Childrens Research Institute
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
CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE DBA CHILDREN'S NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE CONDUCTS AND PROMOTES TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT LEAD TO IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING, PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND CARE OF CHILDHOOD DISEASES.
- Income
- $109.4 million
- Spending
- $140.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- -42.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 60%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 491
- Highest pay
- $2.6 million, chair, pres/ceo (cnmc)
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
Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (medical research, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 1780% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (medical research, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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 (4)
- $34.3 million spent. CENTER FOR HEALTH OUTCOMES RESEARCH (CNR) - SEE SCHEDULE O.PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY 1CENTER FOR HEALTH OUTCOMES RESEARCH & DELIVERY SCIENCE (CHORDS): CHORDS INCLUDES OVER 150 FACULTY MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS CLINICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH BACKGROUNDS. THEY RANGE FROM PEDIATRIC SUBSPECIALISTS TO GENERALISTS TO PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS ACROSS 26 CLINICAL DIVISIONS. CHORDS INVESITGATORS PURSUE STUDEIS IN NUMEROUS AREAS UNITED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING THEMES: (1) IDENTIFYING HOW THE ORGANIZATION AND DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE ARE RELATED TO ITS EFFECTIVENESS; (2) IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN; AND (3) CHARACTERIZING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BEHAVIORS, RISK STATUS AND HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. THROUGH MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS, WE AIM TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF CLINICAL CARE, FROM THE INPATIENT SETTING TO THE COMMUNITY. RESEARCH IN THESE AREAS SPANS THE FULL TRANSLATIONAL CONTINUUM AND THE SPECTRUM OF CLINICAL CARE FROM THE INPATIENT SETTING TO THE COMMUNITY LEVERAGING SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL AND MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS WITH HEALTH POLICY IMPLICATIONS. THIS GROWING CENTER EXPENSED $ 34,304,860 IN FY 2025.
- $22.8 million spent. CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH - SEE SCHEDULE O.PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY 2CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH (CNR): THE CNR HAS GROWN RAPIDLY IN THE PAST 10 YEARS WITH SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE PROGRAM AND THE GENERATION OF IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES. THE CNR CURRENTLY COMPRISES 50 FACULTY MEMBERS WITH FULL APPOINTMENTS AT OUR ACADEMIC AFFILIATE, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES (GW). IN RECOGNITION OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CNMC CONSTRUCTED A NEW FLOOR OF LABORATORY SPACE IN 2008 TO SERVE AS HOME FOR THE CNR AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR RECRUITMENTS. THE CNR CURRENTLY RESIDES IN OVER 12,000 SQUARE FEET OF OPEN ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH SPACE. WE BELIEVE THAT THE CNR IS NOW UNIQUELY POISED TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION, AS ITS RESEARCH PROGRAM, RESEARCH LABS, AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURES ARE NOW PHYSICALLY LOCATED ON THE 6TH FLOOR OF THE MAIN BUILDING OF CNMC. THIS ALLOWS CLOSE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BASIC NEUROSCIENTISTS, TRANSLATIONAL NEUROSCIENTISTS, AND CLINICIAN NEUROSCIENTISTS, INCLUDING CHILD NEUROLOGISTS, NEONATOLOGISTS, AND CRITICAL CARE PEDIATRICIANS. THIS UNIQUE AND EXCITING SETTING HAS SUPPORTED AND PROMOTED A LARGE NUMBER OF RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT SPAN BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH IN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. THE CNR INCLUDES EIGHT MAJOR AREAS OF RESEARCH, INCLUDING NEURAL STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, BRAIN INJURY AND BRAIN PROTECTION, PERINATAL HYPOXIA AND HYPEROXIA, EPILEPSY, NEURO-ONCOLOGY, NEUROFIBROMATOSIS, ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, AND AUTISM. THE CNR COMPRISES AN EXPANDING GROUP OF HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE LAB-BASED DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENTISTS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE ESTABLISHED STRONG RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND COLLABORATIONS IN THE AREA OF NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. WHILE THESE INVESTIGATORS HAVE DISTINCT EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS, THEIR RESEARCH AS A WHOLE IS FOCUSED ON CHILDHOOD NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, FROM EARLY STAGES OF WHEN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS FIRST ESTABLISHED, TO POSTNATAL STAGES THAT INCLUDE THE FORMATION OF NEURONAL CONNECTIONS AND THE WRAPPING OF NEURONAL PROCESSES BY THE MYELIN INSULATOR. THUS, INVESTIGATORS AT THE CNR HAVE A COMMON GOAL FOR WHICH THEY ARE ALL STRIVING. THE CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH HAD $22,846,489 IN EXPENSES FY 2025.
