The Foundation for AIDS Research
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $34.8 million
- Spending
- $33.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 11.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 71
- Volunteers
- 14
- Highest pay
- $677,567, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 36% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 40% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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 September 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 (5)
- $12.8 million spent. AS A LEADING NONPROFIT, AMFAR ADVANCES SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY TO IMPROVE GLOBAL HEALTH, WITH A PRIMARY AND ENDURING COMMITMENT TO ENDING THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC. SERVING AS A CATALYST FOR BREAKTHROUGH SCIENCE, AMFAR SUPPORTS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN AREAS WHERE VIRUSES AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM PLAY A DEFINING ROLE, INCLUDING CANCER, NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AGING, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, AND OTHER VIRAL DISEASES. FOR FURTHER DETAILS, SEE SCHEULE O. SUPPORTING CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AMFAR AWARDS TWO MAIN TYPES OF GRANTS: HORIZON (FORMERLY, ARCHE) GRANTS, WHICH SUPPORT COLLABORATIVE, CROSS-DISCIPLINE RESEARCH INITIATIVES AIMED AT CURING HIV OR ADDRESSING OTHER HEALTH CHALLENGES RELATED TO VIROLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY; AND TARGET GRANTS, WHICH SUPPORT STUDIES AIMED AT UNCOVERING VITAL KNOWLEDGE DIRECTLY APPLICABLE TO CLINICAL OR PRE-CLINICAL CURE EFFORTS. THROUGH ITS MATHILDE KRIM FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH, AMFAR PROVIDES CRITICAL SUPPORT TO OUTSTANDING YOUNG SCIENTISTS WHO REPRESENT THE FUTURE OF HIV RESEARCH. TARGET GRANTS THREE SCIENTISTS RECEIVED TARGET GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS. LEARNING FROM STEM CELL CURES STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION USING DONOR CELLS MISSING CCR5, A CO-RECEPTOR NEEDED FOR HIV INFECTION HAS CURED EIGHT INDIVIDUALS, AND SEEMINGLY A NINTH. TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS USING WILDTYPE, OR NON-MUTATED, CELLS HAVE ALSO BEEN CURED. WHILE STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS ARE TOO HIGH-RISK TO WORK FOR EVERYONE WHO NEEDS A CURE, THE RESEARCH HAS PROVIDED NEW INSIGHTS ABOUT ERADICATING HIV OR CONTROLLING THE VIRUS LONG-TERM WITHOUT ART. TWO AMFAR GRANTEES ARE BUILDING ON THESE INSIGHTS TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES THAT ARE SCALABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND AFFORDABLE FOR THE OVER 40 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV. THE CURRENT "HOLY GRAIL" OF HIV CURE RESEARCH IS ADMINISTERING A SINGLE INJECTION OF A GENE-EDITING ENZYME SUCH AS CRISPR-CAS TO INACTIVATE THE CCR5 GENE IN PEOPLE WITH HIV, EFFECTING A CURE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT. ELENA HERRERA-CARRILLO, PHD, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM IN THE NETHERLANDS, RECEIVED FUNDING FROM AMFAR TO USE LIPID NANOPARTICLES (LNPS) TO DELIVER GENE-EDITING ENZYMES CAPABLE OF INACTIVATING THE CCR5 GENE, AND THUS RENDERING THOSE CELLS IMMUNE TO HIV, AS WELL AS CUTTING OUT HIV FROM CELLS ALREADY INFECTED. BLOOD SAMPLES FROM PEOPLE WITH HIV WILL BE OBTAINED THROUGH A COLLABORATION IN UGANDA. IN ADDITION, SHE WILL BE TRAINING UGANDAN SCIENTISTS IN HER LAB IN AMSTERDAM TO REPRODUCE THIS TECHNIQUE AND, IF IT SHOWS PROMISE, TRANSFER THAT KNOWLEDGE AND RELATED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES TO AFRICA (EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA ACCOUNTS FOR OVER HALF OF ALL PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV). JONAH SACHA, PHD, OF OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY IN