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American Council on Exercise

EIN 33-0123550 · San Diego, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ACE WORKS TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY LEVELS BY EDUCATING EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH COACHES, FUNDING ORIGINAL RESEARCH, AND COLLABORATING WITH EXPERTS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH TO GET PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE MOVING.

Income
$19.3 million
Spending
$19.7 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
3.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 67%
Employees
90
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$570,330, president & chief executive officer

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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 63% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 11 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. $8.3 million spent. CONTINUING EDUCATION AND RENEWALS: ACE DEVELOPED AND UPDATED APPROXIMATELY 40 EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND COURSES, INCLUDING THE ACE HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUMMIT: A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH AND MINDFUL MOVEMENT: COACHING CLIENTS TO BECOME MORE ACTIVE. EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH COACHES ARE ABLE TO RENEW THEIR CERTIFICATIONS WITH ACE THROUGH CONTENT BY ACE AND ITS APPROVED PARTNERS.
  2. $7.6 million spent. CERTIFICATION AND PREPARATORY EDUCATION:THE EDUCATION OF WELL-QUALIFIED EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH COACHES IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE ACE APPROACH TO GET PEOPLE MOVING. ACE DEVELOPS, REVIEWS, AND MAINTAINS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, STUDY MATERIALS AND TRAINING MANUALS AND RELATED EXAMS. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE NUMBER OF ACE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS INCLUDED 50,031 ACE CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINERS; 20,396 ACE CERTIFIED GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTORS; 5,817 ACE CERTIFIED HEALTH COACHES; 824 ACE CERTIFIED MEDICAL EXERCISE SPECIALISTS. COLLECTIVELY, ACE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS HELD APPROXIMATELY 10.5 MILLION CLIENT AND GROUP SESSIONS IN THE PAST YEAR.
  3. $51,469 spent. OUTREACH:ACE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION TO EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE HEALTH CHANGES. IN THE PAST YEAR, ACE INVESTED IN ORIGINAL RESEARCH, INCLUDING YOUTH SPORT COACHES' KNOWLEDGE OF EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND RELATED CONCEPTS. IN ADDITION, ACE CREATED THE FOUNDATIONS FOR COMMUNITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEADERS, A FREE ONLINE COURSE DESIGNED TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEEKING TO GET THEIR COMMUNITIES MORE ACTIVE.PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION:ACE REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE PUBLIC, FITNESS ENTHUSIASTS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS WITH FREE, SCIENCE-BASED CONTENT TO SUPPORT MORE ACTIVE AND HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES. IN THE PAST YEAR, ACE AUTHORED MORE THAN 200 FREE ARTICLES ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TIPS AND EDUCATION, WHICH COVERED TOPICS SUCH AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OBESITY MEDICATIONS, MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND HEALTHSPAN AND LONGEVITY. IN ADDITION, ACE COORDINATED 2,288UNIQUE NEWS STORIES AND OPINION EDITORIALS TO INSPIRE AND ENOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.ACE ALSO PARTNERED WITH LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE HEALTHIER LIVING, INCLUDING ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE WHICH SOUGHT TO TRAIN FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER PHYSICIANS. ACE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE LAKESHORE FOUNDATION, THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ALLIANCE, AND THE COALITION FOR THE REGISTRATION OF EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS. ACE SERVED AS MULTIPLE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INCLUDING THE FORBES HEALTH MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD, THE ROUNDTABLE ON OBESITY SOLUTIONS, THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE AND THE U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT MEDICAL REVIEW BOARD.

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 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 June 2025.

    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 1986.

    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.