- $19.1 million spent. CENTER FOR CANCER AND IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH - SEE SCHEDULE O.PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY 3CENTER FOR CANCER AND IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH: THE CENTER FOR CANCER & IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH (CCIR) AIMS TO DEVELOP AND APPLY SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE IN THE AREAS OF CANCER, BLOOD, AND INFECTIOUS AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISORDERS TO ADVANCE PATIENT CARE. THE CCIR WAS REORGANIZED TO INTEGRATE THE CLINICAL AND RESEARCH ENTERPRISES IN ONCOLOGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, HEMATOLOGY, ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND RHEUMATOLOGY IN ORDER TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE CENTER FOR CANCER AND BLOOD DISORDERS (CCBD) AND PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE CONDUCT OF TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH. THIS REORGANIZATION HAS NOW RESULTED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 5 SECTIONS:1. CHILDHOOD CANCER2. INFECTIOUS DISEASE3. CANCER IMMUNOLOGY/IMMUNOTHERAPY4. HEMATOLOGY & TRANSFUSION MEDICINE 5. ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY, RHEUMATOLOGYTHE NEW STRUCTURE HAS ALLOWED THE CCIR LEADERSHIP TO WORK CLOSELY WITH CCBD LEADERSHIP TO BETTER DEVELOP A STRATEGIC GOAL FOR THE FUTURE, INCLUDING STRATEGIC EXPANSION OF RESEARCH PROGRAMS RATHER THAN OPPORTUNISTIC RECRUITMENTS. THE CENTER OF CANCER AND IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH HAD $19,116,811 IN EXPENSES FY 2025.
- $35.0 million spent. CENTER FOR PRECISION MEDICINE AND GENOMICS RESEARCH: THE CENTER FOR PRECISION MEDICINE AND GENOMICS RESEARCH (PRECISION MEDICINE) HOUSES A HIGHLY INTERDISCIPLINARY FACULTY, WITH NEARLY HALF OF THE PHYSICIAN-SCIENTISTS COMING FROM CLINICAL DIVISIONS IN THE HOSPITAL. PRECISION MEDICINE FOCUS ON COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AS WELL AS SERVING AS AN INTERNATIONAL REFERRAL SITE FOR RARE DISORDERS. FACULTY AND THEIR LABORATORIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE COLLABORATIVE AND MANY OF THE CENTER'S PROJECTS BRING TOGETHER MULTIPLE CLINICAL AND SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES. THE CENTER STRIVES TO PROVIDE FACULTY EASY ACCESS TO THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES IN GENOMICS, MICROSCOPY, BIOINFORMATICS, PRE-CLINICAL (MURINE) DRUG TRIALS, AND MULTI-SITE CLINICAL TRIAL NETWORKS. THE CENTER PROVIDES SERVICES IN THESE TECHNOLOGIES TO LABORATORIES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AND INTERNATIONALLY, THROUGH A SERIES OF NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) CORE GRANTS. DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS ARE ALSO A MAJOR FOCUS. PRECISION MEDICINE USES DATA FROM INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES OF MOLECULES AND PATHWAYS TO CREATE INTERACTIVE PHYSIOLOGICAL MODELS OF HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASE THAT PROVIDE NOVEL INSIGHTS ABOUT POTENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.THE CENTER HAD $18,602,007 IN EXPENSES FY 2025.SHEIKH ZAYED INSTITUTE (SZI) FOR PEDIATRIC SURGICAL INNOVATION:LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 2009, THE RESEARCH SPACE OFFICIALLY OPENED IN APRIL 2011. THE SHEIKH ZAYED INSTITUTE FOR PEDIATRIC SURGICAL INNOVATION AT CHILDREN'S NATIONAL REDEFINES WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN SURGERY FOR CHILDREN BY COMBINING RESEARCH AND CLINICAL EXPERTISE INTO ONE COLLABORATIVE TEAM. THE INSTITUTE DEVELOPS KNOWLEDGE, TOOLS, AND PROCEDURES THAT BENEFIT CHILDREN IN THE WASHINGTON DC REGION, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND AROUND THE WORLD. THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO LEARN FROM TODAY'S SURGERIES AND CONDUCT INNOVATIVE RESEARCH BASED ON THAT KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE PEDIATRIC SURGERY FOR CHILDREN. EACH YEAR THE SZI FACULTY PUBLISH OVER 90 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES IN TOP RANKED JOURNALS, MORE THAN 50 NEW PATENTS HAVE FILED TO DATE, AND MORE THAN 10 STARTUP COMPANIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. ALL FACULTY AT THE SZI NOW HOLD NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PEER REVIEWED FUNDING. THE SZI HOSTS THE NATIONAL CAPITAL CONSORTIUM FOR PEDIATRIC DEVICES INNOVATION, AN FDA FUNDED PROGRAM (ONE OF THE 8 IN THE COUNTRY), TO SUPPORT PEDIATRIC FOCUSED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY. THE SHEIKH ZAYED INSTITUTE FOR PEDIATRIC SURGICAL INNOVATION HAD $16,352,023 IN EXPENSES FY 2025.TOTAL OTHER PROGRAMS:EXPENSES $ 34,954,030. INCLUDING GRANTS OF $ 83,558,066. REVENUE $125,782
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
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 June 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 December 1990.
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.
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.