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American Board of Medical Specialties Research & Education F

EIN 23-7304902 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak0 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

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

ABMS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION (ABMS REF) SUPPORTS THE SCIENTIFIC, SCHOLARLY AND PUBLIC EDUCATION PURPOSES OF THE AMERICAN BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES (ABMS).

Income
$110,823
Spending
$1.9 million
Reserves
-28.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Highest pay
$111,346, svp, cert standard & prgm

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 0 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (medical research, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 1183% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1659% of income.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ 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 (4)
  1. $748,831 spent. THE ABMS REF GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS INDEPENDENT AND INNOVATIVE RESEARCH THAT EXPLORES THE IMPACT OF BOARD CERTIFICATION AND AIMS TO ENHANCE HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, GATHERING INSIGHTS AND INFORMING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STRUCTURE, PROCESSES, AND OUTCOMES OF MEDICAL SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION. A KEY OBJECTIVE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO FACILITATE A COMMUNITY OF RESEARCH PRACTICE AROUND THE MECHANISM OF CERTIFICATION. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH GRANTEE INTERACTIONS WITH EACH OTHER, WITH MEMBER BOARDS, AND WITH THE ABMS VISITING SCHOLARS PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS THE RESEARCH OF EARLY-CAREER PHYSICIANS AND RESEARCH PROFESSIONALS AND FACILITATES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TROUGH ENGAGEMENT WITH ABMS AND THE BROADER CERTIFICATION COMMUNITY.
  2. $216,545 spent. THE ABMS REF OVERSEES THE IMPLEMENTATION AND COORDINATION OF THE ABMS VISITING SCHOLARS PROGRAM (VSP). THE VSP IS FOR EARLY-CAREER PHYSICIANS, MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SPECIALISTS, AND RESEARCH PROFESSIONALS, JUNIOR FACULTY, FELLOWS, AND RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS HOLDING MASTER OR DOCTORATE DEGREES IN PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND STATISTICS, PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, OR OTHER RELEVANT DISCIPLINES.VSP SCHOLARS ARE EXPOSED TO THE FIELDS OF PHYSICIAN PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, HEALTH CARE POLICY AND REGULATION, AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. VSP SCHOLARS CONDUCT RESEARCH IN COLLABORATION WITH MENTORS FROM THEIR INSTITUTIONS, ABMS, AND ABMS MEMBER BOARDS. THROUGH THEIR RESEARCH AND PROGRAM ENGAGEMENT, VSP SCHOLARS INFORM THE STUDY OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICIAN ASSESSMENT, SELF-REGULATION, AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.
  3. $122,568 spent. THE ABMS REF SYNERGIZES, GUIDES, CONVENES, FACILITATES, CONDUCTS, AND COLLABORATES IN RELATION TO ALL ASPECTS OF RESEARCH REGARDING ABMS INITIAL AND CONTINUING CERTIFICATION ACROSS 24 MEMBER BOARDS. THE ABMS REF ALSO PARTNERS WITH OTHER RESEARCHERS TO DEVELOP RESEARCH IN THE AREAS OF QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT, PATIENT SAFETY, ADULT LEARNING AND EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND OTHER DISCIPLINES. THE ABMS REF CONDUCTS PROGRAM EVALUATION AND RESEARCH ON THE ABMS LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS TO ANALYZE PHYSICIAN KNOWLEDGE, JUDGEMENT, AND SKILLS.
  4. $13,316 spent. THE ABMS REF DEVELOPS, DEPLOYS, MAINTAINS, AND IMPROVES AN ONLINE REPOSITORY OF PUBLISHED LITERATURE AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS ON INITIAL PHYSICIAN SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION, CONTINUING PHYSICIAN SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION, OR COMPONENTS OF CONTINUOUS CERTIFICATION SUCH AS KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT, ADULT LEARNING AND EDUCATION, AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. THIS CURATED REPOSITORY INFORMS RESEARCHERS, KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND ABMS MEMBER BOARDS REGARDING FINDINGS THAT CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1973.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.