PORTLAND, ALSO AIMS TO REPRODUCE THE CURATIVE EFFECTS OF STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION WITHOUT RESORTING TO THE COSTLY, HIGH-RISK PROCEDURE. IN A 2023 STUDY SUPPORTED BY AMFAR, DR. SACHA REPORTED THAT A MONKEY INFECTED WITH SIV, THE SIMIAN COUNTERPART OF HIV, HAD SEEMINGLY BEEN CURED AFTER UNDERGOING A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT. CRUCIALLY, THE TRANSPLANT INVOLVED "NORMAL" DONOR CELLS AS OPPOSED TO CELLS WITH MUTATED, INACTIVE CCR5. HE PROPOSED THAT ALLOGENEIC IMMUNITY, OR A GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST RESPONSEA KEY PART OF CERTAIN CANCER CURES FOLLOWING STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS WITH NORMAL DONORSWAS INVOLVED AND MIGHT BE REPLICATED WITHOUT REQUIRING A TRANSPLANT. WITH A 2025 AMFAR GRANT, DR. SACHA IS BUILDING ON PRELIMINARY DATA THAT A "MINOR" ANTIGEN ON WHITE BLOOD CELLS IS INVOLVED AND ADMINISTER KILLER CD8+ T CELLS TRAINED ON THIS TARGET TO SIV-INFECTED MONKEYS TO SEE IF THIS APPROACH WILL REPRODUCE THE EFFECTS OF THE TRANSPLANT ITSELF, OPENING THE WAY FOR SIMILAR APPROACHES IN HUMANS. WAKING UP THE HIV RESERVOIR MUCH OF THE HIV RESERVOIR, THE PRIMARY BARRIER TO A CURE, PERSISTS IN DORMANCY, BEYOND THE REACH OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART) AND UNRECOGNIZED BY THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. ONE APPROACH TO TARGETING THESE UNINFECTED CELLS IS TO WAKE THEM UP AND MAKE THEM VISIBLE AND THUS EASIER TARGETS. ONE WAKEUP METHOD INVOLVES LATENCY-REVERSING AGENTS (LRAS)CHEMICALS CAPABLE OF ACTIVATING HIV AT THE LEVEL OF GENE TRANSCRIPTION. WITH HIS GRANT, ALEXANDER PASTERNAK, PHD, OF THE ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM, IS INVESTIGATING A DIFFERENT LATENCY-REVERSAL STRATEGY. DR. PASTERNAK AND HIS TEAM ARE TESTING HIS THEORY THAT CURRENT LRAS ARE ACTING ON INSUFFICIENT TARGETS AND ARE THUS INCAPABLE OF STIMULATING HIV AT POINTS OTHER THAN TRANSCRIPTION. WORKING WITH T CELLS FROM PEOPLE WITH HIV TAKING ART, HE WILL ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY NOVEL COMBINATIONS OF LRAS THAT CAN REMOVE ALL OBSTACLES TO FULL RESERVOIR ACTIVATION. MATHILDE KRIM FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN 2025, FOUR HIV RESEARCHERS WERE AWARDED FELLOWSHIPS. A PAST FELLOW RECEIVED A PHASE II EXTENSION AWARD. INSTEAD OF TARGETING THE HIV RESERVOIR BY REACTIVATING INFECTED CELLS IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THEM, A STUDY BY FRANCISCO ZAPATERO BELINCHON, PHD, OF THE GLADSTONE INSTITUTES IN SAN FRANCISCO, IS USING A "BLOCK AND LOCK" APPROACH, AIMING TO LOCK HIV INTO A SILENT STATE INDEFINITELY, PREVENTING IT FROM EVER REACTIVATING. HE WILL USE A POWERFUL NEW TOOL CALLED "BRECOFF" THAT COMBINES A PROTEIN CALLED BREC1 THAT FINDS THE PART OF THE GENOME WHERE HIV HIDES WITH "MOLECULAR SILENCERS" THAT SHUT DOWN HIV ACTIVITY BY MODIFYING HOW DNA IS PACKAGED. TIANLING OU, PHD, OF MIT AND HARVARD'S BROAD INSTITUTE, PROPOSES A BRAND-NEW AND EXTREMELY PROMISING STRATEGY TO GUIDE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO MOUNT A POWERFUL RESPONSE TO HIV FROM THE OUTSET. DR. OU WILL USE A SPECIALIZED MOUSE MODEL TO TEST WHETHER HIV-FIGHTING ANTIBODIES PRODUCED EARLY IN THE COURSE OF INFECTION CAN BE NUDGED INTO BECOMING MUCH MORE POTENT BROADLY NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES (BNABS) THROUGH A SERIES OF CAREFULLY TIMED INTERVENTIONS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE STUDY COULD PROVIDE A PATHWAY TO DEVELOPING PROTECTION AGAINST HIV USING ITS OWN IMMUNE MACHINERY. HANNAH KING, PHD, OF THE PETER DOHERTY INSTITUT
