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Aoac International

EIN 53-0029357 · Rockville, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AOAC INTERNATIONAL IS AN INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY ASSOCIATION OF ANALYTICAL SCIENTISTS RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE FOR BRINGING TOGETHER STAKEHOLDERS TO REACH CONSENSUS ON THE FITNESS FOR PURPOSE FOR ANALYTICAL METHODS NEEDED IN THE AREAS OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, BIOLOGICAL THREAT AGENTS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN CONDUCTING VALIDATION STUDIES THROUGH THE AOAC OFFICIAL METHODS PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT THE METHODS WORK AS INTENDED AND ARE REPRODUCIBLE IN MANY LABORATORIES.

Income
$6.6 million
Spending
$7.0 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
5.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 81%
Employees
30
Volunteers
530
Highest pay
$382,076, 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

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 65% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (6)
  1. $2.5 million spent. PROPRIETARY & COMMERCIAL METHODS: THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY METHOD CONFORMITY ASSESSMENTS AND CERTIFICATION OF COMMERCIAL AND PROPRIETARY TEST KITS AND RAPID ASSAYS BASED ON CHARACTERIZED PRODUCT PERFORMANCE CLAIMS BY EXPERT EVALUATION AND EXPERT PEER REVIEW OF SUPPORTING DATA COLLECTED USING AOAC APPROVED TESTING PROTOCOLS.TECHNICAL SERVICES: THE ASSOCIATION DEVELOPS STANDARD METHOD PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TRADE. IT IS ALSO AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ACCREDITED PROFICIENCY TESTING PROVIDER THAT OFFERS AN INDEPENDENT MEASURE OF QUALITY FOR PERFORMANCE TO FOOD LABORATORIES. THE ASSOCIATION FURTHER SUPPORTS LABORATORY QUALITY BY DEVELOPING AND PUBLISHING ACCREDITATION GUIDELINES FOR FOOD, DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS, AND OTHER LABORATORIES.
  2. $706,982 spent. PROGRAM PROJECTS: AOAC HAS CONTRACTS WITH SEVERAL GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY GROUPS TASKED TO ESTABLISH VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARD METHOD PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS (SMPRS) FOR HIGH PRIORITY NUTRIENTS AND INGREDIENTS WITH THE GOAL OF OBTAINING FIRST ACTION OFFICIAL METHODS. AN ONGOING CONTRACT FOR INFANT FORMULA AND ADULT NUTRITIONALS HAS ENGAGED GLOBAL STAKEHOLDERS TO PRODUCE TWENTY-FOUR SMPRS FOR NUTRITIONAL INGREDIENTS AND SIX METHODS AS FINAL ACTION AOAC OFFICIAL METHODS.SIMILAR CONTRACTS HAVE DEVELOPED SMPRS AND EVALUATED ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR AGENTS OF TERROR AND OTHER ANALYSES OF INTEREST. AOAC HOSTS THE ANALYTICAL SOLUTIONS FORUM (ASF) WHICH BUILDS CONSENSUS ON METHODOLOGY IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPS STANDARDS RELATED TO FOOD FOR THE STRATEGIC GROWTH OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY.
  3. $514,739 spent. MEMBERSHIP: THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2,400 INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS. THESE LABORATORY AND MANAGEMENT CHEMISTS AND MICROBIOLOGISTS HAVE ACCESS TO PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC MATERIAL, THE OFFICIAL METHODS OF ANALYSIS, AND RECEIVE REGULAR COMMUNICATION ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
  4. $477,069 spent. PUBLICATIONS: TO ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES AS A STANDARD DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY OF ITS PROCESSES AND DOCUMENTS ALL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO ITS THIRD-PARTY CONSENSUS BUILDING IN INSIDE LABORATORY MANAGEMENT, AOAC'S MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE. PLUS, ALL STANDARDS AND NEW METHODS RESULTING FROM AOAC'S STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT STAKEHOLDER ACTIVITIES ARE PUBLISHED IN BOTH A PEER-REVIEWED SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, THE JOURNAL OF AOAC INTERNATIONAL, AND IN AOAC'S COMPENDIUM OF METHODS, THE OFFICIAL METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF AOAC INTERNATIONAL. THE JOURNAL ALSO SERVES AS THE FORUM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AMONG METHOD RESEARCHERS AND PUBLISHES BASIC AND APPLIED ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN THE ANALYTICAL SCIENCES RELATED TO FOODS, DRUGS, AGRICULTURE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
  5. $454,917 spent. MEETINGS & EDUCATION: THE ASSOCIATION ORGANIZES MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC TO INCREASE THEIR SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND CURRENT AFFAIRS AWARENESS AND TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHEMISTS AND MICROBIOLOGISTS TO PRESENT PAPERS.
  6. $33,892 spent. ALL OTHER

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 October 13, 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 2025.

    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 1997.

    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 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.