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Health and Environmental Sciences Institute

EIN 52-2337019 · Washington, DC

Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.

LegitimacyCautionRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE (HESI) IS A NONPROFIT INSTITUTION WHOSE MISSION IS TO ENGAGE SCIENTISTS FROM ACADEMIA, GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY, NONPROFIT, AND OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE GLOBAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

Income
$5.9 million
Spending
$5.8 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
13.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 85%
Employees
17
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$347,026, executive director

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 61% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% 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 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    32 of 32 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 (4)
  1. $857,866 spent. EMERGING SYSTEMS TOXICOLOGY FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF RISK (ESTAR): THE MISSION OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO DEVELOP AND DELIVER INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS TOXICOLOGY APPROACHES FOR RISK ASSESSMENT. THIS INCLUDES THE ADOPTION OF NEW TRANSLATIONAL AND PREDICTIVE TOOLS THAT GUIDE DECISION-MAKING BASED ON MECHANISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF TOXICOLOGICAL RESPONSE, ENGAGING THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF GENOMIC BIOMARKERS FOR DECISION-MAKING, AND IDENTIFYING AND CHARACTERIZING BIOFLUID AND TISSUE-BASED GENOMIC BIOMARKERS FOR TOXICOLOGY. THE COMMITTEE HAS SIX ACTIVE PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE OMICS FOR ASSESSING SIGNATURES FOR INTEGRATED SAFETY (OASIS) CONSORTIUM, WHICH IS INVESTIGATING THE USE OF CELL PAINTING AND TRANSCRIPTOMICS FROM IN VITRO MODELS AND COMPARING THEM TO EXISTING RAT IN VIVO DATA. ANOTHER PROJECT IS EVALUATING THE USE OF ERROR CORRECTED SEQUENCING TO DETECT CLONAL EXPANSION INDUCED BY NON-GENOTOXIC CARCINOGENS. EXISTING PROJECTS HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS. THE TGX-DDI PROJECT COMPLETED ITS MULTI-SITE TRIAL FOR QUALIFICATION, SUBMITTED A FINAL PACKAGE TO THE FDA BIOMARKER QUALIFICATION PROGRAM, AND SUBMITTED A MANUSCRIPT SUMMARIZING THE RING TRIAL. THE COMMITTEE PUBLISHED THREE MANUSCRIPTS BY END OF YEAR AND HAS PRESENTED AT FOUR SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS.
  2. $626,945 spent. CARDIAC SAFETY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE: THE MISSION OF THE CARDIAC SAFETY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH BY REDUCING UNANTICIPATED CARDIOVASCULAR-RELATED ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM DRUGS OR CHEMICALS AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO SUPPORT EARLY DETECTION AND PREDICTION AS WELL AS IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF CARDIOVASCULAR TOXICOLOGY AND PATHOBIOLOGY. IN 2024, THE COMMITTEE CONTINUED TO SPONSOR PROJECTS ADDRESSING CARDIOVASCULAR SAFETY TESTING, PUBLISHED SIX SCIENTIFIC MANUSCRIPTS IN A PEER-REVIEWED TECHNICAL JOURNAL BASED ON THE COMMITTEE'S RESEARCH AND PRESENTED 4 TIMES AT PUBLIC SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS. AN ADDITIONAL 4 MANUSCRIPTS ARE IN PROGRESS. KEY PROJECTS INCLUDED CONTINUATION OF A NEW STUDY TO EXPLORE DRUG-INDUCED BLOOD PRESSURE CHANGES, A STUDY TO IDENTIFY BIOMARKERS OF BLEEDING DISORDERS, PROJECT PLANNING TO EXPLORE CARDIAC FUNCTION AND SODIUM CHANNEL BLOCK, AND COMPLETION OF DATA ANALYSIS FOR A NEW STUDY TO EXPLORE USE OF CARDIAC STEM CELLS TO PREDICT TOXICITY. THE COMMITTEE ALSO COMPLETED THEIR SUPPORT OF ONE GRANT AWARDED THROUGH FDA AND NIH IN SUPPORT OF A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK TO ENHANCE THE USE OF MECHANISTIC STUDIES TO PREDICT POTENTIAL CARDIAC RISKS FOR PHARMACEUTICALS. A SECOND GRANT THROUGH FDA AND NIH CONTINUED WORK ASSESSING VARIABILITY AND REPRODUCIBILITY IN ASSAYS TO TEST FOR DRUG INDUCED CARDIAC TOXICITY. THE GRANT INCLUDES SUBCONTRACTS AT SEVERAL LABORATORIES IN THE US AND EUROPE.
  3. $419,991 spent. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE: THE GENETIC TOXICOLOGY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE (GTTC) ADVANCES THE INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF GENETIC TOXICOLOGY TESTING TO IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT AND FOSTER INNOVATIVE TESTING STRATEGIES. WITH NINE WORKING GROUPS AND 28 PROJECT TEAMS, GTTC COORDINATES COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH BY PRIORITIZING, DESIGNING, AND EXECUTING APPLIED GENETIC TOXICOLOGY STUDIES. THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTS EXTERNAL WORKSHOPS ON CRITICAL TOPICS SUCH AS NITROSAMINE TESTING AND QUANTITATIVE DOSERESPONSE ANALYSIS, FUNDS NOVEL EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES (E.G., TO EVALUATE AND OPTIMIZE SEQUENCING AND ASSAY METHODS), AND LEADS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES. GTTC ALSO PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH COMPETITIVE TRAVEL AND TRAINING AWARDS THAT SUPPORT EARLY-CAREER SCIENTISTS IN BUILDING SKILLS, PRESENTING RESEARCH, AND ENGAGING WITH THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY.
  4. $2.9 million spent. BOTANICAL SAFETY CONSORTIUM; IMMUNOTOXICOLOGY; PROTEIN ALLERGENICITY; ECO RISK; DEV & REPRODUCTIVE TOX; THRIVE; CT TRACS; PROTAC; UVCB; ENV EPI RA; ACSA 2; PB/PK; COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH; GRATC; CORA OTOTOXICITY; EMERGING ISSUES CMTE; ADC; CEEH/CTS; RA 21ST CENTURY; NEOUROTOX BIOMARKERS; ANNUAL MEETING; PROG STRATEGY & STEWARDSHIP; EXTERNAL ADVISORY; PROMETHIUS BIOME; BIOACCUMULATION; NA FACTS; FAST FUND; HESI HELPS.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Caution.

    California's Attorney General lists its registration as delinquent as of December 31, 2005. Organizations on this list may not solicit donations in California.

    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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