- $6.1 million spent. TREAT ASIATHE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION IS HOME TO NEARLY 7 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, THE WORLD'S LARGEST EPIDEMIC AFTER THAT IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA, WITH 23% OF ALL NEW INFECTIONS GLOBALLY. TREATMENT COVERAGE VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE REGION, WHERE PEOPLE LIVING WITH AND AT RISK FOR HIV ARE ALSO CHALLENGED BY CO-INFECTIONS SUCH AS HEPATITIS, TUBERCULOSIS, AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. WITH ITS NETWORK OF 21 ADULT AND 18 PEDIATRIC SITES IN 12 COUNTRIES ACROSS THE REGION, AMFAR'S TREAT ASIA PROGRAM BRINGS RESEARCHERS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND ADVOCATES TOGETHER TO IMPROVE STANDARDS OF CARE, EXPAND ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND PREVENTION, AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED MONITORING OF HEALTH NEEDS ACROSS THE REGION. CHAMPIONING DATABASE-DRIVEN RESEARCHTREAT ASIA MANAGES THE ASIA-PACIFIC SECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY DATABASES TO EVALUATE AIDS (IEDEA), A GLOBAL COLLABORATION ESTABLISHED BY THE U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES. IEDEA IS CENTRAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH IN WHICH TREAT ASIA PARTICIPATES, RANGING FROM STUDIES ON TREATMENT OUTCOMES, CANCER SCREENING, AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF PULMONARY TB, TO MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FACED BY ADOLESCENTS LIVING WITH HIV. THE INFORMATION GATHERED FROM TREAT ASIA'S OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH DATABASES CONTINUES TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE EFFECTIVE RESEARCH AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND HELP DEFINE TREATMENT STANDARDS SPECIFIC TO HIV/AIDS IN ASIA ALONG THE CONTINUUM OF CARE. THESE DATA ALSO INFORM STUDIES ON LYMPHOMA, HEPATITIS, SUBSTANCE USE, AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, AMONG OTHER CONDITIONS. OTHER MAJOR DATABASE AND COHORT STUDIES ARE FOCUSING ON HIV TREATMENT FAILURE; MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES OF HIV AND TB; AND MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND LINKAGE TO CARE STRATEGIES.SUPPORTING ADOLESCENT HEALTH RESEARCHFOR ADOLESCENTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA, WHO REPRESENT ABOUT 30% OF THE GLOBAL ADOLESCENT POPULATION, THE CHALLENGE TO STAY HEALTHY IS COMPOUNDED BY HEALTH SYSTEMS THAT SOMETIMES LACK THE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS.IN RESPONSE TO THESE GAPS, TREAT ASIA, IN COLLABORATION WITH LONGSTANDING PARTNER CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL OF GLOBAL HEALTH IN BANGKOK, ORGANIZED AN ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND RESEARCH MEETING, A TRAINING WORKSHOP DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN ADOLESCENT HEALTH SERVICES AND RESEARCH CAPACITY ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA, IN SEPTEMBER 2025.TREAT ASIA IS A LEADER IN RESEARCH FOCUSED ON YOUNGER PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, SOME OF WHOM ACQUIRED HIV PERINATALLY. STUDIES FOCUSED ON ADOLESCENTS LIVING WITH AND AT RISK FOR HIV ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE CARE, CANNABIS USE, HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS AND CANCER RISK, AND THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR AND BRAIN HEALTH. THREE MULTI-YEAR STUDIES ARE DESCRIBED BELOW.THAI-PAPAYA (THAI PROGRAM TO ACTIVELY FOLLOW PERINATAL ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS LIVING WITH HIV): IMPLEMENTED IN FIVE SITES IN THAILAND, THIS STUDY EXAMINES LONG-TERM HIV TREATMENT OUTCOMES OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS LIVING WITH HIV, INCLUDING RETENTION IN CARE, MORTALITY, HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, AND SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AMONG OTHER ISSUES. SUB-STUDIES ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, STIGMA AROUND HEALTHCARE TRANSITIONS, AND BEST PRACTICES FOR HELPING YOUNGER PEOPLE TRANSITION INTO ADULT CARE ARE ALSO BEING CONDUCTED.SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR AMONG THAI ADOLESCENTS LIVING WITH HIV (S-BETAH): THIS PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY AIMS TO DETERMINE THE PREVALENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR FOLLOWING POSITIVE SCREENING AND LINKAGE TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. A FOLLOW-UP PHASE IS ASSESSING THE PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF SUICIDALITY AMONG THIS POPULATION COMPARED WITH THEIR HIV-NEGATIVE AGE- AND SEX-MATCHED COUNTERPARTS. ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT NETWORK OF IEDEA (AYANI): FOCUSING ON ADOLESCENTS AGED 1524 YEARS OLD, THIS GLOBAL STUDY ASSESSES CARE TRANSITIONS, CO-MORBIDITIES, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND FACTORS IMPACTING TREATMENT ADHERENCE, VIRAL SUPPRESSION, CARE ENGAGEMENT, AND MORTALITY. TEN MULTIREGIONAL AYANI RESEARCH CONCEPTS ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF COMPLETION.HIV, HPV, AND CERVICAL CANCER: A DEADLY NEXUSREGULAR CERVICAL CANCER SCREENINGSPAP SMEARS AND TESTING FOR HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV), THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF CERVICAL CANCERHELP DETECT CANCEROUS AND PRECANCEROUS CELLS EARLY, WHEN THEY ARE MOST TREATABLE. LOW UPTAKE OF CERVICAL HEALTH SCREENINGS, COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHRONIC, PERSISTENT HIGH-RISK HPV INFECTION (STRAINS MORE PRONE TO LEAD TO CANCER) AND ARE SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP CERVICAL CANCER THAN WOMEN WITHOUT HIV, PROMPTED TREAT ASIA NETWORK INVESTIGATOR DR. AGUS SOMIA, OF PROF. DR. NGOERAH HOSPITAL IN BALI, INDONESIA, TO STUDY THE ISSUE IN MORE DEPTH.THE STUDY COLLECTED DATA VIA INTERVIEWS AND CLINICAL EXAMS AT HIV OUTPATIENT CLINICS TO DETERMINE THE PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF HIGH-RISK HPV AND CERVICAL DYSPLASIA IN WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV. BASED ON ITS FINDINGS, THE STUDY RECOMMENDS INCREASING HPV VACCINATION AND CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNGER WOMEN, AND SCREENING ALL WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV IN INDONESIA IN ORDER TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES.UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER'S AND HIV IN ASIAALZHEIMER'S DISEASEA DISORDER INVOLVING PROGRESSIVE DEGENERATION OF THE BRAIN AFFECTING COGNITION (MEMORY, THINKING, BEHAVIOR)IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF DEMENTIA AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION, ACCOUNTING FOR 60% TO 80% OF CASES. THE RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S INCREASES EXPONENTIALLY WITH AGE, AND THAT RISK INCREASES IN PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, FOR WHOM 30% TO 50% HAVE SOME FORM OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER'S IS CRUCIAL SO THAT PHYSICIANS CAN WORK WITH PATIENTS TO MANAGE SYMPTOMS, EXPLORE TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.THANKS TO AN AMFAR-SUPPORTED STUDY, LED BY DR. AKARIN HIRANSUTHIKUL, OF CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY IN BANGKOK, THAILAND, RESEARCHERS HAVE SHOWN THAT A NEW METHOD OF DIAGNOSING ALZHEIMER'SA BLOOD-BASED BIOMARKERCOULD BE USEFUL IN PREDICTING COGNITIVE
- $3.2 million spent. PUBLIC INFORMATIONAMFAR TRANSLATES AND DISSEMINATES INFORMATION ON IMPORTANT HIV-RELATED RESEARCH, TREATMENT, PREVENTION, AND POLICY ISSUES FOR DIVERSE AUDIENCES TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE PANDEMIC. AMFAR PUBLISHES A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, MAINTAINS AN INFORMATIVE WEBSITE, WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE MEDIA TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF HIV/AIDS, BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND TO HELP ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF HIV-RELATED PRESS COVERAGE, AND ENGAGES RESPECTED