Seti Institute
SETI Institute is a public charity and nonprofit research organization based in Mountain View, California, near NASA Ames Research Center. Its work includes scientific research, education, and public outreach focused on life and intelligence in the universe.
Seti Institute at a glance
In short: Seti Institute gave $2.0M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $70K), top state California. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,034,080
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $70,141
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $38,012
- Total assets
- $247,111,742
- +4.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (6 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Seti Institute
- Contact
Mailing address: 339 Bernardo Avenue 200, Mountain View, CA 94043
Phone: (650) 961-6633
Website: https://seti.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Seti Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Baja Technology LLC ($197K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
161 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 161 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Institute is based in Mountain View, California. In 2025, recipients in California received 39% of grant dollars, followed by Arizona (23%), Texas (8%), Indiana (7%), and Florida (6%). The 2025 recipient list also includes organizations in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Seti Institute open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 29 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $55K; repeat grants $74K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.0M (2024) to $3.4M (2020). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $2.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Baja Technology LLC Tempe, AZ | Research | $196,500 |
| Planetary Science Institute Tucson, AZ | Research | $187,842 |
| West Ed Los Alamitos, CA | Research | $175,432 |
| Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) San Antonio, TX | Research | $172,064 |
| San Diego State University Foundation San Diego, CA | Research | $159,176 |
| Chabot Space & Science Center Foundation Oakland, CA | Research | $149,135 |
| Purdue University West Lafayette, IN | Research | $132,676 |
| California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, CA | Research | $111,303 |
| University of Florida Board of Trustees Gainesville, FL | Research | $97,360 |
| The Regents of the University of California at Riverside Riverside, CA | Research | $86,445 |
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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 | $247,111,742 | $27,357,400 | $30,913,579 | $2,034,080 | 29 | $611,222 |
| 2024 | $237,032,764 | $55,182,076 | $28,838,314 | $1,965,249 | 29 | $4,585,156 |
| 2023 | $210,749,653 | $209,908,662 | $25,047,459 | $2,033,233 | 29 | $17,001 |
| 2022 | $26,724,400 | $28,045,270 | $24,508,635 | $2,764,263 | 38 | $1,186 |
| 2021 | $16,235,939 | $25,926,114 | $21,934,929 | $2,855,300 | 36 | $273 |
| 2020 | $14,536,591 | $22,680,216 | $23,138,089 | $3,429,115 | 34 | $369 |
| 2019 | $13,272,127 | $24,921,264 | $22,256,048 | $3,140,986 | 34 | $3,676 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Institute’s mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence. Its research includes planetary environments, astrobiology, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and other questions about the origins and prevalence of life. It also develops education programs and public outreach.
The Institute’s 2025 grants were reported for research. Recipients included universities and research organizations. Among 2024 recipients, the Planetary Science Institute described its mission as studying the origin, characteristics, and evolution of planetary systems and sharing that knowledge with scientific and public audiences. The San Diego State University Foundation said its mission is to support the research, education, and community service objectives of San Diego State University. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the Institute’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Institute reported 29 grants totaling $2,034,080. Grants ranged from $6,429 to $196,500, with a median of $38,012. The listed grant purposes were research.
The largest awards included $196,500 to Baja Technology LLC, $187,842 to the Planetary Science Institute, $175,432 to West Ed, $172,064 to Southwest Research Institute, and $159,176 to the San Diego State University Foundation. Other large recipients included Chabot Space & Science Center Foundation ($149,135), Purdue University ($132,676), and California Academy of Sciences ($111,303).
The Institute’s Technosignature Science and Technology Grants Program invites applications from eligible non-tenured faculty or researchers at universities and nonprofit organizations, and from post-preliminary graduate students whose proposals have faculty or researcher support. Awards may be up to $100,000 for the first category and $25,000 for the second, inclusive of overhead. Funded projects must focus on technosignature science and have a performance period of 6 to 24 months; the program states there are no nationality restrictions.
