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Heart Failure Society of America Inc

EIN 06-1416238 · Rockville, MD

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Provide a platform to improve and expand heart failure care through collaboration, education, innovation, research and advocacy.

Income
$9.5 million
Spending
$8.0 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 72%
Employees
20
Volunteers
153
Highest pay
$529,929, ceo

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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 20% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 128% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 33 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. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (10)
  1. $3.0 million spent. Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM):The HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) is the Societys flagship educational and scientific conference, bringing together the multidisciplinary heart failure community to share research, advance clinical knowledge, and discuss emerging therapies and innovations in heart failure care. Following the cancellation of ASM 2024 due to Hurricane Helene, HFSA successfully convened the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, providing an important forum for education, collaboration, and scientific exchange. The meeting featured a comprehensive program spanning basic, translational, and clinical science; advanced heart failure and transplantation; mechanical circulatory support; prevention; health equity; and emerging technologies. In 2025, ASM featured 56 educational sessions, three plenary presentations, more than 500 scientific abstracts, and 7 moderated eposter and oral abstract presentation sessions. The meeting attracted 2,494 attendees, including physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, pharmacists, researchers, trainees, and other healthcare professionals from across the United States and internationally.
  2. $1.5 million spent. Education and ProgramsPrograms aimed at education for the entire heart failure team, including cardiologists, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, etc. The 2025 initiatives include the Heart Failure Seminars, Contemporary Issues in Heart Failure, CardioHub, and Heart Failure Certification (HF-Cert) Bootcamp. 1) Heart Failure Seminars In 2025, the series addressed important clinical and practice-based topics, including Heart Failure Devices, Cardio-Oncology, Palliative Care in Advanced Heart Failure, Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure, and Assessment of Heart Failure Patients for Advanced Therapies. Several programs were developed in conjunction with HFSA Scientific Statements, helping translate HFSA guidance into practical clinical education.The series serves a broad spectrum of the heart failure care team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, registered nurses, trainees, and other healthcare professionals. Through expert-led education on diverse areas of heart failure management, the seminar series supports continuing professional education and multidisciplinary collaboration in the care of patients with heart failure. In 2025, the series included five educational programs and engaged 794 live registrants. In addition, 645 healthcare professionals purchased OnDemand access to seminar content, extending the availability of these educational resources beyond the live events. 2) Contemporary Issues in Heart Failure Designed to complement the 2024 HFSA AHFTC Board Certification Review OnDemand program, HFSA launched the Contemporary Issues in Heart Failure OnDemand educational bundle in 2025. This educational offering provides additional learning opportunities for healthcare professionals caring for patients with advanced heart failure and transplantation. While the Board Certification Review Course focuses on foundational knowledge relevant to board examination preparation, Contemporary Issues in Heart Failure addresses clinical topics and challenges encountered in practice. The bundle includes 11 expert-led presentations, each approximately 30 minutes in length, covering emerging therapies, evolving treatment approaches, and complex clinical decision-making in advanced heart failure and transplantation. The program serves physicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, nurses, trainees, and other healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients with heart failure. In its first year, launched mid-year, 19 healthcare professionals purchased access to the educational bundle. Through evidence-based educational content, the program supports continuing professional education and provides additional resources to enhance understanding of contemporary issues in advanced heart failure and transplantation. 3) CardioHub HFSA continued and expanded the CardioBites program, rebranding as CardioHub as to encompass multiple types of products. CardioBites is a micro-learning program that is targeted to the busy heart failure care team to provide information on one topic in a three-minute video. Two series initially launched in 2024 were completed in 2025. The Congestion series had three modules and an infographic released in 2025. The Inflammation series also had three modules released in 2025. A new CardioBites series was launched in 2025. CardioBites: HCM is a four-part module series. 