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Army Emergency Relief

EIN 53-0196552 · Arlington, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS, AND ENDURING SUPPORT TO SOLDIERS, RETIRED SOLDIERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, HELPING THEM TO OVERCOME FINANCIAL OBSTACLES AND ENCOURGE FINANCIAL STABIITY.

Income
$33.0 million
Spending
$33.0 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 68%
Employees
40
Volunteers
184
Highest pay
$261,079, info systems supervisor

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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 22% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 43% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 19 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 (2)
  1. $18.4 million spent. IN 2024, ARMY EMERGENCY RELIEF DISTRIBUTED $13.6 MILLION IN GRANTS AND $49.7 MILLION IN ZERO-INTEREST LOANS TO HELP MORE THAN 31,000 SOLDIERS, RETIRED SOLDIERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WAS DELIVERED ACROSS FIVE AREAS OF SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE ARMY COMMUNITY. THE FIVE AREAS OF SUPPORT INCLUDE: CARE DURING A CRISIS, BASIC NEEDS & HOUSING, HEALTH & WELLNESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT. THE LARGEST CATEGORY OF THE FIVE WAS CARE DURING A CRISIS AT $5.2 MILLION. THIS CONSISTED OF $2.3 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSES, WHICH INCLUDED EMERGENCY TRAVEL, FUNERAL EXPENSES AND SAFE TRAVEL FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE OTHER $2.9 MILLION COVERED NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF AND OTHER CRITICAL LIFE EVENTS. THE SECOND-LARGEST CATEGORY WAS BASIC NEEDS AND HOUSING AT $2.8 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDED PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION MOVES; FOOD; HOUSING, INCLUDING SUPPORT WITH RENT; UTILITIES; AND SMALL HOUSE REPAIRS. AER'S THIRD BIGGEST CATEGORY WAS $1.3 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COVERING SPOUSE RELICENSING, RECERTIFICATIONS AND CAREER SKILLS PROGRAM SUPPORT. AER ALSO PROVIDED CRITICAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER HEALTH AND WELLNESS AT $1.1 MILLION, WHICH COVERED DENTAL CARE, SPECIAL-NEEDS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, AUSTERE LOCATION SUPPORT, CRANIAL HELMETS AND WOUNDED WARRIOR SUPPORT. THE NEXT GRANT CATEGORY WAS FAMILY SUPPORT WITH AER DISBURSING $500,000 FOR THINGS LIKE CHILDCARE, PATERNITY LEAVE AND IMMIGRATION FEES.IN ADDITION, AER HAS TWO DEBT RELIEF CATEGORIES OF SUPPORT FOR A TOTAL OF $2.7 MILLION. THE FIRST CATEGORY OF DEBT RELIEF EQUALING $1.9 MILLION ASSISTED SOLDIERS TRYING TO REDUCE THEIR DEBT BY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETEING AER'S FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING. OVER 5,000 SOLDIERS PASSED THE TRAINING AND RECEIVED REDUCTIONS IN THEIR LOAN BALANCE TO HELP ACHIEVE FINANCIAL STABILITY. THE SECOND CATEGORY OF DEBT FORGIVENESS WAS LOAN BALANCES AT $800,000 FOR SOLDIERS FACING HARDSHIPS OR OTHER VALID CIRCUMSTANCES. AER CAREFULLY REVIEWED EACH SOLDIER'S FINANCIAL CASE AND MADE A DETERMINATION IF THE LOANS WOULD CAUSE TO MUCH STRESS AND BECOME A DETRIMENT TO THE ARMY MISSION. BOTH REDUCTIONS IN DEBT FURTHER DEMONSTRATES AER'S COMMITMENT TO HELPING RELIEVE FINANCIAL STRESS.
  2. $9.9 million spent. ARMY EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPORTS EDUCATION THROUGH TWO KEY SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVES, ASSISTING 2,461 STUDENTS PURSUING THEIR FIRST UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AT A COST OF $8.87 MILLION IN 2024. THE MAJOR GENERAL JAMES URSANO PROGRAM IS FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF ACTIVE DUTY AND RETIRED SOLDIERS, WHILE THE MRS. PATTY SHINSEKI PROGRAM IS FOR SPOUSES OF ACTIVE DUTY AND RETIRED SOLDIERS. AER ALSO PAYS THE COMPLETE COST OF COLLEGE FOR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF VICTIMS OF THE 9/11 ATTACK ON THE PENTAGON: EIGHT STUDENTS, THREE UNDERGRADUATE AND FIVE IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS. AER AWARDED A TOTAL OF $357,000 IN 2024 AS PART OF THE PENTAGON VICTIMS SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND OVER $4.8 MILLION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO 38 CHILDREN AND 10 SPOUSES SINCE INCEPTION.

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 March 1943.

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