American Institute for Respiratory Equity
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
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
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR RESPIRATORY EQUITY SERVES THOSE AFFECTED BY ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES THROUGH EDUCATION, SUPPORT AND MEDICAL RESOURCES.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $3.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 82%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 431
- Highest pay
- $183,334, chief executive officer
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
Weak: 20 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 105% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 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)
- $2.8 million spent. FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENTTHE BREATH (BRIDGING RESOURCES TO ENCOURAGE ASTHMA TREATMENT AND HEALTH) PROGRAM SERVED A TOTAL OF 169 CLIENTS IN 8 COUNTIES IN THE SAINT LOUIS REGION IN 2024. 83% OF KIDS IN THE PROGRAM INCREASED THEIR SCORE ON THE NATIONAL ASTHMA CONTROL TEST WHILE ON THE PROGRAM. 100% OF CHILDREN WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY FREQUENT HOSPITAL PATIENTS REPORTED FEWER EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS IN THEIR FIRST THREE WEEKS ON THE PROGRAM. UPON DIAGNOSIS THOUGH OUR "DIAGNOSIS KITS." DIAGNOSIS KITS - OVER 1700 CHILDREN WERE GIVEN BACKPACKS FULL OF MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. REFERRED TO AS "NEW DIAGNOSIS KITS". THESE ARE AN ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE CONTROL. 3440 PIECES OF MEDICAL EQUOPMENT WERE DISTRIBUTED. 18,200 PIECES OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS WERE DISTRIBUTED, ALONG WITH 8600 SUPPORTIVE MATERIALS.THE RESCUE (RESOURCES FOR EVERY SCHOOL CONFRONTING UNEXPECTED EMERGENCIES) PROGRAM PROVIDED ASTHMA EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT TO 6,405 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT BOTH MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS AND TRAINED SCHOOL NURSES ON HOW TO USE THEM. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, 78% OF THE CHILDREN WHO WERE TREATED WITH THIS EQUIPMENT WHILE AT SCHOOL WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO CLASS INSTEAD OF BEING SENT HOME OR TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, RESULTING IN INCREASED LEARNING FOR CHILDREN, SAVINGS FOR PARENTS, AND INCREASED STATE REIMBURSEMENTS (ADA) FOR SCHOOLS. AAFA-STL ALSO PROVIDED 20,900 METERED DOIES ALBUTEROL INHALERS, 174,222 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND EDUCATION FOR 1396 SCHOOL NURSES STAFF AND GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH VARIOUS VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENTS, MOST PROMINENTLY WITH OUR TRAININGS FOR THE RESCUE PROGRAM. 487 AVOIDED EMS AND ED VISITS LED TO OVER $4.8MM IN HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS. SIMILARLY, 2,461 DE-ESCALATED RESPIRATORY EVENTS LED TO SAVINGS OF NEARLY $2.3MM TO MEDICAID, 1.632 STUDENTS SUPPORTED DIRECTLY AND 5,571 MITIGATED ABSENTEE HOURS.
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 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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 October 2025.
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 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.