National Fire Protection Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ADVOCATE FOR THE ELIMINATION OF DEATH, INJURY, PROPERTY AND ECONOMIC LOSS DUE TO FIRE, ELECTRICAL AND RELATED HAZARDS.
- Income
- $108.4 million
- Spending
- $98.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 58%
- Reserves
- 48.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 64%
- Employees
- 454
- Volunteers
- 5,862
- Highest pay
- $1.3 million, president nfpa
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 88 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 48.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1558% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2516 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
10 of 10Gave 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, 2025, 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 (8)
- $18.3 million spent. PUBLICATIONS - THE ASSOCIATION'S TECHNICAL AND GENERAL INTEREST PUBLICATIONS COVER THE PUBLIC SAFETY SPECTRUM. IN ADDITION TO CODES AND STANDARDS, THEY INCLUDE HANDBOOKS, TECHNICAL/REFERENCE BOOKS, FIRE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS AND TRAINING MANUALS.
- $14.1 million spent. STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT - A MAJOR FOCUS OF THE ASSOCIATION IS THE DEVELOPMENT, PUBLICATION, AND DISSEMINATION OF TIMELY CONSENSUS CODES AND STANDARDS. ADOPTION, USE AND ENFORCEMENT OF THESE DOCUMENTS SERVE TO MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY AND EFFECTS OF FIRE AND OTHER HAZARDS IN ALL ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY ACTIVITY. NFPA STANDARDS ARE DEVELOPED BY ABOUT 264 COMMITTEES, EACH OF WHICH REPRESENTS A BALANCE OF AFFECTED INTERESTS.
- $8.7 million spent. MEMBERSHIP - NFPA'S MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF APPROXIMATELY 36,000 INDIVIDUALS. THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS RESIDE IN THE UNITED STATES; OVERALL MEMBERS REPRESENT 112 NATIONS WITH A MAJORITY BEING IN NORTH AMERICA BUT GROWING INTERNATIONALLY.
- $4.3 million spent. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION - NFPA TRAINS 50,000 MEMBER AND NON-MEMBERS IN CODE NAVIGATION AND APPLICATION. THE TRAINING IS PROVIDED AS BOTH INSTRUCTOR-LED EVENTS HELD IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY, AND AS WELL AS SELF-PACED ONLINE LEARNING. NFPA ALSO SUPPORTS FIRE PROTECTION, THE FIRE SERVICE, ELECTRICAL SAFETY AND BUILDING PROFESSIONALS THROUGH CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS.
- $8.2 million spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION - THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DIVISION PROVIDES THE TECHNICAL FOUNDATION FOR NFPA'S FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY EDUCATION MESSAGES AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER EDUCATORS
- $2.1 million spent. INTERNATIONAL - NFPA HAS REPRESENTATIVES IN CANADA, CHINA, MEXICO, COSTA RICA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND SAUDI ARABIA. THE ASSOCIATION UNDERTAKES THE TRANSLATION OF KEY STANDARDS, PROVIDES TRAINING TO A WIDE RANGE OF SAFETY PROFESSIONALS AND WORKS IN VARIED COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARE OUR MISSION AND VISION AROUND THE WORLD.
- MISCELLANEOUS INCOME
- $905,781 spent. CONTRACTS AND GRANTS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1927.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.