The Mind Research Network

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
850457562
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2018
Forms available
Form 990 2018
Location
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Phone
5053489361
Rating
69
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Neurology, Neuroscience Research

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$13,923,047
Expenses
$13,899,566
Assets
$3,071,604
Liabilities
$1,898,574

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2018. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • VINCE CALHOUN PHD (ESO, PRESIDENT (THROUGH 5/30/19))

Highest reported compensation

  • ROBERT RUBIN PHD (CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD): $816,914 total reported compensation
  • SHANNON TOMA CPA (EXECUTIVE VP, CFO): $541,054 total reported compensation
  • KENT KIEHL PHD (EXECUTIVE SCIENCE OFFICER): $396,381 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2018. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Mrn is dedicated to the discovery and advancement of clinical solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and other brain disorders. Mrn is a controlled entity of lovelace biomedical research institute based in albuquerque, nm.

What it reported doing in 2018

The mind research network is dedicated to the discovery and advancement of clinical solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and other brain disorders. When the mind research network (mrn) was established in 1998 as an independent non-profit research organization, its programs of investigation were aimed at projects in clinical, cognitive, and basic neuroscience using an array of imaging technologies to investigate the working brain, both for normal subjects, as well as those afflicted by brain disease. These technologies included structural magnetic resonance (smr), functional magnetic resonance (fmr), magnetoencephalography (meg), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (mrs), and optical imaging. While each technology alone has limitations, mrn has worked vigorously to develop techniques that combine these multiple tools to yield a more complete and comprehensive "multi-modal" approach than is possible using the same tools individually.building on these strengths, the organization has integrated genetic analysis and clinical assessments with structural and function imaging data to advance the early diagnosis of mental illness. Mrn's long-term goal is to advance clinical solutions that will improve outcomes for patients with mental illness or brain disorders. Collectively, millions of years of potentially productive life are lost to mental illness and brain disorders, making research on early diagnosis and prevention one of the top priorities for the national institutes of health.mrn's research portfolio is comprised of over 50 contracts, grants, and subawards valued at approximately $84m and spanning several thematic areas: (1) psychosis (e.g., schizophrenia), (2) substance abuse disorders and addiction, (3) conduct disorders/anti-social personality disorders, (4) neurodevelopment disorders (e.g., autism, add/adhd). In addition, mrn is involved in research on human factors and performance, including creativity, tbi/ptsd, and enhanced functioning. Major sponsors are the national institutes of health, national science foundation, and other federal agencies. Mrn employs approximately 120 staff and contract personnel.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 97% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 75
  • Accountability: 75
  • Sustainability: 22
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.9%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 80.1%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.3%; rating input score 92; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 57.1%; rating input score 57; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.2%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.22; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.62; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.8%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.1% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -3.9% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -17.3% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.9% of revenue deployed · 80.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 7 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $11.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $817K · 14 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $129K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2010 to 2018
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 57/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 34/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 7/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 9/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 25/100.