PUBLIC FIGURES, SCIENTISTS, AND POLICYMAKERS IN COMMUNICATING THE NEED FOR CONTINUED RESEARCH TO DEVELOP NEW METHODS OF PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, AND A CURE FOR HIV. RAISING HIV AWARENESS ACROSS PLATFORMSAMFAR FREQUENTLY SPOTLIGHTS INFORMATION ABOUT HIV AND OTHER HEALTH CHALLENGES ACROSS DIFFERENT PLATFORMS TO REACH DIVERSE AUDIENCES.AMFAR PRODUCES PERIODICALS IN BOTH PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMATS, INCLUDING ITS NEWSLETTER, INNOVATIONS, DISTRIBUTED TO ABOUT 15,500 PEOPLE, AND A MONTHLY E-MAIL NEWSLETTER, INSIGHTS, DISTRIBUTED TO APPROXIMATELY 24,500 RECIPIENTS. THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITEWWW.AMFAR.ORGFEATURES NEWS, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIGINAL ARTICLES COVERING HIV RESEARCH, POLICY, THE GLOBAL EPIDEMIC, AND AMFAR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. THE WEBSITE ATTRACTS AN AVERAGE OF 27,433 MONTHLY VISITS. AMFAR CREATES AND DISTRIBUTES REPORTS, PRESS RELEASES, AND UPDATES ON MAJOR HIV/AIDS ISSUES AND CONDUCTS PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN EDUCATING POLICYMAKERS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS, AND THE PUBLIC. AMFAR'S PUBLIC INFORMATION TEAM ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC POLICY OFFICE AND TREAT ASIA STAFF (SEE ABOVE) TO PRODUCE A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUE BRIEFS, FACTS SHEETS, INFOGRAPHICS, AND REPORTS.FOR WORLD AIDS DAY 2024, AMFAR PARTNERED WITH MAC VIVA GLAM TO HOST A RECEPTION AND PANEL DISCUSSION TITLED "HIV/AIDS: HOW WE CAN ALL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE" ON DECEMBER 4, 2024, IN NEW YORK CITY. THE MODERATED DISCUSSION COVERED HIV CURE RESEARCH, STIGMA, AND THE ROLE OF YOUNGER PEOPLE IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS. PANELISTS INCLUDED AMFAR'S NEWLY APPOINTED VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH, ANDREA GRAMATICA, PHD; ROBERT PITTS, MD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, HIV PREVENTION AND PRIDE CENTER AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/BELLEVUE; AND KIARA ST. JAMES, CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEW YORK TRANSGENDER ADVOCACY GROUP.THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AMFAR ROLLED OUT A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, FACTS FOR LIFE, THAT EDUCATED FOLLOWERS ABOUT A RANGE OF HIV-RELATED TOPICS: RESEARCH, TREATMENT, TRANSMISSION RISK, PREP AND OTHER PREVENTION TOOLS, AND CURE RESEARCH, AMONG OTHERS. IN JUNE 2025, AMFAR EXHIBITED AT THE 29TH ANNUAL BROOKLYN PRIDE MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HIV/AIDS AND THE VITAL WORK THE ORGANIZATION DOES.
- $2.0 million spent. PUBLIC POLICYAMFAR'S PUBLIC POLICY OFFICE UNDERSCORES URGENT HIV PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES BY MAKING DATA INTERPRETABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ADVOCACY. THE MISSION OF THE FOUNDATION'S POLICY PROGRAM IS TO: 1. SUPPORT EVIDENCE-BASED HIV POLICIES; 2. ADVOCATE FOR INCREASED GLOBAL, DOMESTIC, AND RESEARCH HIV DOLLARS; AND 3. ENSURE THAT EFFORTS TO END HIV ADDRESS OLD AND NEW THREATS. THE POLICY OFFICE ACCOMPLISHES THESE OBJECTIVES BY PUBLISHING IN MEDICAL JOURNALS AND GARNERING MEDIA ATTENTION, AS WELL AS THE ATTENTION OF CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS AND OFFICES. IN FY25, THE POLICY OFFICE'S SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS INCLUDED IN THREE ARTICLES IN TWO HIGHLY COMPETITIVE SOUGHT-AFTER MEDICAL JOURNALS [THE LANCET AND THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (JAMA)]. ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC AND OTHER HEALTH CHALLENGES IN THE U.S.THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AMFAR MET WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO PROMOTE AN EVIDENCED-BASED RESPONSE TO THE U.S. HIV EPIDEMIC AND DISCUSS POLICY INITIATIVES. IN PARTICULAR, POLICY STAFF DEVELOPED AND SHARED RAPID-RESPONSE INFORMATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT BEST PRACTICES IN THE DOMESTIC HIV RESPONSE, HIGHLIGHTING DOCUMENTED SUCCESSES OF THE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC INITIATIVE AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, FOR EXAMPLE.AMFAR FOCUSED MUCH OF ITS EFFORTS ON KEEPING DOMESTIC HIV FUNDING FOR RESEARCH AND SERVICES ON TRACK AND ADDRESSING THE ELIMINATION OF THE CDC'S HIV PREVENTION PROGRAMS, PRODUCING AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF ANALYSES ON THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF HEALTH RESEARCH AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS ON THE HIV EPIDEMIC. ONE AMFAR ANALYSIS SHOWING HOW CUTS TO CDC HIV PREVENTION WOULD INCREASE NEW INFECTIONS NOT ONLY RECEIVED MEDIA ATTENTION, BUT WAS USED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO JUSTIFY CONTINUING TO FUND HIV PREVENTION. THE REMAINING POLICY ANALYSES RELEASED BY THE POLICY OFFICE EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING HIV SCIENCE: IGNORING SCIENCE WILL WORSEN THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN THE U.S.; THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU MADE: HOW NIH FUNDING FUELS INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH; HIDDEN COSTS OF CAPPING NIH INDIRECT COSTS; PRESIDENT'S TRUMP HIV PLAN IS TOO VALUABLE TO LOSE; DOMESTIC FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH; AND WHEN GRANTS END, SO DO SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS. IN MARCH 2025, POLICY STAFF ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE ON RETROVIRUSES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES (CROI) TO DISCUSS THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES AND IMPACTS ON HIV RESEARCH AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN SEPTEMBER 2025, AMFAR'S POLICY OFFICE COAUTHORED A POLICY ANALYSIS PUBLISHED IN JAMA SHOWING THAT ESTIMATED HIV PREVENTION BUDGET CUTS WOULD RESULT IN 9,000 EXCESS INFECTIONS IN THE NEXT DECADE AND COST AN ADDITIONAL $4 BILLION. ADVOCACY WORK FOCUSED ON PRESENTATIONS TO AND COLLABORATIONS WITH HIV AND HEALTH-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SOUTHERN AIDS COALITION, GEORGETOWN LAW'S O'NEILL INSTITUTE, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, FUNDERS CONCERNED ABOUT AIDS, AIDS UNITED, AND LAMBDA LEGAL, AMONG OTHERS. AMFAR'S POLICY OFFICE WAS ALSO ONE OF SEVERAL NATIONAL SPONSORS OF AIDSWATCH WHICH BRINGS HUNDREDS OF HIV ADVOCATES TO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO URGE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO CONTINUE TO FUND HIV RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS.ALONG WITH ITS FOCUS ON HIV, THE POLICY OFFICE PARTICIPATED IN DISCUSSIONS ON A RANGE OF TOPICS, FROM WOMEN'S HEALTH TO THE INCORPORATION OF TECHNOLOGY (INCLUDING AI) INTO PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE DELIVERY.ENSURING GLOBAL HEALTH ACCESSAMFAR MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE ROLE IN GLOBAL ADVOCACY AND POLICY INITIATIVES, AND, IN LIGHT OF A FEDERAL-LEVEL RETREAT FROM ESTABLISHED GLOBAL HEALTH PRIORITIES, POLICY STAFF PROVIDED DATA TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PEPFAR (THE U.S. PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF), WORKED WITH ADVOCATES TO ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT OF THE FUNDING CUTS, AND PARTICIPATED IN MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE BUSH INSTITUTE ON PEPFAR REAUTHORIZATION AND FUNDING. AMFAR WORKED WITH OTHER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS TO PUSH BACK ON THE PROPOSED $400 MILLION RECISSION CUTS TO PEPFAR.THE POLICY OFFICE PRODUCED A REPORT AND A PUBLISHED ANALYSIS THAT RECEIVED WIDESPREAD MEDIA ATTENTION, AS WELL AS CONGRESSIONAL ATTENTION IN LIGHT OF HALTING THE PEPFAR