Center For Applied Rationality
- Assets
- $4.4m
- Revenue
- $4.5m
- Investments
- $0.0
- Employees
- 14
- Location
- Berkeley, CA
- Founding
- 06/2012
- Data as of
- 12/2021
- EIN
- 45-3100226
Organization Overview
Center For Applied Rationality is located in Berkeley, CA. The organization was established in 2012. According to its NTEE Classification (H99) the organization is classified as: Medical Research N.E.C., under the broad grouping of Medical Research and related organizations. As of 12/2021, Center For Applied Rationality employed 14 individuals. This organization is an independent organization and not affiliated with a larger national or regional group of organizations. Center For Applied Rationality is a 501(c)(3) and as such, is described as a "Charitable or Religous organization or a private foundation" by the IRS.
For the year ending 12/2021, Center For Applied Rationality generated $4.5m in total revenue. This organization has experienced exceptional growth, as over the past 7 years, it has increased revenue by an average of 25.8% each year . All expenses for the organization totaled $3.7m during the year ending 12/2021. While expenses have increased by 22.0% per year over the past 7 years. They've been increasing with an increasing level of total revenue. You can explore the organizations financials more deeply in the financial statements section below.
Form
990
Mission & Program ActivityExcerpts From the 990 Filing
TAX YEAR
2021
Describe the Organization's Mission:
Part 3 - Line 1
PERFORM AND CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO INDIVIDUAL, COLLECTIVE, AND ARTIFICIAL COGNITION. DO THIS RESEARCH BY: A) SEARCHING FOR IDEAS ON HOW TO ALIGN MACHINE INTELLIGENCE, AND FOR USEFUL IDEAS ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE REASONING OF BOTH INDIVIDUAL HUMANS AND GROUPS OF HUMANS; B) TEST WHETHER THE IDEAS FOR ONE PORT TO THE OTHERS; C) TEST OUR IDEAS THROUGH TARGETED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIMENTS, RESEARCH WORKSHOPS, PHYSICAL RESEARCH CENTRES, AND ONLINE RESEARCH FORA; D) COLLABORATE WITH EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS IN RELATED FIELDS.
Describe the Organization's Program Activity:
Part 3 - Line 4a
LESSWRONG2.0: LESSWRONG IS A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO IMPROVING OUR REASONING AND DECISION-MAKING. WE SEEK TO HOLD TRUE BELIEFS AND TO BE EFFECTIVE AT ACCOMPLISHING OUR GOALS. MORE GENERALLY, WE WORK TO DEVELOP AND PRACTICE THE ART OF HUMAN RATIONALITY.
MAIN WORKSHOPS - CFAR HAS PERFORMED LITERATURE REVIEWS IN PSYCHOLOGY, COGNITIVE SCIENCE, AND RELATED FIELDS IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A RANGE OF MENTAL TECHNIQUES DESIGNED TO HELP IMPROVE CLARITY OF THINKING AND DECISION-MAKING, AND INCREASE INTERNAL ALIGNMENT TOWARDS GOALS. OUR WORKSHOPS ARE 4-DAY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO TEACH PARTICIPANTS THESE TECHNIQUES IN A PRACTICAL WAY. THE WORKSHOP CONSISTS MOSTLY OF LECTURES AND EXERCISES, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS TO TRAIN EACH OTHER ON THE TECHNIQUES.
RESEARCH AND TRAINING - OUR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES CONSIST OF LITERATURE REVIEWS AND SMALL-SCALE TRIALS, FOLLOWED BY TESTING TECHNIQUES AT WORKSHOPS. OUR TRAINING PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF WEEKEND WORKSHOPS FOR ALUMNI VOLUNTEERS TO ATTEND SO THEY CAN DEVELOP THE SKILL SET TO BE MENTORS OR INSTRUCTORS FOR OUR WORKSHOPS. TRAINING SOMETIMES ALSO INCLUDES CFAR STAFF MEMBERS ATTENDING CONFERENCES AND OTHER EVENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE PRIMARY RESEARCH AND TRAIING PROJECT OF 2019 WAS OUR INSTRUCTOR TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO TRAIN MORE PEOPLE TO TEACH OUR MATERIAL AT THE MAIN WORKSHOPS.
