National Pain Advocacy Center

What it reported doing in 2025

General programs - our general program consists of education and awareness, advocacy and civic engagement, and coalition building. We seek to transform how pain is understood and treated. We serve as a resource for people living with pain and their families and for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers. Our educational work features stories, studies, and other key content. We publish opinion pieces and regularly appear in the media. We educate clinicians and speak regularly at meetings hosted by organizations such as the national academy of medicine, the centers for medicare and medicaid services, the food and drug administration, the national institutes of health, and the world health organization. We regularly participate in pain-related scientific research both in helping with strategic planning at the national institutes of health and in serving as key advisors on studies. Advocacy and civil engagement are also critical to achieving our mission of advancing the health and human rights of people living with pain and promoting effective pain management. We have filed legal briefs in u.s. Supreme court, responded to notices for public comment in the federal register, and educated federal and state policymakers. Our members have served on key advisory committees at agencies such as the centers for disease control and prevention and the national institutes of health. We also work collaboratively with like-minded organizations operating in the pain and public health spaces.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 89.9%; rating input score 90
• Fundraising efficiency: $60.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -228.1%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.49; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 75%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 22.6% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 0.2% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 23.9% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings