NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
1145 17TH ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC · IRS data through FY2025
Revenue, expenses and net assets
Revenue Expenses Net assets
| Tax year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $340,516,012 | $222,560,462 | $2,070,844,460 |
| FY2024 | $209,304,518 | $220,522,212 | $1,702,974,435 |
| FY2023 | $231,981,168 | $212,737,237 | $1,552,539,687 |
| FY2022 | $157,560,446 | $188,921,145 | $1,467,816,428 |
| FY2021 | $203,876,504 | $141,186,606 | $1,722,829,596 |
| FY2020 | $70,469,785 | $145,411,426 | $1,574,901,429 |
| FY2019 | $104,693,614 | $177,902,113 | $1,504,301,647 |
| FY2018 | $130,737,807 | $160,652,694 | $1,402,189,130 |
| FY2017 | $188,235,265 | $147,966,362 | $1,551,569,653 |
| FY2016 | $79,693,428 | $144,040,945 | $1,457,878,678 |
| FY2015 | $1,073,388,436 | $422,501,093 | $1,486,476,608 |
| FY2014 | $539,976,957 | $517,225,460 | $800,897,271 |
| FY2013 | $529,780,148 | $504,309,459 | $895,539,346 |
| FY2012 | $456,080,227 | $448,981,998 | $744,668,668 |
Where the revenue came from
| Source | Amount | % of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions & grants | $189,719,280 | 97% |
| Program service revenue | $5,108,023 | 3% |
Where the money was spent
| Category | Amount | % of expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Program services | $183,756,701 | 83% |
| Management & general | $27,756,580 | 12% |
| Fundraising | $11,047,181 | 5% |
What the numbers show
- Contributions & grants made up 97% of total revenue in FY2025.
- Program services accounted for 83% of functional expenses, management & general 12%, and fundraising 5%.
- 83% of functional expenses went to program services in FY2025. That is higher than 40.2% of 112 Education organizations in DC.
- Net assets covered about 111.7 months of expenses at the end of the reporting year. That puts it in the 91st percentile among 668 Education organizations in DC.
- Total revenue was higher than 99.6% of 697 Education organizations in DC.
- Total revenue fell from $456,080,227 in FY2012 to $340,516,012 in FY2025, Revenue increased in 7 and decreased in 6 of 13 year-over-year comparisons.
- Expenses exceeded revenue in 6 of 14 reported years (FY2016, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, FY2022, FY2024).
- The highest revenue on record here is $1,073,388,436 in FY2015.
- Net assets grew from $744,668,668 to $2,070,844,460 between FY2012 and FY2025.
- Contributions and grants made up 4% of revenue in FY2012 and 56% in FY2025.
- Donations are generally tax-deductible (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 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.
IRS status
| Ruling year | 1938 |
| Subsection | 501(c)(3) |
| Classification | Public charity |
| Program area (NTEE) | B030 — Education (in DC) |
| Donations | Donations are generally tax-deductible (public charity). |
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Source: Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File (downloaded September 20, 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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