Researchamerica

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
521609875
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Arlington, VA, USA
Phone
7037392577
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$8,914,085
Expenses
$9,394,184
Assets
$12,060,406
Liabilities
$2,465,710

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

44 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARY WOOLLEY (PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)
  • MICHAEL COBURN (EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & COO)

Highest reported compensation

  • MARY WOOLLEY (PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $652,740 total reported compensation
  • MICHAEL COBURN (EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & COO): $353,640 total reported compensation
  • ELEANOR DEHONEY (SR. VP OF POLICY & ADVOCACY): $315,315 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

2025 was a turbulent year for the medical and health research community, but our commitment to advocating for science never wavered. From pushing back against funding threats to elevating researchers' voices and equipping advocates, we kept science visible. Our work is possible because of our 300+ member organizations and the committed individuals who are part of these organizations. Our vision to achieve the fastest possible pace of medical and public health progress is advanced by our steadfast commitment to our mission of advocacy for the research continuum.

What it reported doing in 2025

Advocacy programs: we annually host several partner programs each year, highlighting our convening power and ability to identify and focus attention on timely research and development policy topics. In 2025, the national health research forum provided participants with the opportunity to engage in dialogue that provided actionable insights and fostered collaborative discussions into critical health and scientific challenges facing the country.in 2025, we were pleased to increase our focus on in-person congressional briefings. One of the programs included an expert panel assembled to discuss the science behind genetically targeted technology and the extraordinary capability it holds to address urgent unmet medical needs. Our 2025 programming featured expert panelists, remarks from congressional champions, as well as new infographic resources for congressional staff and advocates. We look forward to a continued educational presence on the hill in 2026.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 82% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 99% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 82
  • Transparency & Controls: 91
  • Accountability: 98
  • Sustainability: 25
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89%; rating input score 89
  • Program expense ratio: 82.9%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 97%; rating input score 97; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -5.4%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.28; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.2; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 24.2%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.3% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.5% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89% of revenue deployed · 82.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 32 of 33 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 7 filed program accomplishments · $7.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $653K · 44 people listed · 6 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3M reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 44/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 43/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 35/100.