RESEARCH - OUR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES CONSIST OF THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATIONS BY STAFF, PRESENTED IN INTERNAL COLLOQUIA, LONGITUDINAL STUDIES, RESEARCH REPORTS, AND MORE. WE ALSO HOST THE ONLINE RESEARCH FORUMS, LESSWRONG AND THE ALIGNMENT FORUM, WHERE STAFF FROM CFAR AND OTHER ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS SHARE AND DISCUSS RESEARCH PROGRESS VIA: TECHNICAL REPORTS, BLOG POSTS, AND DRAFT PAPERS, IN THE FIELDS OF: PSYCHOLOGY, COMPUTER SCIENCE, ECONOMICS, RATIONALITY, AND AI. CFAR OPERATES A RESEARCH CENTER AND OFFICE WHICH RUNS SEMINARS AND VISITOR PROGRAMS FOR RESEARCHERS FROM BOTH THE ORGANIZATION AND OTHER GROUPS, UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTES BASED IN THE AREA. CFAR ALSO RUNS RESEARCH RETREATS FOR STAFF AND INVITED GUESTS, WHO SPEND SUSTAINED EFFORT IN A RETREAT LOCATION OVER 1-2 WEEKS ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT E.G. THE NATURE OF INTELLIGENCE.
MAIN WORKSHOPS - CFAR HAS PERFORMED LITERATURE REVIEWS IN PSYCHOLOGY, COGNITIVE SCIENCE, AND RELATED FIELDS IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A RANGE OF MENTAL TECHNIQUES DESIGNED TO HELP IMPROVE CLARITY OF THINKING AND DECISION-MAKING, AND INCREASE INTERNAL ALIGNMENT TOWARDS GOALS. OUR WORKSHOPS ARE 4-DAY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO TEACH PARTICIPANTS THESE TECHNIQUES IN A PRACTICAL WAY. THE WORKSHOP CONSISTS MOSTLY OF LECTURES AND EXERCISES, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS TO TRAIN EACH OTHER ON THE TECHNIQUES.
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Board, Officers & Key Employees
| Name (title) | Role | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
Ruben Bloom Team Lead | 50 | $115,367 | |
Jackson Carroll Director Of Operations | Officer | 30 | $71,612 |
Anna Salamon President | OfficerTrustee | 30 | $30,556 |
Timothy Telleen-Lawton Executive Director | Officer | 30 | $21,194 |
Michael Blume Secretary | OfficerTrustee | 1 | $0 |
Jesse Liptrap Treasurer | OfficerTrustee | 1 | $0 |
Financial Statements
| Statement of Revenue | |
|---|---|
| Federated campaigns | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 |
| Fundraising events | $0 |
| Related organizations | $0 |
| Government grants | $68,918 |
| All other contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts not included above | $4,295,201 |
| Noncash contributions included in lines 1a–1f | $253,348 |
| Total Revenue from Contributions, Gifts, Grants & Similar | $4,364,119 |
| Total Program Service Revenue | $25,640 |
| Investment income | $9,311 |
| Tax Exempt Bond Proceeds | $0 |
| Royalties | $0 |
| Net Rental Income | $0 |
| Net Gain/Loss on Asset Sales | -$17,900 |
| Net Income from Fundraising Events | $0 |
| Net Income from Gaming Activities | $0 |
| Net Income from Sales of Inventory | $13,384 |
| Miscellaneous Revenue | $0 |
| Total Revenue | $4,525,208 |
| Statement of Expenses | |
|---|---|
| Grants and other assistance to domestic organizations and domestic governments. | $34,776 |
| Grants and other assistance to domestic individuals. | $20,000 |
| Grants and other assistance to Foreign Orgs/Individuals | $15,000 |
| Benefits paid to or for members | $0 |
| Compensation of current officers, directors, key employees. | $179,946 |
| Compensation of current officers, directors, key employees. | $67,457 |
| Compensation to disqualified persons | $0 |
| Other salaries and wages | $614,580 |
| Pension plan accruals and contributions | $0 |
| Other employee benefits | $51,996 |
| Payroll taxes | $50,598 |
| Fees for services: Management | $0 |
| Fees for services: Legal | $20,174 |
| Fees for services: Accounting | $28,504 |
| Fees for services: Lobbying | $0 |
| Fees for services: Fundraising | $0 |
| Fees for services: Investment Management | $0 |
| Fees for services: Other | $332,219 |
| Advertising and promotion | $1,647 |
| Office expenses | $316,037 |
| Information technology | $83,352 |
| Royalties | $0 |
| Occupancy | $835,490 |
| Travel | $58,319 |
| Payments of travel or entertainment expenses for any federal, state, or local public officials | $0 |
| Conferences, conventions, and meetings | $127,976 |
