Oregon Health and Science University Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED IN 1970 TO SECURE PRIVATE PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT TO ADVANCE OHSU'S VITAL MISSIONS, AND TO INVEST AND MANAGE GIFTS RESPONSIBLY TO HONOR DONORS' WISHES.
- Income
- $194.1 million
- Spending
- $213.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 88.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 50%
- Employees
- 130
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $1.7 million, director (thru 11/5/24)
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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 88.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 38% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 33 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 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)
- $165.3 million spent. FUNDING RAISED BY THE FOUNDATION IS BEING USED BY OHSU TO SUPPORT RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND PATIENT CARE IN THE AREAS OF CANCER, VISION, HEARING, NEUROLOGY, NURSING, DENTISTRY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, HEALTH DISPARITIES AND EQUITY, RURAL HEALTH, PUBLIC HEATH, AND MANY OTHERS.SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE INFORMATION. AT OHSU, WE ARE SINCERELY THANKFUL FOR THE PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT THAT EMPOWERS US TO ADVANCE OUR ESSENTIAL MISSIONS: LIFE-SAVING CARE, GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH, INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY FOR HEALTH EQUITY. THROUGHOUT THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE WITNESSED COUNTLESS STORIES OF IMPACT THAT DEMONSTRATE OUR JOINT COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR ALL. HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR JOURNEY. * THE CASEY COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM NOW HAS TWO MOBILE EYE CLINICS PROVIDING FREE VISION SCREENINGS TO PEOPLE ACROSS OREGON'S RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. EQUIPPED WITH TWO PRIVATE EXAM LANES AND AN IMAGING LANE WITH AN OCT MACHINE, PATIENTS RECEIVE NO-COST VISION SCREENINGS THAT IDENTIFY COMMON PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE EYE CONDITIONS THAT OFTEN CAUSE BLINDNESS. CASEY'S MOBILE CLINIC OUTREACH TRAVELED NEARLY 40 WEEKENDS EACH YEAR TO PROVIDE 1,500 FREE EXAMS, 10,000 FREE SCREENINGS FOR ADULTS AND MORE THAN 4,800 PAIRS OF GLASSES EVERY YEAR. * WITH GENEROUS DONOR SUPPORT FROM CHRIS AND TIM WARREN, THE OHSU KNIGHT CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE LAUNCHED A SPORTS CARDIOLOGY FELLOWSHIP FOR PRACTITIONERS SEEKING A CAREER IN THE SPECIALIZED CARE OF ATHLETES WITH CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BRADLY PETEK, M.D., OHSU'S DIRECTOR OF SPORTS CARDIOLOGY WHO ALSO SERVES AS TEAM CARDIOLOGIST AND CONSULTANT FOR NUMEROUS SPORTS TEAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT OREGON, OHSU WILL NOW BE ONE OF FOUR INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND THE ONLY ONE ON THE WEST COAST TO OFFER THIS RARE PROGRAM. * THE MARY (MOBILIZING ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES YEAR-ROUND) FUND EASED TREATMENT-RELATED FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR OHSU PATIENTS. THIS FUND ASSISTS PATIENTS AND FAMILIES FACING UNFORESEEN EXPENSES DURING TREATMENT. THIS PAST YEAR, MARY HAS PROVIDED GROCERY GIFT CARDS AND FUNDS FOR GAS, HELPED PURCHASE MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND PAID FOR HOTEL STAYS. THE OHSU PARKINSON CENTER ALSO USES MARY FUNDS TO PROVIDE RESPITE CARE FOR CARE GIVERS, WHO OFTEN NEGLECT THEIR OWN HEALTH, SO THEY CAN GET THEIR OWN MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS DONE. * THE MOBILE OUTREACH VAN AT THE OHSU KNIGHT CANCER INSTITUTE IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A RECENT $1M GIFT TO ENHANCE CANCER CARE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM COLLABORATES WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION, PREVENTION, EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF CANCER. SERVICES INCLUDE HPV VACCINES, SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS, FIT KITS (TAKE-HOME STOOL TESTS) TO SCREEN FOR COLON CANCER AND CLINICAL TRIAL ENROLLMENT. * AN