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Ackerman Institute for the Family

EIN 13-1923959 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$4.0 million
Spending
$5.5 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
4.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 34%
Employees
84
Volunteers
16
Highest pay
$243,786, former president/ceo to 2/2024

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 37% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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 June 30, 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 (2)
  1. $3.0 million spent. THE ACKERMAN INSTITUTE'S DEEP BELIEF IN AND COMMITMENT TO FAMILY THERAPY HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH, AND THE ACKERMAN INSTITUTE TODAY IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS A PIONEER IN THE FIELD OF FAMILY THERAPY. THE ACKERMAN TRAINING PROGRAM OFFERS STUDENTS A COURSE OF STUDY THAT COMBINES THEORY WITH DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH FAMILIES. EACH TRAINEE RECEIVES INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION FROM A DISTINGUISHED FACULTY DRAWN FROM THE FIELDS OF SOCIAL WORK, PSYCHOLOGY, FAMILY THERAPY, AND PSYCHIATRY. MANY ACKERMAN FACULTY MEMBERS DIRECT CLINICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON PROBLEMS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SCHOOL DIFFICULTIES, CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROBLEMS, DEPRESSION, MARITAL ISSUES, DIVORCE, BEREAVEMENT, LEARNING DISABILITIES, FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE AND INCEST, CHRONIC MEDICAL ILLNESS, AND GENDER IDENTITY ISSUES. THE KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHTS GAINED FROM THIS RESEARCH ARE INCORPORATED INTO ACKERMAN'S TRAINING PROGRAMS AND DISSEMINATED TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH LECTURES, WORKSHOPS AND PUBLICATIONS. THE ACKERMAN INSTITUTE'S EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ADDRESS THE NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY CLIENT CARE AND THE NEEDS OF PRACTICING PROFESSIONALS FOR INNOVATIVE MEANINGFUL FAMILY THERAPY TRAINING. ACKERMAN'S PROGRAM INCLUDES A RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ACCOMMODATE BOTH THE PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND TIME CONSTRAINTS OF PRACTITIONERS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM ENABLES PRACTITIONERS TO EXPAND THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AS THE PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES GAINS GREATER RECOGNITION IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THE ACKERMAN TRAINING PROGRAM IS OPEN TO INDIVIDUALS WITH MASTER'S, DOCTORAL, OR MEDICAL DEGREES IN SOCIAL WORK, PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHIATRY, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, AND TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DEGREES IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY.
  2. $1.4 million spent. AT THE ACKERMAN INSTITUTE TREATMENT CENTER, TRAINED THERAPISTS HELP FAMILIES FROM ALL ETHNIC, ECONOMIC AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS. FAMILY THERAPY IS A METHOD OF UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS AND PERSONAL CRISES BY WORKING WITH THE ENTIRE FAMILY RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL. THERAPY SESSIONS FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUALS' THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR FAMILIES. THE GOAL IS TO HARNESS AND STRENGTHEN FAMILY RESOURCES AND HELP FAMILY MEMBERS WORK COLLABORATIVELY TOWARDS SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS. THERAPY IS PROVIDED BY PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, PLUS OTHERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS ON THE ACKERMAN FACULTY AND BY CLINICIANS IN POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AND SUPERVISION AT ACKERMAN. THE ACKERMAN CLINIC HELPS FAMILIES WITH PROBLEMS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SCHOOL DIFFICULTIES, CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROBLEMS, MARITAL ISSUES, DIVORCE, BEREAVEMENT, LEARNING DISABILITIES, FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE AND INCEST, CHRONIC MEDICAL ILLNESS, AND GENDER IDENTITY ISSUES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 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 February 1987.

    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.

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.