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American Thoracic Society Inc

EIN 06-1548706 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY, INC. IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY WHOSE MISSION IS TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL INNOVATION IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH THROUGH MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE SOCIETY'S MORE THAN 30,000 MEMBERS ARE FOCUSED ON LEADING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES, ADVANCING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, IMPACTING GLOBAL HEALTH, AND TRANSFORMING PATIENT CARE. KEY AREAS OF MEMBER FOCUS INCLUDE DEVELOPING CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES, HOSTING THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, PUBLISHING FOUR PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS, ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVED RESPIRATORY HEALTH GLOBALLY, AND DEVELOPING AN ARRAY OF PATIENT EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES.

Income
$40.2 million
Spending
$38.5 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
10.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 76%
Employees
159
Volunteers
32
Highest pay
$577,659, chief executive director

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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 44% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    23 of 28 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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, 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 (4)
  1. $14.5 million spent. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE - PROVIDES ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN RESPIRATORY, CRITICAL CARE AND SLEEP MEDICINE. ANNUALLY, ATS HOLDS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE CONFERENCE OFFERING PROGRAMS FOR PHYSICIANS, SCIENTISTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ON TOPICS IN AREAS OF PULMONARY, RESPIRATORY, SLEEP, ENVIRONMENTAL/OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE. THIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FEATURES SIX DAYS OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CRITICAL EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN PULMONARY, CRITICAL CARE AND SLEEP SPECIALISTS AROUND THE WORLD. PRESENTATIONS OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN ALL RESPIRATORY FIELDS ARE REPRESENTED AND SPECIAL TRACKS IN CLINICAL MEDICINE AND CRITICAL CARE OFFER A FOCUSED PROGRAM FOR CLINICIANS AND OTHERS.
  2. $7.0 million spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS - PROVIDES EDUCATION FOR PULMONARY, CRITICAL CARE AND SLEEP MEDICINE CLINICIANS, RESEARCHERS, ADVANCE PRACTICE NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED IN A VARIETY OF TEACHING MODALITIES, INCLUDING LIVE EVENTS, JOURNAL CLUBS, WEBINARS, PODCASTS, AND ONLINE LEARNING. THE MECOR (METHODS IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC, CLINICAL, AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH) PROGRAM IS ALSO A KEY PART OF ATS'S EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS. IT IS DESIGNED TO BUILD RESEARCH CAPACITY IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES (LMICS) BY TRAINING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH METHODS TO IMPROVE GLOBAL RESPIRATORY HEALTH. CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES LIKE THE ATS, WHOSE MEMBERSHIP RELIES ON UP-TO-DATE MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDANCE. THE METHODOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY DURING THE PAST DECADE, AS HAS THE NEED FOR TIMELY COMPLETION AND DISSEMINATION OF GUIDELINES TO THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
  3. $4.6 million spent. JOURNALS - ATS PUBLISHES THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE (AJRCCM), THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (AJRCMB), THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY, INC. (ANNALS ATS), AND ATS SCHOLAR.
  4. $3.2 million spent. OTHER PROGRAMS CONSIST OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM AND MEMBERSHIP SERVICES.RESEARCH PROGRAM - THE ATS RESEARCH PROGRAM SUPPORTS YOUNG INVESTIGATORS IN RESPIRATORY HEALTH WITH GRANTS THAT ENABLE THEM TO LAUNCH THEIR RESEARCH AND ULTIMATELY THEIR CAREERS. THE TALENTED BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL, AND CLINICAL INVESTIGATORS FUNDED THROUGH ATS RESEARCH PROGRAM AWARDS ARE TAKING NEW APPROACHES TO UNLOCK THE MYSTERIES OF RESPIRATORY DISEASES. THEIR TOPICS OF SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION ARE DIVERSE AND INCLUDE LUNG CANCER, ASTHMA, ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME, PULMONARY FIBROSIS, CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD), SLEEP APNEA, AND MORE. BY PROVIDING RESEARCH GRANTS TO PROMISING YOUNG INVESTIGATORS, THE ATS RESEARCH PROGRAM LAUNCHES CAREERS DEDICATED TO ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY AND BETTER PATIENT CARE.MEMBERSHIP SERVICES - THE HUB OF ATS'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER FOR MEMBER INQUIRIES AND ASSISTANCE, AND THE COORDINATION OF MEMBER BENEFITS.

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

  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 October 13, 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 2024.

    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 September 1999.

    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 October 21, 2026.

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