Gemological Institute of America Inc. (GIA) is a public charity based in Carlsbad, California, formed in 1931. Its mission is to ensure confidence in gems and jewelry through innovation, knowledge, and research. Its activities include education, laboratory services, research, and publications; its 2024 filing also reports grants to organizations working in gemology education, consumer protection, and education for artisanal miners.
Key facts about Gemological Institute of America Inc
In short: Gemological Institute of America Inc gave $1.1M across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $77K), top state Nevada. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 95-3797687
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,079,009
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- Average grant
- $77,072
- Median grant
- $15,800
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (2 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $724,023,528
- Primary geography
- Nevada (49% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$724.0M
+1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-13.1% YoY
Grant Count
14
-12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$77K
-0.7% YoY
Is Gemological Institute of America Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 14 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $88K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $18K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
GIA states that its mission is to ensure confidence in gems and jewelry through innovation, knowledge, and research. Its website also describes a sustainability strategy aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with particular attention to poverty, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and climate action.
The 2024 grants show support for gemological education and consumer protection, as well as education for artisanal miners in gem-mining communities. For example, GIA’s largest 2024 grantee, the American Gem Society, describes its mission as consumer protection, ethical business standards, and developing gemological skill and standards. PACT describes its work as building evidence-based, data-driven, community-led human-development solutions. The Women’s Jewelry Association says it supports women’s professional advancement in the jewelry and watch industries through networking, education, and leadership development. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not GIA’s.
GIA also offers needs-based and military scholarships for eligible students in specified programs and locations. Its website says the Opportunity Scholarship requires a FAFSA application and may provide up to $15,000, subject to eligibility and available funds. The Military Scholarship may provide up to $5,000 for eligible veterans, active-duty service members, and dependent family members.
Grantmaking
The largest awards were $500,000 to the American Gem Society for gemology education and its AGS Conclave, $287,816 to PACT Inc. for education of artisanal miners in gem-mining communities, and $93,224 to Mercury Free Mining Inc. for education of artisanal miners in gem-mining communities.
Other listed awards included $19,000 to Jewelers for Children for gemological education; $17,250 to Women’s Jewelry Association Inc. for women-focused education in gemology; $16,600 to Jewelers Vigilance Committee Inc. for consumer protection and education; and $13,183 to Diamond Empowerment Fund Inc. for education of artisanal miners in gem-mining communities. The filing also listed grants for gemological education and consumer protection, and for advancing mineralogy, crystallography, and geochemistry.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Nevada (51%) and the District of Columbia (29%), followed by Oregon (9%), New York (8%), and Florida (2%), according to the filing data.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $207K (2020) to $5.7M (2022). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Gem Society ($529K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 64 (77%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Gem Society Las Vegas, NV | Support Gemology Education & AGS Conclave | $529,070 |
| Pact Inc Washington, DC | Support education of artisanal miners in gem mining communities | $295,196 |
| Mercury Free Mining Inc Corvallis, OR | Support education of artisanal miners in gem mining communities | $93,224 |
| Various Law Enforcement Agencies | Support law enforcement function of reducing theft, fraud & misrepresentation | $47,771 |
| Women's Jewelry Association Inc New York, NY | Support Women-Focused Education in Gemology | $19,100 |
| Jewelers for Children New York, NY | Support Gemological Education | $19,000 |
| Jewelers Vigilance Committee Inc New York, NY | Support Consumer Protection & Education | $16,600 |
| Jose Hess Design Awards Inc Saint Augustine, FL | Support Gemological Education | $15,000 |
| Diamond Empowerment Fund Inc New York, NY | Support education of artisanal miners in gem mining communities | $13,183 |
| Jewelers of America Inc New York, NY | Support Consumer Protection & Education | $8,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $724,023,528 | $274,436,083 | $275,250,256 | $988,148 |
| 2023 | $715,532,970 | $281,812,540 | $276,400,974 | $1,117,998 |
| 2022 | $676,668,895 | $291,055,082 | $301,469,731 | $5,545,555 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $724,023,528 | $715,532,970 | $676,668,895 |
| Revenue | $274,436,083 | $281,812,540 | $291,055,082 |
| Expenses | $275,250,256 | $276,400,974 | $301,469,731 |
| Net Investment Income | $105,172,819 | $74,027,242 | $31,731,643 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Susan Jacques as President/CEO and Thomas Moses as Executive VP. Listed governors are Lisa Locklear, Stephen Kahler, Barbara Dutrow, Marcus Ter Haar, Patricia Ann Kikuko Harvey, Tammy Storino, Jeffrey Post, and Samantha Ravich.
