Cleveland Va Medical Research and Education Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE PRIMARY TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE CLEVELAND VA MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION, A 501(C)(3) MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 38, SUBCHAPTER IV-RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CORPORATIONS, SECTIONS 7361-7368, IS TO SUPPORT BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE HEALTH-RELATED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LOUIS STOKES CLEVELAND DEPARTMENT OF VA MEDICAL CENTER (VAMC). RESEARCH SPONSORED BY THE CLEVELAND VA MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION BENEFITS VETERANS TREATED AT THE LOUIS STOCKS CLEVELAND VAMC AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF DISEASE AND DISABILITY. EDUCATION PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY THE CLEVELAND VA MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION HELP DISSEMINATE THE RESULTS OF RESEARCH SO THEY MAY BE TRANSLATED TO CLINICAL PRACTICE, PROVIDE HOSPITAL STAFF WITH TRAINING IN THE LATEST TREATMENTS, AND HELP PATIENTS UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE THEIR MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
- Income
- $5.2 million
- Spending
- $5.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 5.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 45
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $175,478, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 21% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 252 of 7 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
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 December 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 (4)
- $4.6 million spent. DR. HAMID CHARKHKAR, PHD- DOD "NEURALLY INTEGRATED LOWER LIMB PROSTHESIS FOR HOME AND COMMUNITY USE" THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY A FULLY IMPLANTABLE, SELF-CONTAINED LOWER LIMB SENSORY NEUROPROSTHESIS THAT IS EASY-TO-USE IN THE COMMUNITY AND/OR ACTIVE-DUTY ENVIRONMENTS. DOING SO COULD PROVIDE WARFIGHTERS WITH LOWER LIMB LOSS THE ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY RETURN TO ACTIVE DUTY OR FACILITATE RESUMPTION OF A HEALTHY AND SOCIALLY ENGAGED LIFESTYLE. CONVENTIONAL PROSTHESES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY INTERFACE WITH COMPROMISED SKELETAL, MUSCULAR, AND NERVOUS SYSTEMS FOLLOWING A LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION. ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS ADVANCED PROSTHESES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED, NO COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DEVICE CAN PROVIDE A DIRECT NEURAL CONNECTION TO THE REMAINING NERVES IN THE RESIDUAL LIMB SO THAT SOMATOSENSORY FEEDBACK OF PROSTHETIC FOOT-FLOOR INTERACTIONS CAN BE UTILIZED. SENSORY RESTORATION APPROACHES USING A DIRECT NEURAL INTERFACE HAVE REPORTED POSITIVE EFFECTS, INCLUDING AN INCREASE IN WALKING SPEED, REDUCTION IN PHANTOM PAIN, AND LIGHTER WEIGHT PERCEPTION OF THE PROSTHESIS. HOWEVER, MOST TESTS WITH THESE SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN CONTROLLED LABORATORY ENVIRONMENTS, AND THEIR EFFECTS DURING ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING ARE LARGELY UNKNOWN. PROBING SUCH EFFECTS REQUIRES EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM USE OF THESE PROSTHESES OUTSIDE THE LABORATORY WHILE USERS ENGAGE IN CHALLENGING PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES TYPICAL IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT PROLONGED USE OF THE NEUROPROSTHESIS AT HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY WILL IMPROVE STANDARD STATIC AND DYNAMIC MEASURES OF BALANCE AND GAIT