Gear Research Institute
Cooperative precompetitive (fundamental) research
Gear Research Institute at a glance
In short: Gear Research Institute gave $96K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $96K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $96,000
- +20.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $96,000
- +20.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $96,000
- Total assets
- $3,435,168
- +28.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Gear Research Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Pennsylvania State University ($96K).
Grant Size Distribution
4 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 3 grants of 4 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $15K (2020) to $96K (2025). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $96K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Pennsylvania State University State College, PA | General support - Applied Research Lab - Gears and related research | $96,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,435,168 | $606,022 | $672,162 | $96,000 | 1 | $40,989 |
| 2024 | $2,677,968 | $1,177,611 | $1,063,074 | $79,600 | 1 | $38,286 |
| 2023 | $2,739,932 | $952,559 | $870,225 | $58,000 | 1 | $36,445 |
| 2022 | $2,533,325 | $489,271 | $560,732 | $64,500 | Total only | $1,985 |
| 2021 | $1,773,639 | $1,019,390 | $979,478 | $15,000 | 1 | $8,342 |
| 2020 | $1,635,759 | $966,048 | $904,226 | $15,000 | 1 | $10,412 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Gear Research Institute
Based on IRS filings
Gear Research Institute is a public charity focused on Academics, based in State College, PA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $96K. Net investment income was $41K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Gear Research Institute is led by Geary Smith, Trustee & President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 12 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Geary Smith
Trustee & President
Trustee & Secretary → Trustee & President, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aaron Isaacson
Managing Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alessio Pescosolido
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Wagner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Traband
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Yoders
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John O'Neil
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Sheen
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derrick Black
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd Praneis
Trustee & Secretary
Trustee → Trustee & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Lewis
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Colleen Tomasello
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Chad Behrman (2020–2024) — Trustee & President
- Former: Amir Aboutaleb (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Avinash Singh (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Teik Lim (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: John Masseth (2020) — Trustee & President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Gear Research Institute
How much does Gear Research Institute give each year?
Gear Research Institute gave $96K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $80K across 1 grant.
How large is Gear Research Institute?
Gear Research Institute reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $606K.
What is Gear Research Institute?
Gear Research Institute is a public charity focused on Academics, based in State College, PA. It holds $3.4M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Gear Research Institute operate?
Gear Research Institute has awarded grants in Pennsylvania.
What is Gear Research Institute's EIN?
Gear Research Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3203075. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 19, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 20, 2023)
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