| Interest | $52,999 |
| Payments to affiliates | $0 |
| Depreciation, depletion, and amortization | $36,586 |
| Insurance | $24,313 |
| All other expenses | $0 |
| Total functional expenses | $3,692,284 |
| Balance Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Cash—non-interest-bearing | $805,456 |
| Savings and temporary cash investments | $1,949,077 |
| Pledges and grants receivable | $0 |
| Accounts receivable, net | $51,004 |
| Loans from Officers, Directors, or Controlling Persons | $0 |
| Loans from Disqualified Persons | $0 |
| Notes and loans receivable | $0 |
| Inventories for sale or use | $5,761 |
| Prepaid expenses and deferred charges | $8,794 |
| Net Land, buildings, and equipment | $1,599,851 |
| Investments—publicly traded securities | $3 |
| Investments—other securities | $0 |
| Investments—program-related | $0 |
| Intangible assets | $24,537 |
| Other assets | $0 |
| Total assets | $4,444,483 |
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $124,344 |
| Grants payable | $0 |
| Deferred revenue | $0 |
| Tax-exempt bond liabilities | $0 |
| Escrow or custodial account liability | $0 |
| Loans and other payables to any current Officer, Director, or Controlling Person | $0 |
| Secured mortgages and notes payable | $897,463 |
| Unsecured mortgages and notes payable | $176,767 |
| Other liabilities | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $1,198,574 |
| Net assets without donor restrictions | $2,425,310 |
| Net assets with donor restrictions | $820,599 |
| Capital stock or trust principal, or current funds | $0 |
| Paid-in or capital surplus, or land, building, or equipment fund | $0 |
| Retained earnings, endowment, accumulated income, or other funds | $0 |
| Total liabilities and net assets/fund balances | $4,444,483 |
Grants Awarded
Over the last fiscal year, Center For Applied Rationality has awarded $66,000 in support to 4 organizations.
| Grant Recipient | Amount |
|---|---|
San Francisco, CA PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT MONSOON MATH AND MISE. | $27,000 |
San Francisco, CA PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT MONSOON MATH AND MISE. | $27,000 |
Bellevue, WA PURPOSE: TO FUND A GROUP HOUSE AND ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP. | $6,000 |
Bellevue, WA PURPOSE: TO FUND A GROUP HOUSE AND ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP. | $6,000 |
Grants Recieved
Over the last fiscal year, we have identified 6 grants that Center For Applied Rationality has recieved totaling $3,418,003.
| Awarding Organization | Amount |
|---|---|
Founders Pledge Inc New York, NY PURPOSE: SPARC, THE SUMMER PROGRAM ON APPLIED RATIONALITY AND COGNITION; LIGHTCONE INFRASTRUCTURE; LESSWRONG; GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,682,000 |
Casey & Family Foundation Boston, MA PURPOSE: CHARITABLE | $500,000 |
Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mountain View, CA PURPOSE: Health | $212,200 |
Centre For Effective Altruism Usa Inc San Francisco, CA PURPOSE: Research | $15,000 |
American Endowment Foundation Hudson, OH PURPOSE: MEDICAL RESEARCH | $8,350 |
Amazonsmile Foundation Seattle, WA PURPOSE: GENERAL SUPPORT | $453 |
Peer Organizations
| Organization Name | Assets | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
Research Corporation Tucson, AZ | $242,008,144 | $26,138,153 |
Southwest Autism Research And Resource Center Phoenix, AZ | $18,925,029 | $16,667,407 |
Conard House Inc San Francisco, CA | $5,907,710 | $14,988,369 |
Hopelab Foundation Inc San Francisco, CA | $32,085,472 | $14,961,821 |
Multidisciplinary Association For Psychedelic Studies San Jose, CA | $92,188,866 | $23,580,425 |
Glenn Foundation For Medical Research Inc Phoenix, AZ | $192,520,690 | $23,653,368 |
Hmsa Foundation Honolulu, HI | $18,488,325 | $337,265 |
Larry L Hillblom Foundation Inc Petaluma, CA | $157,022,260 | $9,255,919 |
Arastradero Research Institute Palo Alto, CA | $86,734,431 | $15,446,292 |
Center For Applied Rationality Berkeley, CA | $4,444,483 | $4,525,208 |
National Community Health Partners Sahuarita, AZ | $263,343 | $3,493,424 |
Pacific Health Research And Education Institute Honolulu, HI | $1,082,552 | $2,379,832 |