Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 6 (Board Policy on Effectiveness)
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
KSMCB does not meet this Standard because:
- The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
Standard 7 (Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness)
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.
KSMCB does not meet this Standard because:
- Although the organization produced a written effectiveness assessment report in January 2020, the report did not include recommendations for future actions and was not submitted for approval to the board of directors.
Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
KSMCB does not meet this Standard because the 2019 annual report did not include:
- A roster of the board of directors.
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability:
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Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology meets the remaining 16 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Year, State Incorporated
1995, CO
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Stated Purpose
"to serve as a catalyst for the advancement of biomedical and life sciences by connecting scientists within and across disciplines at conferences and workshops held at venues that create an environment conducive to information exchange, generation of new ideas and acceleration of applications that benefit society."
Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology (KSMCB) sponsors an annual series of conferences for the scientific community, which are international in scope and focus on new and emerging areas of molecular and cellular biology as they apply to basic biology, human medicine, and agriculture. The organization offers travel awards for conference attendance to investigators at the early-career level (assistant professor and the industry equivalent) from underrepresented backgrounds. The Keystone Symposia Fellows Program provides an opportunity to engage in the Keystone Symposia program development process and gain insight into the inner workings of the life science community. It is designed for early-career scientists from underrepresented backgrounds with a commitment to promoting diversity throughout their careers. The organization's Global Health Series consists of conferences on topics of particular relevance to low and middle income countries (LMIC), particularly infectious diseases but now also a broader range of topics such as cancer and diabetes. Global Health Travel Awards provide financial support to enable attendance by LMIC investigators and clinicians. KSMCB also awards scholarships for conference attendance to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and associates, with selection based on the quality and relevance of the abstract to the conference topic.
For the year ended June 30, 2019, Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology's program expenses were:
Scientific and educational symposia |
$10,658,598 |
Total Program Expenses: |
$10,658,598 |
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Chief Executive
Deborah L. Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer
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Compensation*
$108,863
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Chair of the Board
Walter Moos
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Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Managing Director, Pandect Bioventures; Professor, University of California, San Francisco
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Board Size
16
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Paid Staff Size
42
*2018 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Note 1: Dr. Deborah L. Johnson's compensation was for a partial year. The previous President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jane Peterson, received compensation in the amount of $206,327 for a partial year.
Note 2: The highest compensated employee was Dr. Thale Jarvis, receiving $253,747 in compensation.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet
Fundraising costs were 13% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $6,486,185, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019.
Source of Funds |
Conference registation and other, net |
$11,233,512 |
Contributions and sponsorships |
$5,971,216 |
Net investment return |
$971,363 |
Federal and state contracts and grants |
$514,969 |
Total Income |
$18,691,060 |
- Programs: 67%
- Administrative: 28%
- Fundraising: 5%
Total Income |
$18,691,060 |
Program expenses |
$10,658,598 |
Fundraising expenses |
$868,341 |
Administrative expenses |
$4,440,094 |
Other expenses |
$0 |
Total expenses: |
$15,967,033 |
Income in Excess of Expenses |
$2,724,027 |
Beginning Net Assets |
$17,297,727 |
Other Changes In Net Assets |
$-308,447 |
Ending Net Assets |
$19,713,307 |
Total Liabilities |
$1,218,694 |
Total Assets |
$20,932,001 |
Note 1: According to KSMCB's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019, the organization received in-kind contributions totaling $1,400,258 in the form of marketing sponsorships ($756,370), conference space and services ($444,838), speakers' travel ($164,050), and travel award ($35,000).
Note 2: In the financial section above, 'other changes in net assets' refers to a loss on uncollectible promises to give.