The STRIDE fund supports SETI Institute researchers and Education, Outreach, and Communications professionals developing research and education proposals. Its stated areas of support include basic research, technology development, prototyping, equipment and instrumentation, field work, and education program development. This program is for Institute personnel, rather than outside applicants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bill Diamond as Secretary, President and CEO, and Dan Lankford as Chairman of the Board. Other listed officers and directors are Andrew Fraknoi, Dane Glasgow, Wendi Zhang, Fritz Demopoulos, Helmy Eltoukhy, Reema Khan, Amaresh Kollipara, and Marco Larsen.
Seti Institute is led by Bill Diamond, Secretary, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 9 of 25 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bill Diamond
Secretary, President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$252K (2019) → $422K (2025)
Dan Lankford
Chairman of the Board
Chairman → Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Fraknoi
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$9K (2022) → $11K (2025)
Nathalie Cabrol
Director Carl Sagan Center
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$210K (2025)
Simon Steel
Director of Education & Public Outreach
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$198K (2025)
Amaresh Kollipara
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Avery Wang
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dava Newman
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Tarter
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mannan Latif
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marco Larsen
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pierre Schwob
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mohanjit Jolly
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Reema Khan
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fritz Demopoulos
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Helmy Eltoukhy
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Trimberger
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizebeth Varghese
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Campbell
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$126K (2019) → $231K (2025)
Janice Bishop
Senior Scientist
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$187K (2019) → $246K (2025)
Joseph Twicken
Senior Data Scientist
Senior Scientific Programm → Senior Scientific Programmer, 2022
Senior Scientific Programmer → Senior Data Scientist, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$196K (2019) → $215K (2025)
Peter Tenenbaum
Senior Pipeline Architect
Data Scientist → Senior Pipeline Architect, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$193K (2019) → $209K (2025)
Stephen Bourdow
Deputy Director & Operations
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$152K (2022) → $183K (2025)
Dane Glasgow
Vice Chariman of the Board
Vice Chairman → Vice Chariman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendi Zhang
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: James Andy Spry (2019–2024) — Senior Scientist
- Former: John Giannadrea (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Margaret Turnbull (2022–2024) — Research Scientist
- Former: Erik Charlton (2024) — Director
- Former: Shahzada Dawood (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Fredrick Demopoulos (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Saad Khan (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Daniel Lankford (2021) — Chairman
- Former: J. Andy Spry (2021) — Senior Scientist
- Former: Mark Showalter (2021) — Senior Scientist
- Former: Michael Quick (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Steven Culp (2020) — System Engineer
- Former: William Sparks (2020) — Senior Scientist
- Former: Bronwyn Syiek (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Jonathan Knowles (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Margaret Race (2019) — Senior Scientist
- Former: Rex Grignon (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $422K, to Bill Diamond (Secretary, President & CEO). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Seti Institute
How much does Seti Institute give each year?
Seti Institute gave $2.0M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.0M across 29 grants.
What is Seti Institute's typical grant size?
Seti Institute's median grant in 2025 was $38,012, and its average grant was $70,141, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Seti Institute that year got $55K on average.
Where does Seti Institute give grants?
Seti Institute's top state is California, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Arizona (23%) and Texas (8%).
Does Seti Institute give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Seti Institute's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research" (29 grants).
Who are Seti Institute's largest grantees?
Seti Institute's largest 2025 grantees include Baja Technology LLC ($196,500), Planetary Science Institute ($187,842) and West Ed ($175,432), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Seti Institute?
Seti Institute reported $247.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $27.4M.
What does Seti Institute fund?
The Institute’s mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Seti Institute?
Seti Institute has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check seti.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Seti Institute's EIN?
Seti Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2951356. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 22, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Seti Institute's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Seti Institute funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/seti-institute-morg_271f77f33f6a481e80e9c6fd3d430a04
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942951356_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Seti Institute funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/seti-institute-morg_271f77f33f6a481e80e9c6fd3d430a04},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Seti Institute's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Seti Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?