Gemological Institute of America Inc is led by Susan Jacques, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; all 32 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan Jacques
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
39 hrs/week
$658K (2020) → $688K (2024)
Claudia Dandrea
Director & Lab Operations
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$323K (2024)
Barbara Dutrow
Governor
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$23K (2020) → $35K (2024)
David Tearle
Senior Vice President & CFO
On filings since 2020
39 hrs/week
$493K (2020) → $476K (2024)
Duncan Pay
Senior Vice President & Chief Academic Officer
Vice President & Chief Academic Officer → Senior Vice President & Chief Academic Officer, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$311K (2020) → $335K (2024)
Elizabeth Keating
Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compl Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$326K (2020) → $327K (2024)
Jeffrey Post
Governor
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$28K (2023) → $32K (2024)
Jennifer Wilson
Senior Vice President & General Counsel
On filings since 2020
39 hrs/week
$413K (2020) → $279K (2024)
John Hall
Vice President & CIO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$314K (2020) → $404K (2024)
Lawrence Ma
Governor
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$18K (2020) → $28K (2024)
Lisa Locklear
Governor
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$23K (2020) → $43K (2024)
Patricia Ann Kikuko Harvey
Governor
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$18K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Pritesh Patel
Senior Vice President & COO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$441K (2020) → $438K (2024)
R. Andrew Johnson
Governor
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$18K (2020) → $28K (2024)
Samantha Ravich
Governor
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$18K (2020) → $32K (2024)
Stephen Kahler
Governor
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$23K (2020) → $40K (2024)
Tammy Storino
Governor
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$18K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Thomas Moses
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2020
39 hrs/week
$652K (2020) → $632K (2024)
Wuyi Wang
Vice President, Research & Development
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$299K (2020) → $319K (2024)
Dave Bindra
Governor
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$14K (2021) → $28K (2024)
David Lin
Vice President & Ciso
Vice President & Chief Info Secretary Officer → Vice President & Ciso, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$334K (2021) → $790K (2024)
Marcus Ter Haar
Governor
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$14K (2021) → $35K (2024)
Lisa Biggs
Vice President & Chief Accounting Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$410K (2022) → $314K (2024)
Russell Mehta
Governor
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$28K (2023) → $28K (2024)
Xueying Dai
Governor
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$14K (2022) → $28K (2024)
Aditya Kashyap
Vice President & Product Management
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$421K (2023) → $386K (2024)
Johanna Levy
Vice President, Envir., Social & Governance
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$340K (2023) → $289K (2024)
Soon Raab
Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$354K (2023) → $352K (2024)
Brandon Pace
Senior Vice President & General Counsel
New on the 2024 filing
39 hrs/week
$328K (2024)
Francois Delage
Governor
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
$28K (2024)
Lisa Bridge Berenstein
Governor
New on the 2024 filing
1.5 hrs/week
$14K (2024)
Wendy Bohrson
Governor
New on the 2024 filing
1.5 hrs/week
$14K (2024)
Former officers (14)
- Former: Anna Martin (2020–2023) — Senior Vice President & Institute Relations
- Former: John Valley (2020–2023) — Governor
- Former: Phillip Yantzer (2020–2023) — Vice President & Lab Operations
- Former: Barbara Sawrey (2020–2022) — Governor
- Former: Dione D. Kenyon (2020–2022) — Governor
- Former: Elliot Tannenbaum (2020–2022) — Governor
- Former: Lisa Garris (2020–2022) — Vice President & Human Resources
- Former: Mark Buntz (2020–2022) — Senior Vice President & CMO
- Former: Thomas Insley (2020–2022) — Governor
- Former: Lucy Xia (2021–2022) — Vice President & Transformation Operations
- Former: Amit Dhamani (2020–2021) — Governor
- Former: Susan Schindelar (2020–2021) — Former Key Employee
- Former: John King (2020) — Chief Quality Officer
- Former: Rosanne Sawyer (2020) — Vice President & Chief Hr Officer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $790K, to David Lin (VP & Ciso). 32 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 5345 Armada Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008-4602
Phone: (760) 603-4000
Website: https://gia.edu
Frequently asked questions about Gemological Institute of America Inc
How much does Gemological Institute of America Inc give each year?
Gemological Institute of America Inc gave $1.1M across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 16 grants.
What is Gemological Institute of America Inc's typical grant size?
Gemological Institute of America Inc's median grant in 2024 was $15,800, and its average grant was $77,072, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gemological Institute of America Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does Gemological Institute of America Inc give grants?
Gemological Institute of America Inc's top state is Nevada, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were District of Columbia (27%) and Oregon (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants).
Does Gemological Institute of America Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Gemological Institute of America Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Gemological Education" (3 grants) and "Support Consumer Protection & Education" (3 grants).
Who are Gemological Institute of America Inc's largest grantees?
Gemological Institute of America Inc's largest 2024 grantees include American Gem Society ($529,070), Pact Inc ($295,196) and Mercury Free Mining Inc ($93,224), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gemological Institute of America Inc?
Gemological Institute of America Inc reported $724.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $274.4M.
What does Gemological Institute of America Inc fund?
GIA states that its mission is to ensure confidence in gems and jewelry through innovation, knowledge, and research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gemological Institute of America Inc?
Gemological Institute of America Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check gia.edu for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Gemological Institute of America Inc's EIN?
Gemological Institute of America Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3797687. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Gemological Institute of America Inc by hand.
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