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Essentia Institute of Rural Health

EIN 27-1291124 · Duluth, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair56 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ARE CALLED TO MAKE A HEALTHY DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

Income
$10.5 million
Spending
$12.2 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
4.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 29%
Employees
113
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$932,372, board chair/related org physician

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

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    2 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (3)
  1. $8.0 million spent. ESSENTIA INSTITUTE OF RURAL HEALTH (EIRH) IS CREATED AND SHALL BE OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARITABLE, EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. MORE SPECIFICALLY, EIRH IS CREATED AND ORGANIZED TO ASSIST AND COORDINATE ACTIVITIES OF FACILITIES FOR HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH.EIRH SUPPORTS CLINICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH ACROSS POPULATIONS SERVED BY ESSENTIA HEALTH IN MINNESOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND WISCONSIN.THE EIRH RESEARCH DIVISION, IN COLLABORATION WITH ESSENTIA HEALTH CLINICIANS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ADVANCES MEDICINE THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES AND BUILD HEALTH AND VITALITY WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. THE TEAM PUBLISHED 65 PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS IN FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025 TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE AND CARE DELIVERY. OVER 200 CLINICAL TRIALS WERE OFFERED TO OUR PATIENTS, AND THE EIRH CLINICAL TRIALS TEAM CARED FOR OVER 1,800 PATIENTS.DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, EIRH RESEARCHERS SUBMITTED 37 NEW GRANT APPLICATIONS TO FEDERAL/STATE AGENCIES, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS/FOUNDATIONS AND MANAGED OVER 50 RESEARCH GRANTS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. EIRH RECEIVED 14 NEW GRANTS TOTALING NEARLY $3 MILLION IN NEW, MULTI-YEAR, EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANT FUNDING.ESSENTIA HEALTH IS THE PARENT ORGANIZATION OF AN INTEGRATED HEALTH SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES THIS ORGANIZATION AND ALL ENTITIES THAT ARE OWNED OR CONTROLLED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY ESSENTIA HEALTH (COLLECTIVELY, THE "SYSTEM OR "ESSENTIA HEALTH").
  2. $2.7 million spent. EIRH'S EDUCATION DIVISION HELPS PREPARE OUR FUTURE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE BY STRATEGICALLY ORGANIZING, DEVELOPING AND PROVIDING CLINICAL EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AND MEDICAL/HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ACCREDITED PROGRAMS. EIRH PROVIDED OVER 480,000 HOURS OF TRAINING TO MORE THAN 2,800 STUDENTS IN FY25. EIRH MANAGES THE OPERATIONS OF THE DULUTH FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM AND EMPLOYS ITS 24 FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENTS. EIRH ALSO HOSTS THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S GENERAL SURGERY RESIDENCY RURAL TRAINING TRACK. THESE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS ARE KEY TO PREPARING PHYSICIANS FOR RURAL PRACTICE, AS WELL AS A CRUCIAL RECRUITMENT POOL FOR ESSENTIA HEALTH.
  3. $398,571 spent. THE EIRH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROVIDES ACCREDITED CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) PROGRAMMING FOR OUR PHYSICIANS AND OTHER CARE TEAM PROFESSIONALS THAT IS STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED WITH ESSENTIA HEALTH INITIATIVES AND GOALS. OVER 600 ACTIVITIES WERE OFFERED AND OVER 19,000 CME CREDITS AWARDED IN FY25. EIRH OPERATES A MEDICAL LIBRARY WHICH PROVIDES SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO A WIDE RANGE OF CLINICAL STAFF.

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since May 2010.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.