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Essentials Hospitals Institute

EIN 52-1535611 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ESSENTIAL HOSPITALS INSTITUTE LEADS RESEARCH, EDUCATION, DISSEMINATION, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR AMERICA'S ESSENTIAL HOSPITALS. TO ADVANCE THE QUALITY, SAFETY, AND AFFORDABILITY OF CARE AT ESSENTIAL HOSPITALS, THE INSTITUTE IDENTIFIES PROMISING PRACTICES IN THE FIELD, PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING, PROMOTES PRACTICE IMPROVEMENTS, AND DISSEMINATES INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CARE. IT DOES THIS WITH AN EYE TOWARD IMPROVING INDIVIDUAL AND POPULATION HEALTH THROUGH COMMUNITY-INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE.

Income
$2.6 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
20.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
0
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$2.2 million, president & ceo, recording secretary

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: 81 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 16 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 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 (3)
  1. $1.4 million spent. GRANTS AND HEALTHCARE:THE ESSENTIAL HOSPITAL INSTITUTE ("INSTITUTE") CONTINUED TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES FACING PUBLIC HOSPITALS, SAFETY NET ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES, AND RELATED HEALTH POLICY ISSUES OF NATIONAL PRIORITY. THE INSTITUTE'S GRANT-SUPPORTED RESEARCH EXPANDS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE ON POPULATION HEALTH, PATIENT-CENTERED CARE, DELIVERY SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION, QUALITY PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVEMENT, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.THE INSTITUTE'S WORK IN 2024 EMPHASIZED THREE CORE AREAS: OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, OPERATIONAL AND FACILITY PREPAREDNESS, AND COMMUNITY-INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE.OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) AND WORKFORCE SUPPORT:- WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CVS HEALTH FOUNDATION, THE INSTITUTE CONTINUED A FOUR-YEAR INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH OUD THROUGH THREE ONE-YEAR LEARNING COLLABORATIVES. THE SECOND COLLABORATIVE WAS FACILITATED IN 2024, INCLUDING A SITE VISIT WITH ALL PARTICIPATING MEMBER HOSPITALS. RECRUITMENT BEGAN FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL COHORT, WHICH LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER.FACILITY PREPAREDNESS AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY:- THE KRESGE FOUNDATION SUPPORTED A FOLLOW-UP GRANT TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES FOR MEMBER HOSPITALS IN FACILITY PREPAREDNESS AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED AN INTEREST GROUP, A LUNCHEON AT AMERICA'S ESSENTIAL HOSPITALS' VITAL CONFERENCE, AND A C-SUITE CONVENING FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING ACTIONABLE PLANS AND SHARING FINANCIAL SUPPORT OPTIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.WORKFORCE MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAINING:- WITH FUNDING FROM GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY THROUGH THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA), THE INSTITUTE DISSEMINATED INTERACTIVE TRAININGS AND GATHERED INSIGHTS FROM MEMBERS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS.MOBILE HEALTH ACCESS:- A GRANT FROM THE LEON LOWENSTEIN FOUNDATION SUPPORTED A NEW INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE PRIMARY CARE ACCESS THROUGH MOBILE VAN PROGRAMS. THE INSTITUTE LAUNCHED AN EIGHT-MONTH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE WITH FIVE MEMBER HOSPITALS IN ALABAMA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA TO EXPLORE MOBILE CARE DELIVERY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS.PEER LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION:- CONTINUED FUNDING FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION ALLOWED THE INSTITUTE TO FACILITATE PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING, REVISE THE ESSENTIAL COMMUNITIES WEBSITE, AND DEVELOP A TOOLKIT ON WORKFORCE SHORTAGES AND BURNOUT. THIS TOOLKIT WAS PRESENTED DURING A PANEL AT THE VITAL2024 CONFERENCE.
  2. $515,070 spent. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION:TO SUPPORT SAFETY-NET HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS IN ADVANCING COMMUNITY HEALTH, THE INSTITUTE PROVIDED A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL AND MEMBER SERVICES IN 2024. THESE OFFERINGS INCLUDED:- WEBINARS AND PODCASTS: COVERING TIMELY TOPICS RELEVANT TO HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC HEALTH.- CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS: INTERACTIVE SESSIONS AT NATIONAL EVENTS TO BUILD LEADERSHIP CAPACITY.- LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS: STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING, COLLABORATION, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING.THESE PROGRAMS SERVED AS VITAL FORUMS FOR MEMBERS TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, ADDRESS EMERGING CHALLENGES, AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN THEIR COMMUNITIESWHILE FOSTERING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND LEADERSHIP NETWORKS.THROUGH OUR FELLOWS PROGRAM, A 12-MONTH DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM FOR RISING SENIOR LEADERS IN CLINICAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES AT MEMBER HOSPITALS, WE EDUCATED PARTICIPANTS ON KEY ISSUES AFFECTING ESSENTIAL HOSPITALS. THIS INCLUDED STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY SKILLS AND STRENGTHENING NETWORKS ACROSS THE SAFETY-NET HOSPITAL COMMUNITY.
  3. $411,978 spent. RESEARCH:THE INSTITUTE PUBLISHED EIGHT REPORTS, BRIEFS, AND BLOGS ON RESEARCH TOPICS, INCLUDING OUR ANNUAL REPORT, ESSENTIAL DATA 2024: OUR HOSPITALS, OUR PATIENTS. WE ALSO SHARED OUR RESEARCH FINDINGS THROUGH PANEL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES.

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

  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 November 6, 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 December 2024.

    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 October 1987.

    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 November 4, 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.