Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN ORTHOPAEDICS AND RHEUMATOLOGY.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $847,345
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 54%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 1
- Highest pay
- $150,312, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 May 31, 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 (1)
- $738,417 spent. THE FUNDING RECEIVED BY THE ANDERSON ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH (AORI) IS USED TO CONDUCT MEDICAL RESEARCH AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES RELATED TO HIP AND KNEE JOINT REPLACEMENT. AORI CONDUCTS BOTH PROSPECTIVE AND RETROSPECTIVE STUDIES WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF SHARING THE INSTITUTE'S FINDINGS WITH THE BROADER MEDICAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PATIENTS, THROUGH PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. PROSPECTIVE STUDIES, WHERE VOLUNTEERS CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE, ARE MANAGED BY AORI'S CLINICAL RESEARCH STAFF. THESE STAFF MEMBERS HELP FORMULATE STUDY PROTOCOLS, OBTAIN INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) APPROVAL, CONSENT PARTICIPANTS, SCHEDULE FOLLOW-UP VISITS, ADMINISTER SURVEYS, COMPILE AND ANALYZE OUTCOME DATA, PREPARE IRB REPORTS AS NECESSARY, SUMMARIZE RESULTS FOR STUDY SPONSORS, AND PREPARE ABSTRACTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND MANUSCRIPTS FOR SUBMISSION TO SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS AND PEER-REVIEW JOURNALS. RETROSPECTIVE STUDIES, WHICH USE PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL DATA, ARE CONDUCTED USING INFORMATION OBTAINED AS PART OF ROUTINE PATIENT CARE AND DATA DERIVED FROM AORI'S ELECTRONIC DATABASE THAT ARCHIVES SURGICAL PROCEDURES, CLINICAL VISITS, PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES, AND ADVERSE EVENTS. BY ANALYZING THIS DATA, AORI STAFF MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO ASSESS THE OUTCOME OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF IMPLANTS AMONG UNIQUE GROUPS OF PATIENTS. THE FUNDING RECEIVED BY AORI SUPPORTS STAFF SALARIES AND BENEFITS, PAYS FOR FEES CHARGED BY AGENCIES THAT OVERSEE AORI'S ACTIVITIES, AND TO PURCHASE STUDY SUPPLIES. COMPUTERS, LABORATORY TESTING EQUIPMENT, AND APPLICATIONS THAT ENABLE THE ACQUISITION AND COMPILATION OF STUDY DATA ARE ALSO PAID FOR WITH THE FUNDS RECEIVED BY AORI. DURING THE PAST YEAR, AORI-AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS PUBLISHED 27 PAPERS IN ORTHOPAEDIC JOURNALS. AORI RESEARCHERS ALSO PRESENTED 37 SCIENTIFIC TALKS, 18 POSTERS AT LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORTHOPAEDIC MEETINGS AND 1 BOOK CHAPTER.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 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 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 May 2025.
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 January 1973.
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.