Is Smithsonian Institution a Trustworthy Charity?
Independent charity trust assessment · Updated March 26, 2026
48
Donor Caution Advised
Significant transparency concerns — conduct thorough research before donating
D
Smithsonian Institution is a nonprofit organization with a Nerq Trust Score of 48.2/100 (D). Donor recommendation: Proceed with Caution. World's largest museum/research complex. 30M+ visitors annually. US government-funded.
Overall assessment: Smithsonian Institution is not recommended for donors without further due diligence.
Trust Score Breakdown
Financial Transparency (30%)65/100 Program Effectiveness (25%)49/100 Accountability (10%)59/100
Key Findings
⚠Financial Transparency: 65/100 — Good
⚠Program Effectiveness: 49/100 — Fair
⚠Governance: 44/100 — Fair
⚠Donor Trust: 49/100 — Fair
⚠Accountability: 59/100 — Fair
How does Smithsonian Institution spend its money?
Financial Transparency score: 65/100 (Good).
Estimated program expense ratio: 52%.
A significant portion of funds may go to administration and fundraising.
Financial estimates derived from Nerq analysis. Verify with the charity's public filings (IRS Form 990) for exact figures.
How is Smithsonian Institution governed?
Governance score: 44/100 (Fair).
Accountability score: 59/100 (Fair).
Governance practices raise concerns — donors should verify board independence and audit history.
Accountability measures are present but could be strengthened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smithsonian Institution a trustworthy charity?
Smithsonian Institution has a Nerq Trust Score of 48.2/100 (D). Proceed with Caution. Conduct thorough research before donating.
How does Smithsonian Institution spend donations?
Estimated program expense ratio: 52%. Financial Transparency score: 65/100. Review the latest Form 990 for detailed spending breakdown.
Is my donation to Smithsonian Institution tax-deductible?
Check Smithsonian Institution's IRS tax-exempt status on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. Most registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits offer tax-deductible donations. Verify directly with the organization.
Does Smithsonian Institution publish annual reports?
Transparency score: 65/100. Check the organization website or GuideStar/Candid for available reports.
How effective is Smithsonian Institution at achieving its mission?
Program Effectiveness score: 49/100 (Fair). Limited evidence of program effectiveness — request impact data directly.
Who oversees Smithsonian Institution?
Governance score: 44/100. Governance information is limited — review IRS Form 990 for board details.
How does Smithsonian Institution compare to similar charities?
Smithsonian Institution has an overall trust score of 48.2/100. Compare with similar nonprofits below or browse the full charity index to find top-rated organizations in the same cause area.
How we calculated this score
Smithsonian Institution's trust score of 48.2/100 (D) is based on analysis of public financial filings, governance disclosures, program outcomes, and donor feedback signals. The score reflects 5 charity-specific dimensions: Financial Transparency (65/100, 30%), Program Effectiveness (49/100, 25%), Governance (44/100, 20%), Donor Trust (49/100, 15%), and Accountability (59/100, 10%).
Nerq indexes over 7.5 million entities across 26 registries, enabling direct cross-organization comparison. Scores are updated as new data becomes available.
Full methodology documentation · Machine-readable data (JSON API)
Last updated: March 26, 2026 · Data sources: IRS Form 990, GuideStar, Charity Navigator, public filings