) | U500 — Science & Technology |
| Donations | Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity). |
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Source: Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File (downloaded November 4, 2026), Statistics of Income extracts, Form 990 e-file data, Publication 78 and the Automatic Revocation list. Figures are as reported by the organization; IRS processing may adjust them. This is not a charity rating and not tax advice. Confirm deductibility in IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
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