Van Andel Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
522000820
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2023
Official website data refreshed
Aug 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2023, Form 990-T 2023
Location
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Phone
616.234.5000
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Private Independent Foundations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$139,332,774
Expenses
$90,904,641
Assets
$2,237,961,296
Liabilities
$5,235,512

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2023. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DAVID VAN ANDEL (CHAIRMAN / CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • DAVID VAN ANDEL (CHAIRMAN / CEO): $799,596 total reported compensation
  • DR JANA HALL END 03312024 (CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER): $736,893 total reported compensation
  • THOMAS CURRAN JR (GENERAL COUNSEL): $612,974 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2023. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Van Andel Institute engages the world’s brightest minds and advances the boldest ideas in pursuit of the biggest breakthroughs for humanity.

What it reported doing in 2023

To operate for the benefit of, to perform the functions of, or to carry out the purposes of the van andel education institute (vaei), which includes the van andel institute graduate school (vaigs) and science academy. Vaigs prepares biomedical research scholars through a graduate program in cell and molecular genetics. The science academy programs create a unique setting for students, k-12, encouraging and enabling them to explore, question, and investigate as scientists do.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 85
  • Sustainability: 95
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 73.5%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 75%; rating input score 75; 24th 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: 34.8%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 24.62; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.6%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 22.1% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -3.9% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.6% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 3 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 73.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 4 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $66.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $800K · 8 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3.6M reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 11 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2019 to 2023
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 5 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 37/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.