INVESTITURE CEREMONY WAS HELD FOR RODICA BUSUI, M.D., PH.D., WHO WAS NAMED THE INAUGURAL JORDAN SCHNITZER ENDOWED CHAIR IN DIABETES AT OHSU. DR. BUSUI IS A GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED DIABETES RESEARCH AND TREATMENT EXPERT, WHO JUST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION AND IS NOW AT THE HELM OF THE HAROLD SCHNITZER DIABETES HEALTH CENTER. AT THE EVENT, MR. SCHNITZER SURPRISED THE NEARLY 200 ATTENDEES BY SHARING THAT THE FAMILY'S FOUNDATION WOULD COMMIT TO AN ADDITIONAL $2.1 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE CENTER THAT IS NAMED IN HIS FATHER'S HONOR. HE WANTS TO USE THIS AS A MATCHING GIFT OPPORTUNITY TO MOTIVATE OTHER SUPPORTERS TO CONTRIBUTE. * WE ARE PROUD TO SHARE THAT OHSU IS A JOINT RECIPIENT OF A $2.8 MILLION AWARD FOR DIABETES RESEARCH TOGETHER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. WITH THIS SIGNIFICANT AWARD, BREAKTHROUGH T1D (FORMERLY JDRF), WHICH FUNDS RESEARCH FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW THERAPIES AND TREATMENTS FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES, WILL EXPAND THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-OHSU CARDIORENAL CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE. BY COMBINING THE EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES OF TWO LEADING INSTITUTIONS, THE INITIATIVE WILL ESTABLISH AN INNOVATIVE CLINICAL TRIAL PLATFORM FOCUSED ON HEART AND KIDNEY THERAPIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES. THIS COLLABORATION EXEMPLIFIES A PRUDENT APPROACH TO MAXIMIZING RESEARCH CAPABILITIES AND OUTCOMES AND DEMONSTRATES THE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS OHSU MAINTAINS WITH OUR PEER ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE BREAKTHROUGH T1D U-M-OHSU CARDIORENAL CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IS ONE OF FIVE BREAKTHROUGH T1D CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE AROUND THE WORLD POWERING ADVANCES TO DELIVER CURES AND LIFE-IMPROVING BREAKTHROUGHS FOR T1D. * DOUG NORMAN, M.D., A NATIONAL LEADER IN TRANSPLANT MEDICINE WHO RECENTLY RETIRED AFTER A 45-YEAR CAREER WITH OHSU, HAS MADE THE GENEROUS DECISION TO CREATE A NEW ENDOWED FUND FOR EDUCATION AT OHSU. THE DOUGLAS J. NORMAN ENDOWED EDUCATION FUND WILL PROMOTE AND SUPPORT KIDNEY TRANSPLANT MEDICINE EDUCATION FOR NEPHROLOGY FELLOWS, FACULTY, NURSES AND COMMUNITY PRACTITIONERS. THIS IS A FITTING LEGACY FOR AN OHSU LEADER WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE OHSU HEART TRANSPLANT PROGRAM IN 1985 AND WAS MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PROGRAM FOR 35 YEARS. HE OVERSAW THE GROWTH OF THE OHSU LABORATORY OF IMMUNOGENETICS AND TRANSPLANTATION, WHICH PERFORMS TISSUE TYPING FOR THE SIX SOLID ORGAN AND THE BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT PROGRAMS IN OREGON, AS ITS MEDICAL DIRECTOR SINCE 1980. * NANCY FINDHOLT, RN, PH.D., PROFESSOR EMERITA, DEDICATED 23 YEARS TO THE OHSU SCHOOL OF NURSING IN LA GRANDE IN CENTRAL EAST OREGON, WHERE HER TEACHING AND RESEARCH CENTERED ON IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES AND ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES. THROUGH HER WORK, SHE RECOGNIZED THE CRUCIAL ROLE NURSES PLAY IN ACHIEVING HEALTH EQUITY, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF A NURSING WORKFORCE THAT MIRRORS THE DIVERSITY OF THE POPULATION. DRIVEN BY THIS CONVICTION, NANCY ACTIVELY SUPPORTS NURSING STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY BACKGROUNDS WHO FACE EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS DUE TO LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES. NANCY AND SCOTT FINDHOLT HAVE ESTABLISHED AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP WITH THE OHSU SCHOOL OF NURSING TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES BY SUPPORTING UNDERREPRESENT
- $106,628 spent. GRANTS AND TRANSFERS TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS OF OTHER CHARITABLE, MEDICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
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
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 June 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 February 1971.
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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