Altarum Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ALTARUM IS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS WITH FEWER FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND POPULATIONS DISENFRANCHISED BY THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. WE DRIVE IMPACTFUL CHANGES IN FOUR DOMAINS: 1) TRANSFORM HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY - WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TRANSFORM HEALTH CARE SERVICE DELIVERY AND PERFORMANCE. 2) ADVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH - WE ADVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS THROUGH APPLIED RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, DATA ANALYTICS, AND MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS. 3) INTEGRATE PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY - WE INTEGRATE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR AND THE HEALTH CARE SERVICE DELIVERY SECTOR TO CONNECT THE DOTS. 4) SCALE HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE - WE MODERNIZE HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENABLE THE HEALTH ECOSYSTEM TO OPERATE AT SCALE AND BE INTEROPERABLE ACROSS SILOS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
- Income
- $43.4 million
- Spending
- $42.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 9.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 86%
- Employees
- 229
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $1.1 million, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 9 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
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, 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 (1)
- $24.2 million spent. ALTARUM'S AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, FOOD AND NUTRITION, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, MILITARY AND VETERANS' HEALTH, APPLIED RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, AND PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DATA MODERNIZATIONPUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS: ALTARUM'S ADVISORY SERVICES PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR HEALTH POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND PROGRESS. OUR TEAM OF PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS ADVISE ON NAVIGATING STATE OR FEDERAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, IMPROVING PROGRAM PERFORMANCE, AND DELIVERING HIGHER QUALITY CARE. THIS INCLUDES POLICY ANALYSIS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, CAPACITY BUILDING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, PRACTICE TRANSFORMATION, EVALUATION STUDIES, COALITION ENGAGEMENT, AND LEARNING COLLABORATIVES. TRANSFORMATIVE INSIGHTS: ALTARUM'S RESEARCH PROVIDES A FOUNDATION ON WHICH WE BUILD SOLUTIONS TO ACHIEVE A FUTURE OF BETTER HEALTH FOR ALL. ALTARUM'S INSIGHTS ARE DESIGNED FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND ACHIEVING MEASURABLE RESULTS. OUR APPLIED RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS SERVICE OFFERINGS INCLUDE ECONOMIC MODELING AND ANALYSIS, PROPRIETARY TOOLS, SURVEY SCIENCE, AND DATA ANALYTICS. OUR ANALYSTS, STATISTICIANS, AND RESEARCH SCIENTISTS WORK EVERY DAY TO DELIVER GREATER VALUE TO THE US HEALTH SYSTEM WHILE CONTROLLING COSTS. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING THE FULL SURVEY LIFECYCLE, WE INTEGRATE RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYTICS TO REVEAL ACTIONABLE RESULTS. FOR EXAMPLE, ALTARUM'S ACE MEASURE OF PATIENT ENGAGEMENT TOOL IS A FULLY VALIDATED TOOL THAT USES 12 QUESTIONS TO ENABLE CLINICIANS TO ASCERTAIN ENGAGEMENT, INTENT TO TREAT CHRONIC CONDITIONS, AND HEALTH LITERACY IN TWO MINUTES.BUILDING CAPACITY: ALTARUM'S TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TTA) SERVICES ENSURE EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICES, BUILDS CAPACITY, AND LEADS TO BETTER OUTCOMES. WE HAVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE OPERATING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES SUCH AS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA) AND HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA) AND HAVE RECENTLY BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE (BJA) AS A NATIONAL TTA EXPERT FOR OUR WORK STRENGTHENING COORDINATION BETWEEN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS MORE THAN 20 STATES. CONNECTING HEALTH INFORMATION FOR BETTER OUTCOMES: ACHIEVING SEAMLESS PUBLIC HEALTH DATA INTEROPERABILITY IS KEY TO IMPROVING THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. ALTARUM HAS BEEN HELPING PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS MODERNIZE THEIR DATA SYSTEMS FOR TWO DECADES. WE HAVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING FAST HEALTHCARE INTEROPERABILITY RESOURCES (FHIR) SOLUTIONS, COLLABORATING WITH MAJOR ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD (EHR) VENDORS, AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH INTEROPERABILITY STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HL7. FOR EXAMPLE, ALTARUM CREATED AND MAINTAINS THE MICHIGAN SYNDROMIC SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM WHICH RECEIVES DATA FROM OVER 200 EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AND URGENT CARE FACILITIES AND RAPIDLY DETECTS AND ALERTS STATE AND REGIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGISTS TO OUTBREAKS OF ILLNESS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS ALTARUM EXPANDS STAFF CAPACITY AND PROVIDES INTEROPERABILITY SERVICES TO THE WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. SERVICES INCLUDE IMPROVING HL7 MESSAGE PROCESSES, STREAMLINING THE ONBOARDING AND MONITORING OF LABORATORIES, TRAINING STAFF, OPTIMIZING REPORTING, AND ENHANCING DATA FEEDS ESSENTIAL FOR REPORTING, MODELING, AND VISUALIZING PROBABLE CASE DATA.BUILD TECHNOLOGY: ALTARUM'S CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERS, DATA SCIENTISTS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH ANALYSTS HAVE DEEP EXPERTISE AND HELP STATE GOVERNMENTS AND OTHERS ACROSS THE HEALTH CARE SPECTRUM IMPROVE HEALTH THROUGH TECHNOLOGY. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR INNOVATIONS IN NEWBORN SCREENING INTEROPERABILITY RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDED STATES AND TERRITORIES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO PROMOTE DATA INTEROPERABILITY AND EXCHANGE BETWEEN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND STATE PUBLIC HEALTH NEWBORN SCREENING PROGRAMS, ULTIMATELY IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN WITH HERITABLE CONDITIONS. REGISTRY DEVELOPMENT: THE ABILITY TO TRACK AND INTEGRATE CLINICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH DATA SETS IS CRITICAL TO ENHANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE TRENDS, IMPROVING PATIENT OUTCOMES, AND FACILITATING INFORMED DECISION-MAKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS. FOR OVER 20 YEARS, ALTARUM HAS HELPED COMMUNITIES, STATES, AND THE NATION TRACK, INTEGRATE CLINICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH DATA SETS, AND CONNECT VITAL HEALTH DATA SO TO UNDERSTAND DISEASE TRENDS, IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES, AND FACILITATE DECISION-MAKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS. FOR THE MICHIGAN CANCER SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM, ALTARUM PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND INTEGRATION SERVICES TO ELECTRONICALLY EXTRACT AND PROCESS CANCER CASE INFORMATION FROM CLINICAL SETTINGS. FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY, ALTARUM DEVELOPED A DATA EXCHANGE TO BETTER SAFEGUARD PUBLIC HEALTH BY MINIMIZING INADVERTENT EXPOSURES TO MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT ORGANISMS (MDROS) IN HEALTH CARE SETTINGS. THE CENTRALIZED SYSTEM ALIGNS WITH THE GOAL OF CDC'S DATA MODERNIZATION INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS FASTER FOR DECISION-MAKING AT ALL LEVELS OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 February 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.
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