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research dossier

CENTER FOR CURIOSITY INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 472000182 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B99 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · centerforcuriosity.com
revenue
$565K
expenses
$342K
net assets
$1.3M
employees
0
program ratio
99%
mission · from form 990

THE CENTER OF CURIOSITY CONDUCTS AND ENGAGES IN TRANSDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH INTO THE CONCEPT OF "CURIOSITY" WITH THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF CREATING CURRICULAR TOOLS.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Center for Curiosity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the science and practice of curiosity through interdisciplinary research, public events, and curricular tool development. It conducts workshops, conferences, and outreach initiatives to promote curiosity in academic and public spheres. The organization collaborates with institutions like IIT Gandhinagar and the University of Pennsylvania to foster innovation in education and leadership.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Art and Cognition Confluence
Two-day residency program exploring the relationship between art and cognition in collaboration with the Cognitive Science Society.
Comic Conclave
Gathering of comics artists, writers, and publishers to explore visual storytelling and its role in expressing complex ideas through narrative.
Cultivating Curiosity Award
Annual award co-sponsored with Acadly at Reimagine Education to recognize innovative projects that advance understanding and measurement of curiosity in education.
Curiosity Carnival
Hands-on event for children that promotes learning through play, encouraging exploration, wonder, and experimentation in a fun-filled environment.
Curiosity Conference
Annual conference bringing together researchers, educators, policymakers, and practitioners to present work on curiosity through workshops, talks, and poster presentations.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Academic Research Dissemination 1 activity
    • Conducts transdisciplinary research on curiosity
      Advances scientific understanding of curiosity, including its characteristics, triggers, and relationships with creativity, innovation, and leadership, through research initiatives and publications such as white papers, annotated bibliographies, blogs, and co-published books like Curiosity Studies – A New Ecology of Knowledge.
  • Professional Field Knowledge Development 1 activity
    • Develops and distributes curricular tools and materials to foster curiosity
      Creates and promotes curricular materials and measurement tools designed to enhance curiosity among students, educators, and management professionals, and supports their adoption in educational and organizational settings.
  • Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
    • Funds curiosity-related projects and initiatives through awards and sponsorships
      Co-sponsors and sponsors the annual Cultivating Curiosity Award through Reimagine Education and supports external projects such as the documentary film "The Viewing Booth" to advance frameworks for understanding and enhancing curiosity.
  • Research and Scholarly Fellowship Support 1 activity
    • Supports research capacity through fellowships and institutional partnerships
      Builds research capacity by endowing postdoctoral positions at the University of Pennsylvania, supporting research fellowships at IIT Gandhinagar, and hosting researchers, interns, and professionals to advance the study of curiosity.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Offers curiosity assessment tools for individuals
      Provides a publicly available quiz that identifies individuals' curiosity type as Artist, Inventor, Explorer, or Scientist to encourage self-awareness and personal development.
    • Organizes events and public outreach to promote curiosity
      Hosts conferences, workshops, carnivals, and knowledge-sharing events such as the 2023 Curiosity Conference and the annual Curiosity Carnival to engage academic, educational, and public communities in fostering a culture of inquisitiveness and innovation.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$565K
Contributions & grants$482K85%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$83K15%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$342K
Program expenses99%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$296K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.33M
Cash$-349K
Investments$1.67M
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.33M
Liquid reserves46.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +38.2%
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Acadly Partner — Co-sponsor of the Cultivating Curiosity Award at Reimagine Education
  • Acadly Partner — Co-sponsors the Cultivating Curiosity Award and innovates in classroom technology to foster curiosity.
  • Arjun Shankar Partner — Collaborator on the publication of Curiosity Studies – A New Ecology of Knowledge
  • Britannica Partner — Collaborates with Britannica to host the Curiosity Personality Quiz.
  • Campus Diaries Partner — Supported The Virtual Dinner Guest Project, an initiative connecting students from India and Pakistan for cross-cultural dialogue.
  • Cognitive Science Society Partner — Collaborated on the Art and Cognition Confluence, a two-day residency exploring the relationship between art and cognition.
  • IIT Gandhinagar Partner — Co-established a Curiosity Lab at IIT Gandhinagar.
  • IIT Gandhinagar Partner — Collaborates with IIT Gandhinagar's Curiosity Lab to organize events including the Curiosity Conference and Curiosity Carnival.
  • IIT Gandhinagar Partner — Hosts research fellowships supported by the Center to study cognitive and cultural aspects of curiosity.
  • Penn SP2 Partner — Hosted the 2018 conference "Curiosity: Emerging Sciences and Educational Innovations" in collaboration with the Center for Curiosity.
  • Perry Zurn Partner — Collaborator on the publication of Curiosity Studies – A New Ecology of Knowledge
  • QS Partner — Co-organizes the Reimagine Education competition, which includes the Cultivating Curiosity Award sponsored by Center for Curiosity.
  • Reimagine Education Partner — Co-sponsors the Cultivating Curiosity Award and collaborates on supporting projects that advance academic curiosity.
  • Scholars Network — Collaborates with scholars in the field of curiosity research.
  • Sundance Institute Partner — Co-supported the documentary film "The Viewing Booth"
  • University of Pennsylvania Partner — Hosts Center-endowed postdoctoral positions focused on curiosity research.
  • University of Pennsylvania Partner — Partnered to launch the CfC@UPenn initiative on curiosity.
  • Wharton Business School Partner — Co-organizes the Reimagine Education competition, which includes the Cultivating Curiosity Award sponsored by Center for Curiosity.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge Integration
    methodology: cross-disciplinary research
    By synthesizing insights from over a dozen fields, the organization deepens the understanding of curiosity’s role in ethics, technology, and global citizenship, because cross-disciplinary integration reveals more robust and applicable theories of curiosity than single-field approaches.
  • Curiosity Typology and Self-Reflection
    methodology: curiosity-typology
    By helping individuals identify their personal curiosity styles through typology and reflective self-assessment, the organization enables deeper engagement with learning and problem-solving, because awareness of one's curiosity type increases motivation, civility, and resilience.
  • Education-Based Curiosity Institutionalization
    methodology: education-based curiosity promotion
    By developing curricular materials, teacher training, and hands-on learning tools, the organization embeds curiosity into formal and informal education systems, because structured educational integration sustains long-term cultivation of curiosity in youth and lifelong learners.
  • Media and Narrative as Curiosity Catalysts
    methodology: film-as-curiosity-catalyst
    By supporting documentary filmmaking and disseminating accessible content, the organization fosters critical engagement with complex issues, because narrative and visual media spark curiosity more effectively than abstract or academic formats alone.
  • Research-Driven Curiosity Development
    methodology: research-driven curiosity development
    By advancing scientific understanding of curiosity and its triggers through transdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research, the organization develops evidence-based methods to foster curiosity in educational, civic, and professional contexts, leading to enhanced creativity, innovation, and problem-solving.