2025 also launched three new CardioHub products: CardioBites+, CardioAbstracts, and Cardio Town Halls. CardioBites+ are like the original microlearning CardioBite product but produce longer videos (8-10 minutes rather than 3 minutes) with a single moderator interacting with different faculty over the module series. The CardioBites+ Amyloidosis series released three modules and an infographic. CardioAbstracts are live 45-minute webinar events, featuring video summations of select abstracts which are followed by expert-led discussions on recently presented clinical trial data in a convenient, interactive format, extending the reach of key clinical trial findings. Two CardioAbstract events were held in 2025, on the topics of New ATTR-CM Data, and HF + Kidney Link. Cardio Town Halls are also a 30-minute live seminar which features Q&A with leading clinicians. The events are recorded, and the videos and downloadable resources are available for OnDemand learning. The Cardio Town Hall: Amyloidosis series consisted of four live events, three of which were launched in 2025. 4) HF-Cert Bootcamp HFSA continued sales of its three 90-minute HF-Cert Bootcamp webinars. These three seminars offered a comprehensive study tool for the HF-Cert examination. 5) 2025 Accredited Educational Impact In 2025, HFSA delivered 35 accredited educational activities13 live courses, 19 enduring materials, and 3 manuscript reviewsengaging a total of 2,680 participants across the heart failure care team. These programs provide accessible, high-quality learning opportunities designed to enhance skills, foster collaboration, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Education Partner Programs Given the cancellation of the 2024 Annual Meeting, HFSA pivoted to delivering high-quality continuing education by transitioning approved satellite programming to virtual and on-demand formats. This approach ensured that healthcare professionals continued to have access to timely, evidence-based education despite the unforeseen circumstances. The virtual educational portfolio addressed many of the most pressing topics in contemporary heart failure care, including advances in heart failure prevention and management, integration of SGLT2 inhibitors across the spectrum of heart failure, recognition and treatment of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis, innovations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy management through cardiac myosin inhibition, and the role of intravenous iron therapy for patients with iron deficiency and heart failure. Learner engagement demonstrated the continued demand for accessible,
  3. $828,258 spent. The Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF)The Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF) Family of Journals is the preeminent source for high-quality, innovative science in the field of heart failure and its intersections with diverse disciplines and specialties within the cardiovascular community. As the official journals of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), both JCF and JCF-Intersections are dedicated to advancing knowledge, promoting collaboration, and fostering inclusivity.In 2025, the main JCF Journal published 331 articles, which were 15% of market share based on over 1800 submissions. The Impact Factor for the journal reached 8.2, placing it 19th out of 230 cardiology journals listed. In addition, the journal reached over 1.1 million downloads of articles.JCF-Intersections, the JCF daughter journal, was fully launched in 2025, with appointments of an Editor-in-Chief and full editorial board. The journal published two issues and had 277 submissions.In addition to the 12 monthly issues published, JCF published three HFSA Scientific Statements, along with the updated HF Stats document. The journal also launched its 4th iteration of the JCF Peer Reviewer Mentorship Program. All previous issues and papers published by JCF can be found at www.onlinejcf.com and at https://www.onlinejcfi.org/
  4. $395,075 spent. Science and Research ProgramsHFSA's Science and Research programs advance the generation, dissemination, and application of evidence to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients living with heart failure. Through scientific statements, research initiatives, national data resources, and collaborative research networks, HFSA supports healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and healthcare organizations by providing evidence-based guidance, fostering scientific collaboration, and promoting innovation in heart failure care.
  5. $325,735 spent. Heart Failure Research Network (HFRN)The Heart Failure Research Network (HFRN) is HFSA's national collaborative research initiative that connects academic medical centers, health systems, community practices, and clinical investigators engaged in heart failure research. In 2025, HFRN provided opportunities for collaboration, information exchange, and professional engagement through networking activities, educational programming, and discussions focused on advancing heart failure clinical research and improving the clinical trial ecosystem. By fostering collaboration among investigators and research sites, HFRN supports the development and evaluation of therapies designed to improve outcomes for patients living with heart failure.
