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- Battelle is an Ohio incorporated charitable trust formed pursuant to the Will of Gordon Battelle. Battelle is organized exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes, including the utilization of science, the scientific method and research for the benefit and education of mankind, and is exempt from United States federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
- Battelle and its affiliates constitute a global enterprise specializing in science and technology discovery and application, commercialization of technology, and management of laboratories for customers with consolidated revenues of $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2008.
- Battelle’s global enterprise generates its operating revenues through conduct of four principal businesses:
- National Security, which engages in activities related to chemical and biological defense, advanced materials, undersea technologies, and other national security related matters;
- Energy Technology, which engages in activities related to climate change solutions, fuel cells, nuclear power, energy infrastructure, and similar matters;
- Health and Life Sciences, which engages in activities related to public health, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics, and similar matters; and
- Laboratory Management, which engages in activities related to management and operation of national laboratories for the United States Department of Energy and Department of Homeland Security, and management and operation of laboratories for other domestic and international clients.
- Battelle also generates investment revenues through a portfolio consisting of equity securities, debt securities, venture capital limited partnership interests, private equity interests, and other investments. In addition to the broader portfolio of investments, Battelle is the sole limited partner in Battelle Ventures, L.P., a venture capital limited partnership specifically formed to identify and develop economically and socially valuable technologies in furtherance of Battelle’s charitable, educational and scientific purposes and to pursue economic returns which Battelle can use to further those purposes.
- Pursuant to an Agreement between Battelle and the Attorney General of the State of Ohio, each year Battelle is obligated to distribute to qualified charitable causes the greater of $1 million or 20% of the net income reflected in its annual audited financial reports. Qualified charitable causes are those which are either charitable under Ohio common law or for which a charitable contribution deduction could be claimed for United States federal income tax purposes under Internal Revenue Code Section 170. At least 62% of total annual distributions to charitable causes must be made in central Ohio for the benefit of central Ohio.
- Battelle is a self-sustaining organization that does not have shareholders; the sole source of investment funds for our continuance and advancement are operating income in excess of expenses and debt.
- It is Battelle’s goal to maintain a balanced philanthropic portfolio and create positive impacts on local, regional, national and international scales. Battelle’s distributions to charitable causes support civic needs, the arts, health and human services, and education – especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Distributions to charitable causes are typically made to fund initiatives which are scalable, sustainable, and “catalytic.” Approximately eighty-percent of the total dollars distributed each year relate to education “signature” initiatives, which are regional or national in scope and in most cases involve other collaborative partners. The remaining twenty percent is earmarked for Corporate Citizenship to be distributed to the communities in which we operate.
- To avoid potential “peaks and valleys” in the amount of distributions to charitable causes which could result from changes in Battelle’s financial performance from year-to-year, Battelle has established, and periodically funded, a donor advised fund at The Columbus Foundation. The donor advised fund has enhanced predictability and enabled Battelle to better serve the qualified charitable causes it supports.
- For accounting purposes, Battelle immediately records all unconditional promises to give for the entire amount, regardless of the payout schedule. Battelle utilizes “real time” monitoring and rolling forecasts from various funding sources and provides on-going grant guidance to our non-profit partners.
- Battelle’s Distribution Committee makes collaborative decisions and relies on special approval from our Board of Directors for any distribution exceeding $500,000. Since 2000, Battelle has distributed in excess of $100 million to qualified charitable causes.
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