The National Capital Poison Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of National Capital Poison Center (NCPC) is to prevent poisonings, save lives, and limit injury from poisoning. In addition to saving lives, the Center decreases health care costs of poisoning cases.
- Income
- $4.7 million
- Spending
- $5.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 19.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 39%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $301,143, cfo
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
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 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
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 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 (1)
- $5.0 million spent. From October 15, 1980 to March 31, 2025, the National Capital Poison Center ("the Center") provided traditional call-based poison control services for the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In late 2014, the Center also began to provide online poison control services for the entire US. Due to insufficient governmental funding, on March 31, 2025 the NCPC closed its call center and transitioned to become the first fully-automated, all-digital poison control center. See Schedule O for continuation This unique online service is made possible by webPOISONCONTROL, the organization's innovative, expert-developed online tool for triage and treatment guidance for poison exposures - a tool which handles more cases at a lower cost and is embraced by public users because it is quick, easy, case-specific, trustworthy and comprehensive. webPOISONCONTROL has now helped over 1.1 million people facing poison exposures. The Center's mission remains the same as before closing the hotline: to prevent poisonings, save lives, limit injury from poisoning, and decrease health care costs associated with poison exposures - all accomplished by providing free, expert 24/7 guidance. Now though, that guidance is provided solely online, and reaches many more people throughout the US. Poison Control services optimize poisoning outcomes and decrease health care costs. The safe management of 73% of webPOISONCONTROL cases without treatment in a health care facility cuts health care costs by avoiding unnecessary emergency department visits, unnecessary ambulance transports, and excessively long hospital stays. During the year ended June 30, 2025, webPOISONCONTROL provided fully automated help for 141,146 nonduplicated, human poison exposures. From July 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025, the Center also provided telephone consultations for 26,488 human poison emergencies, 652 pet poisonings, and 5,197 drug, medical, or poison-related inquiries from the Washington, DC metro area. Poison prevention education is provided through: 1) Two websites (www.poison.org and www.webpoisoncontrol.org) with timely hazard alerts and prevention information; 2) An electronic newsletter; 3) Media features; 4) Poison prevention and information videos on a YouTube channel; and 5) Social medial activities. Case surveillance for outliers and trends facilitates the prompt detection of hazardous products. Once identified, the Center promotes public awareness of hazards and urges reformulation, repackaging, re-labeling, product redesign, or banning as indicated.
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 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 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 April 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 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.