  6. $292,507 spent. Governance
  7. $50,983 spent. Practice and Patient Programs1)Optimal Medical Therapy in Heart failure Certificate Program (OMT-HF)The Optimal Medical Therapy in Heart Failure Certificate Program (OMT-HF) directly supports HFSAs mission to improve heart failure care by equipping non-specialist healthcare providers with the knowledge and tools needed to confidently prescribe and optimize guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). Developed to address critical gaps in the implementation of GDMT, the program delivers a structured, evidence-based curriculum that translates complex guidelines into practical clinical decision-making.A total of 423 learners participated in the program during the reporting period, representing a multidisciplinary audience that included 180 nurses, 71 physicians, 55 pharmacists, 25 physician assistants, and 93 additional healthcare professionals. Learner engagement remained strong, with 196 participants completing the program with 194 of those learners claiming continuing education credits.Additionally, a Cleveland Clinic pre- and post-survey analysis demonstrated that program completion significantly improved prescriber comfort with outpatient guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) prescribing, dosing, monitoring, and side-effect management across all medication classes, with findings published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF).Through its multidisciplinary reach and focus on evidence-based clinical education, the OMT Certification Program continues to improve healthcare provider competency and promote more consistent, high-quality heart failure care nationwide.2) Heart Failure Patient & Caregiver Webinar SeriesHFSA Patient & Caregiver Webinar Series, enables a broader reach to more patients and caregivers across the country. In 2025, the series consisted of four webinars, each drawing between 150200 registrants.The goal of the Patient & Caregiver Webinar Series is to provide easy-to-understand, engaging education on all aspects of heart failure, empower patients and caregivers to actively engage in conversations about treatment and management with their healthcare providers, and encourage the use of available resources. The following webinars were held in 2025 as part of the HFSA Heart Failure Patient and Caregiver Series and collectively garnered a total of 596 registrations:Heart Failure Basics: An overview of HF, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and initial treatment options.Heart Failure & Obesity: Insights into the relationship between HF and obesity, discussing the impact of weight management on heart health and overall prognosis.Understanding and Managing ATTR Amyloidosis: A foundational overview of ATTR Amyloidosis, including the differences between hereditary and wild-type forms.Heart Failure Devices and Monitoring: Information on various medical devices used in HF treatment and how continuous monitoring can help in managing the condition effectively.The HFSA Heart Failure Patient & Caregiver Webinar Series educational sessions are archived on the HFSA website and YouTube, where patients, caregivers, and family members can access them on demand at no cost. This expanded, on-demand availability has significantly increased the programs reach, resulting in over 5,300 views to date. By making these resources free of charge, HFSA continues to empower and educate a broader audience beyond the live events.
  8. Scientific StatementsIn 2025, HFSA published two scientific statements to advance evidence-based care in heart failure:The Continuum of Prevention and Heart Failure in Cardiovascular Medicine: A Joint Scientific Statement from the Heart Failure Society of America and The American Society for Preventive CardiologyThe use of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in the Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC, the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), and the Japanese Heart Failure Society (JHFS)These statements and supplemental publications provided actionable clinical guidance, supported healthcare provider education, and were cited in national policy discussions to promote high-quality, standardized care.
  9. HF StatsHF Stats is HFSA's national heart failure data initiative, developed to provide reliable and accessible statistics on the prevalence, burden, outcomes, treatment, and economic impact of heart failure in the United States. In 2025, HFSA published the annual HF Stats Report in the Journal of Cardiac Failure and continued to maintain HFStats.org, an online resource offering searchable data, reports, figures, fact sheets, and educational materials. These resources support clinicians, researchers, policymakers, advocates, and the public by improving access to evidence-based information and advancing efforts to improve heart failure prevention, treatment, and outcomes.
  10. Devices Meeting The Device Task Force organized a single day event, Devices in Heart Failure Meeting: From Mechanisms to Implementation, held immediately before the 2025 ASM. The meeting featured six didactic lecture sessions, two Hands On sessions, and two industry-focused competitive sessions geared towards device companies running trials in early stages. It also included an exhibit hall with 43 exhibitors and included vendor demonstrations from attending industry. 334 attendees purchased the Device Meeting add-on in addition to the ASM, and 84 registrants purchased Device Meeting access only.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1997.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.