Legal status
The Welfare Footprint Institute is a nonprofit corporation incorporated in Delaware, United States, and recognised as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)61-2245797
- IRS determination letterView PDF
Funding and scientific independence
The WFI is a registered research organization (ROR 01h4vc987).
Our work is supported by philanthropic grants, individual donations, including donations received through regranting organisations, and commissioned scientific work.
Our bylaws require scientific integrity and objectivity, protection of research findings from undue influence by funders, stakeholders, or political agendas, and a nonpartisan approach.
We engage with researchers, policymakers, animal protection organisations, producers, and other users of welfare evidence. Collaboration does not imply endorsement of a partner’s wider positions or activities. Our scientific conclusions must remain grounded in evidence.
Governance
The Board of Directors oversees the Institute’s affairs, strategic direction, and financial stewardship. Its responsibilities include budget approval, oversight of executive leadership, and review of the annual IRS return before submission. Most board directors are independent of WFI’s staff and management.
Board of directors
- Cynthia Schuck-PaimCo-Founder, President and Scientific Director
- Pablo RosadoSecretary
- Renata ScarellisTreasurer
- Wladimir J. AlonsoCo-Founder and Innovation Director
- Adam ShriverDirector
- Carla MolentoDirector
Executive leadership
- Cynthia Schuck-PaimCo-Founder, President and Scientific Director
- Wladimir J. AlonsoCo-Founder and Innovation Director
Conflicts of interest
Our Conflict of Interest Policy requires disclosure of relevant interests and relationships, annual declarations, and procedures for assessing and managing potential conflicts. It provides for recusal from relevant deliberations and votes and documentation of decisions, subject to the provisions of the policy.
Compensation oversight
Our Executive Compensation Policy sets out procedures for reviewing covered compensation arrangements using comparable remuneration data, approval by board members without a conflict of interest, and written records of the basis for decisions.
Financial records
Our annual IRS return reports revenue, expenditure, governance information, and programme activities.
- 2025 Form 990-EZ (amended)View PDF
Annual report. WFI was founded in mid-2025, and 2026 is its first full year of activity. The first annual report, covering 2026, will be published here.
Scientific transparency
Our research standards require explicit reasoning and written justification for claims and estimates. Researchers must critically appraise sources, explain assumptions and inferences, and account for relevant variation and uncertainty. Scientific outputs undergo review for consistency, evidence traceability, and the treatment of knowledge gaps.
Our bylaws support making data and findings publicly available where ethically sound and appropriate. Our published papers and resources provide access to research and supporting materials.
We distinguish estimates of animal experiences from the value judgments involved in using those estimates to make decisions.
Change log. Every estimate in the Estimates Dossier will carry a change log. Corrections and updates are recorded there, so when an estimate is revised or replaced by a new one, the earlier version and the reasons for the change remain open to review.
Epistemic humility. We treat every estimate as provisional: uncertainty is stated openly, assumptions are made explicit, and conclusions are revised when the evidence changes.
Policies
Our Board of Directors has approved a Conflict of Interest Policy, a Whistleblower Policy, a Record Retention and Document Destruction Policy and an Executive Compensation Policy.
As a matter of policy, WFI does not endorse or oppose legislation, policies, campaigns, political parties, or candidates.
Staff can raise concerns confidentially with an independent board member under the whistleblower policy. WFI will add an anonymous staff survey once the team is large enough for responses to be truly anonymous.
Our Privacy Policy covers donors and other people who interact with the Institute. We do not sell personal information or share it with other entities for marketing purposes.
Contact
For financial, governance, or public-document enquiries, contact contact@welfarefootprint.org.