The Childrens Health Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Children's Health Fund (CHF) leads a national network to bring comprehensive healthcare to children growing up in under-resourced communities and advocates for the health and well-being of all children. See Schedule O.Our vision is that all children receive the healthcare they deserve and need to thrive and succeed. Through our Healthy & Ready to Learn program, public health initiatives, policy and advocacy work, response to public health crises, and the work of our National Network partners, we provide support and access to comprehensive healthcare services to children living in under-resourced communities throughout the United States.
- Income
- $5.9 million
- Spending
- $6.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- -8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 36
- Highest pay
- $398,810, president & ceo
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
Weak: 38 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 117% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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, 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 (3)
- $2.1 million spent. NATIONAL NETWORK - Children's Health Fund's national network is unique because it is composed of healthcare providers who work at the community level, building trust and providing resource-intensive care that children in these communities would not otherwise receive.See Schedule OChildren's Health Fund sees steady annualized growth each year through expanding our national network of clinical sites, adding innovative programming, and responding to public health crises. In 2024, CHF served 22,743 children and families with 465,215 healthcare visits across 15 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. This included 39,264 mental health visits, 41,896 dental visits, and 162,416 vaccinations. Services are delivered through 50 fully equipped mobile medical clinics, telehealth, and nearly 500 school- and community-based clinics, ensuring children in urban, suburban, and rural areas receive care where they live, learn, and play. CHF continues to monitor and respond to health reform implementation and advocate for health equity and social safety net programs and funding.
- $1.4 million spent. HEALTHY AND READY TO LEARN Launched in 2014, the Children's Health Fund's Healthy and Ready to Learn (HRL) initiative addresses health barriers that interfere with learning, particularly those rooted in social, racial, and economic inequities. The program supports families in recognizing student health challenges and promotes trauma-sensitive, supportive environments for children to thrive.See Schedule OIn 2024, HRL continued to respond to growing behavioral and mental health needs, with a strong focus on building meaningful homeschool partnerships and supporting a positive school climate. The program expanded its presence in early childhood care and education settings by developing and delivering content tailored to caregivers of children ages 0- 5. This included interactive wellness workshops, health education, and the integration of practices that promote healthy development. HRL's online resource and training center remained an active hub for professional development, family-friendly resources, newsletters, and accessible wellness tools for both educators and caregivers.
- $944,976 spent. PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES: CHF's Public Health Initiatives seek to improve and protect population and community health. We engage local communities and promote patient empowerment to improve health outcomes in under-resourced communities. PHI draws upon data and insights from our national network partner programs to develop interventions focused on prevention, social drivers of health, health equity, and health education. These interventions inform our advocacy work, and we disseminate lessons learned broadly through our Innovation Lab, online briefings, and conferences.See Schedule OIn 2024, CHF's Public Health Initiatives department implemented three Community Health Equity and Engagement Roundtables (CHEERs) in underserved communities nationwide, engaging 56 multi-sectoral stakeholders. The CHEERs gather local stakeholders from various sectors to identify localized social drivers of health and collaboratively strategize initiatives to address these challenges. The roundtables position patients, families, and youth as key stakeholders among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and social service organizations to drive community-based change.In 2024, CHF introduced the Community Compass--a novel initiative that engages communities to identify needs and priorities in order to inform the development of a mobile health program. The Community Compass fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where diverse community voices are heard, ensuring that the unique needs of the community are prioritized within project planning processes. CHF produces a comprehensive findings report following each Community Compass that includes a detailed summary of community needs and priorities in addition to recommendations for actionable next steps informed by our nearly 40 years of experience in public health programming. CHF hosted three Community Compasses in 2024.
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
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.