National Rural Health Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ASSOCIATION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ON RURAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH ADVOCACY, COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH.
- Income
- $9.9 million
- Spending
- $9.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 15.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 29
- Volunteers
- 300
- Highest pay
- $508,067, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $5.3 million spent. NRHA IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS ACROSS THE US TO TACKLE THE VASTLY DIFFERENT OBSTACLES FACED BY PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN RURAL AREAS. NRHA MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS, ASSISTANCE, DISCUSSION, ADVOCACY, PROGRAMMING, AND POLICY PRODUCTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THEY PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIUMS, ENGAGE IN EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE, AND SEEK TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE IN THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES. NRHA WORKS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE FOR THOSE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. ONE OF THE MOST PERTINENT ISSUES IS THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE AND ITS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON PATIENTS' ACCESS TO CARE. TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN, NRHA BEGAN TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A NATIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE WORKER (CHW) TRAINING NETWORK IN 2011. NRHA HAS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED MORE THAN 30 TRAININGS IN THE PAST SIXTEEN YEARS AND HAS TRAINED MORE THAN 2,200 RURAL CHWS IN THE US. THE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH (JRH), WHICH HAS BEEN PUBLISHED BY NRHA FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS, SERVES TO ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, RESEARCH, THEORY DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC POLICY. IT IS A PEER-REVIEWED QUARTERLY JOURNAL USED TO DISSEMINATE EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICES TO THE MEMBERSHIP WORKING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. IT'S REACH HAS INCREASED TO INCLUDE MORE THAN 7,000 INSTITUTIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AT LOW OR NO COST DUE TO PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVES. NRHA ALSO PUBLISHES A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, RURAL HORIZONS, FEATURING ARTICLES TO ENGAGE AND INFORM ALL THOSE WORKING TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE IN RURAL AMERICA. THE WEEKLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER NRHA TODAY IS DELIVERED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING TO ALL ACTIVE MEMBERS WITH VALID EMAIL ADDRESSES AND PROVIDES UPDATES ON ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN NRHA'S PROGRAMMING, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, FUNDING AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS, AS WELL AS NATIONAL NEWS THAT IMPACTS RURAL HEALTH. NRHA IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS ACROSS THE US TO TACKLE THE VASTLY DIFFERENT OBSTACLES FACED BY PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN RURAL AREAS. NRHA MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS, ASSISTANCE, DISCUSSION, ADVOCACY, PROGRAMMING, AND POLICY PRODUCTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THEY PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIUMS, ENGAGE IN EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE, AND SEEK TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE IN THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES. NRHA WORKS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE FOR THOSE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. ONE OF THE MOST PERTINENT ISSUES IS THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE AND ITS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON PATIENTS' ACCESS TO CARE. TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN, NRHA BEGAN TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A NATIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE WORKER (CHW) TRAINING NETWORK IN 2011. NRHA HAS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED MORE THAN 30 TRAININGS IN THE PAST SIXTEEN YEARS AND HAS TRAINED MORE THAN 2,200 RURAL CHWS IN THE US. THE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH (JRH), WHICH HAS BEEN PUBLISHED BY NRHA FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS, SERVES TO ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, RESEARCH, THEORY DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC POLICY. IT IS A PEER-REVIEWED QUARTERLY JOURNAL USED TO DISSEMINATE EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICES TO THE MEMBERSHIP WORKING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. IT'S REACH HAS INCREASED TO INCLUDE MORE THAN 7,000 INSTITUTIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AT LOW OR NO COST DUE TO PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVES. NRHA ALSO PUBLISHES A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, RURAL HORIZONS, FEATURING ARTICLES TO ENGAGE AND INFORM ALL THOSE WORKING TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE IN RURAL AMERICA. THE WEEKLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER NRHA TODAY IS DELIVERED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING TO ALL ACTIVE MEMBERS WITH VALID EMAIL ADDRESSES AND PROVIDES UPDATES ON ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN NRHA'S PROGRAMMING, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, FUNDING AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS, AS WELL AS NATIONAL NEWS THAT IMPACTS RURAL HEALTH.
- $2.5 million spent. STATE RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS (SRHAS) ARE NONPROFIT, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MADE UP OF THE RURAL PROVIDERS AND OTHER RURAL HEALTH LEADERS WHO WORK IN EACH COMMUNITY AND/OR INDIVIDUAL STATE. THE NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION BEGAN PROVIDING DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE SRHAS THROUGH THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY IN THE 1990S WITH 19 SRHAS. OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, NRHA HAS SUPPORTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL 25 SRHAS. IN 2024, THERE WERE 44 STATES REPRESENTED BY 39 STATE RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS. IN 2024, NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING THREE AREAS: COMMUNICATION, CONVENINGS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION. BESIDES SRHA, THERE ARE MANY OTHER LOCAL AND STATE AGENCIES MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE ACCESS, TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND DELIVERY TO RURAL COMMUNITIES. THESE INCLUDE ORAL HEALTH CARE INITATIVES AND AGE- RELATED HEALTH INITATIVES. STATE RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS (SRHAS) ARE NONPROFIT, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MADE UP OF THE RURAL PROVIDERS AND OTHER RURAL HEALTH LEADERS WHO WORK IN EACH COMMUNITY AND/OR INDIVIDUAL STATE. THE NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION BEGAN PROVIDING DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE SRHAS THROUGH THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY IN THE 1990S WITH 19 SRHAS. OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, NRHA HAS SUPPORTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL 25 SRHAS. IN 2024, THERE WERE 44 STATES REPRESENTED BY 39 STATE RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS. IN 2024, NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING THREE AREAS: COMMUNICATION, CONVENINGS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION. BESIDES SRHA, THERE ARE MANY OTHER LOCAL AND STATE AGENCIES MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE ACCESS, TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND DELIVERY TO RURAL COMMUNITIES. THESE INCLUDE ORAL HEALTH CARE INITATIVES AND AGE- RELATED HEALTH INITATIVES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.