PROGRAM (REPORT: IMPACT OF STOP WORK ORDERS FOR PEPFAR PROGRAMS; SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION: EARLY IMPACTS OF THE PEPFAR STOP WORK ORDER: A RAPID ASSESSMENT). THE POLICY OFFICE SUPPORTED CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT STOP-WORK ORDERS AND TERMINATION OF GRANTS. AMFAR PARTICIPATED IN A SAVE PEPFAR MEETING ORGANIZED BY HIV ACTIVISTS AND SUPPLIED DATA ON PEPFAR TO NUMEROUS RESEARCHERS TO SUPPORT THEIR MODELING AND ADVOCACY WORK. THE POLICY OFFICE SUPPORTED COMMUNITY ADVOCACY IN GLOBAL FUND COUNTRIES TO TRACK REALLOCATION AND REPRIORITIZATION PROCESSES IN THE FACE OF GLOBAL FUND FUNDING CUTS.AMFAR ALSO MET WITH UNAIDS OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS REVISING A GLOBAL AIDS STRATEGY FOR 2026 THROUGH 2030. OTHER HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS FOCUSED ON GLOBAL GAG RULE RESEARCH AND GLOBAL PREP ACCESS.ADDITIONALLY, AMFAR PLAYS A KEY ROLE AS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER FOR IN-COUNTRY COMMUNITY-LED MONITORING EFFORTS IN SEVEN COUNTRIESSOUTH AFRICA, LESOTHO, MALAWI, UGANDA, HAITI, AND (WITH TREAT ASIA) INDIA AND INDONESIA. IN THIS ROLE, AMFAR ENGAGES WITH LOCAL ACTIVISTS AND DATA COLLECTION TEAMS TO ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY DATA ARE PRODUCED FOR HIV SERVICE QUALITY MONITORING AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES. AMFAR COSPONSORED AN INTERNATIONAL STUDYTHE SCOPE (SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS & PRIORITIES FOR EMPOWERMENT AND IMPACT) REPORTTHAT SHOWED GLOBAL FUND-SUPPORTED HIV SERVICE DELIVERY PROGRAMS PROFOUNDLY BENEFIT FROM LOCAL EXPERTISE AND LEADERSHIP. PUBLISHED IN AUGUST 2025, THE STUDY SURVEYED 317 COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS 33 COUNTRIES AND CONDUCTED IN-DEPTH CONSULTATIONS FOR STUDY DESIGN AND COMMUNITY-BASED ASSESSMENTS. IN FY2025 PUBLIC POLICY OFFICE TEAM SERVED ON SEVERAL GLOBAL HIV BOARDS, INCLUDING THE PEPFAR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD, THE NONPROFIT CONSTITUENCY
- THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AMFAR STAFF PUBLISHED ARTICLES ON A RANGE OF TOPICS IN ACADEMIC AND POLICY JOURNALS, INCLUDING: JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY, NOVEMBER 2024, "THE GROUND HAS SHIFTED UNDER PEPFAR: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ITS FUTURE?" AIDS PATIENT CARE & STDS, DECEMBER 2024, "REJECTION OF FEDERAL GUIDANCE BY SOUTHERN US STATES AND PROJECTED CONSEQUENCES FOR ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC" JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY, FEBRUARY 2025, "EARLY IMPACTS OF THE PEPFAR STOP-WORK ORDER: A RAPID ASSESSMENT" THE LANCET, FEBRUARY 2025, "PEPFAR UNDER REVIEW: WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR PEPFAR'S FUTURE" THE LANCET, MAY 2025, "PROTECTING AFRICA'S CHILDREN FROM EXTREME RISK: A RUNWAY OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR PEPFAR PROGRAMMES" JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, SEPTEMBER 2025, EXCESS HIV INFECTIONS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCTIONS IN HIV PREVENTION SERVICES IN THE US" JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY, SEPTEMBER 2025, "IMPACT OF THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY ACT ON HIV SERVICE DELIVERY IN UGANDA: EVIDENCE FROM COMMUNITY-LED MONITORING" POLICY STAFF ALSO CONTRIBUTED INSIGHTS TO MAJOR NEWS OUTLETS SUCH AS THE NEW YORK TIMES, NPR, WASHINGTON POST, PROPUBLICA, THE INDEPENDENT, AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, AND POZ MAGAZINE, AMONG OTHERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 October 13, 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 September 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 August 1983.
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 October 21, 2026.
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