STABILITY REVEALED THROUGH QUANTITATIVE POSTUROGRAPHY AND GAIT ANALYSIS. DR. HAMID CHARKHKAR, PHD- DOD "NEURALLY INTEGRATED LOWER LIMB PROSTHESIS FOR HOME AND COMMUNITY USE" THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY A FULLY IMPLANTABLE, SELF-CONTAINED LOWER LIMB SENSORY NEUROPROSTHESIS THAT IS EASY-TO-USE IN THE COMMUNITY AND/OR ACTIVE-DUTY ENVIRONMENTS. DOING SO COULD PROVIDE WARFIGHTERS WITH LOWER LIMB LOSS THE ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY RETURN TO ACTIVE DUTY OR FACILITATE RESUMPTION OF A HEALTHY AND SOCIALLY ENGAGED LIFESTYLE. CONVENTIONAL PROSTHESES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY INTERFACE WITH COMPROMISED SKELETAL, MUSCULAR, AND NERVOUS SYSTEMS FOLLOWING A LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION. ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS ADVANCED PROSTHESES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED, NO COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DEVICE CAN PROVIDE A DIRECT NEURAL CONNECTION TO THE REMAINING NERVES IN THE RESIDUAL LIMB SO THAT SOMATOSENSORY FEEDBACK OF PROSTHETIC FOOT-FLOOR INTERACTIONS CAN BE UTILIZED. SENSORY RESTORATION APPROACHES USING A DIRECT NEURAL INTERFACE HAVE REPORTED POSITIVE EFFECTS, INCLUDING AN INCREASE IN WALKING SPEED, REDUCTION IN PHANTOM PAIN, AND LIGHTER WEIGHT PERCEPTION OF THE PROSTHESIS. HOWEVER, MOST TESTS WITH THESE SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN CONTROLLED LABORATORY ENVIRONMENTS, AND THEIR EFFECTS DURING ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING ARE LARGELY UNKNOWN. PROBING SUCH EFFECTS REQUIRES EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM USE OF THESE PROSTHESES OUTSIDE THE LABORATORY WHILE USERS ENGAGE IN CHALLENGING PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES TYPICAL IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT PROLONGED USE OF THE NEUROPROSTHESIS AT HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY WILL IMPROVE STANDARD STATIC AND DYNAMIC MEASURES OF BALANCE AND GAIT STABILITY REVEALED THROUGH QUANTITATIVE POSTUROGRAPHY AND GAIT ANALYSIS.
- DR. RONALD TRIOLO, PHD-CRAIG H. NEILSEN FOUNDATION "THE NORTHEAST OHIO PARAROWING SOCIETY" GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH A NEW PARAROWING PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO. PARAROWING PROGRAMS EXIST IN MANY PARTS OF THE US, BUT SUCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE UNAVAILABLE IN CLEVELAND OR ANYWHERE NORTH OF COLUMBUS FROM TOLEDO TO YOUNGSTOWN. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI TO EXPERIENCE THE EXERCISE AND CAMARADERIE OF A DYNAMIC AND EXPANDING REGIONAL ROWING COMMUNITY, AND AN OBSTACLE TO ACCESSING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENJOYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT. THE NORTHEAST OHIO PARAROWING SOCIETY (NEOPS) WILL REMOVE THESE IMPEDIMENTS TO PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL ROWING COMMUNITY AND CREATE A NEW OUTLET TO ACTIVELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY. OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI TO SCULLING IN ADAPTED SHELLS WITH PROPER TECHNIQUE, SPECIALIZED COACHING, AND ADEQUATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, 2) BROADEN THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT INTO A LARGER AND SELF-SUSTAINING CLUB FOR THE LOCAL SCI COMMUNITY, AND 3) EXTEND ROWING PERFORMANCE AND EXERCISE INTENSITY BY TRANSLATING LABORATORY-BASED NEURAL STIMULATION TECHNIQUES TO ON-WATER SCULLING (E-SCULLING) DR. RONALD TRIOLO, PHD-CRAIG H. NEILSEN FOUNDATION "THE NORTHEAST OHIO PARAROWING SOCIETY" GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH A NEW PARAROWING PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO. PARAROWING PROGRAMS EXIST IN MANY PARTS OF THE US, BUT SUCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE UNAVAILABLE IN CLEVELAND OR ANYWHERE NORTH OF COLUMBUS FROM TOLEDO TO YOUNGSTOWN. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI TO EXPERIENCE THE EXERCISE AND CAMARADERIE OF A DYNAMIC AND EXPANDING REGIONAL ROWING COMMUNITY, AND AN OBSTACLE TO ACCESSING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENJOYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT. THE NORTHEAST OHIO PARAROWING SOCIETY (NEOPS) WILL REMOVE THESE IMPEDIMENTS TO PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL ROWING COMMUNITY AND CREATE A NEW OUTLET TO ACTIVELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY. OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI TO SCULLING IN ADAPTED SHELLS WITH PROPER TECHNIQUE, SPECIALIZED COACHING, AND ADEQUATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, 2) BROADEN THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT INTO A LARGER AND SELF-SUSTAINING CLUB FOR THE LOCAL SCI COMMUNITY, AND 3) EXTEND ROWING PERFORMANCE AND EXERCISE INTENSITY BY TRANSLATING LABORATORY-BASED NEURAL STIMULATION TECHNIQUES TO ON-WATER SCULLING (E-SCULLING)
- DR. PERI DAVITKOV, MD-NCI "FORTE (FIVE- OR TEN-YEAR COLONOSCOPY FOR 1-2 NON-ADVANCED ADENOMATOUS POLYPS)" THIS STUDY WILL HELP TO DETERMINE IF CERTAIN PEOPLE CAN WAIT FOR A FOLLOW- UP COLONOSCOPY AFTER A ROUTINE SCREENING COLONOSCOPY. IT IS A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ONE OR TWO SMALL, NONCANCEROUS POLYPS (ADENOMAS) REMOVED DURING A ROUTINE SCREENING COLONOSCOPY. SUCH PEOPLE USUALLY GET REPEAT COLONOSCOPIES 5 YEARS AND 10 YEARS LATER (THE CURRENT STANDARD OF CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO BENIGN POLYPS REMOVED). FORTE WILL HELP DETERMINE IF THESE PEOPLE CAN WAIT 10 YEARS BEFORE A FOLLOW-UP TEST. A TOTAL OF 9,500 PEOPLE, AT ALL SITES, WHO HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO BENIGN (NONCANCEROUS) POLYPS REMOVED DURING A ROUTINE SCREENING COLONOSCOPY WILL BE ASSIGNED BY CHANCE TO ONE OF TWO STUDY GROUPS. IN ONE GROUP, PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE REPEAT COLONOSCOPIES AT BOTH 5 AND 10 YEARS. IN THE OTHER GROUP, PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE THEIR NEXT COLONOSCOPY EXAM AT 10 YEARS. DR. PERI DAVITKOV, MD-NCI "FORTE (FIVE- OR TEN-YEAR COLONOSCOPY FOR 1-2 NON-ADVANCED ADENOMATOUS POLYPS)" THIS STUDY WILL HELP TO DETERMINE IF CERTAIN PEOPLE CAN WAIT FOR A FOLLOW- UP COLONOSCOPY AFTER A ROUTINE SCREENING COLONOSCOPY. IT IS A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ONE OR TWO SMALL, NONCANCEROUS POLYPS (ADENOMAS) REMOVED DURING A ROUTINE SCREENING COLONOSCOPY. SUCH PEOPLE USUALLY GET REPEAT COLONOSCOPIES 5 YEARS AND 10 YEARS LATER (THE CURRENT STANDARD OF CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO BENIGN POLYPS REMOVED). FORTE WILL HELP DETERMINE IF THESE PEOPLE CAN WAIT 10 YEARS BEFORE A FOLLOW-UP TEST. A TOTAL OF 9,500 PEOPLE, AT ALL SITES, WHO HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO BENIGN (NONCANCEROUS) POLYPS REMOVED DURING A ROUTINE SCREENING COLONOSCOPY WILL BE ASSIGNED BY CHANCE TO ONE OF TWO STUDY GROUPS. IN ONE GROUP, PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE REPEAT COLONOSCOPIES AT BOTH 5 AND 10 YEARS. IN THE OTHER GROUP, PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE THEIR NEXT COLONOSCOPY EXAM AT 10 YEARS.
- OTHER RESEARCH AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 November 6, 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 December 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 May 1995.
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 November 4, 2026.
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