Health Enhancement Research Organization Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 313 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Create and disseminate employee health management research, policy, leadership and infrastructure which advance the principles, science and practice of employee health management.
- Income
- $718,051
- Spending
- $828,791
- Spent on programs
- 51%
- Reserves
- -1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 88%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 216
- Highest pay
- $118,955, president
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
Weak: 0 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 190% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1551% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 313 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: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $419,832 spent. HERO's activities are as follows:Think Tank members meet in February, May/June and in the Fall preceding the annual HERO Forum. Originally formed to seek answers to rising health care costs for companies, the Think Tank has continued its work in 2024 to also study Total Worker Health and the integregation of well-being and safety, the introduction of Lifestyle as Medicine as a model for improving employee health (a grant funded by Ardmore Institute of Health), the connection between brain health (cognitive resilience) and business performance, and how companies can integrate well-being into their social responsibility initiatives.HERO committees, comprised of Think Tank member company employees, aredeveloping guidance for employers in areas that include workforce mental health and well-being and the multi-dimensional strategies that serve to develop and support an organization's people and culture. The annual HERO Forum brings together industry thought leaders and business executives to share best practices, discuss innovation and research in the field, and build networks that support new partnerships and collaborations. In addition, HERO provides 1-2 complimentary webinars monthly for HERO members and the employer marketplace on topics of interest related to workplace health and well-being.The HERO Scorecard is a free, online tool that employers can use to benchmark their health and well-being efforts against a national database of all employers that have completed a Scorecard response. Companies also receive subscores for mental health, DEI, and social determinants of health. In 2024, a brain health subscore was developed and released to help organizations understand the best practices associated with supporting cognitive function and resilience of their employees. The Scorecard database includes large, midsize and small employers. Companies can purchase benchmark reports to compare against other organizations by size, region, and industry. For an annual license fee, HERO also offers the Scorecard Preferred Provider Program for organizations (e.g., benefits consultants, well-being vendors) that wish to receive regular reports on their clients' data. The HERO Scorecard in available in a U.S. version. The International version was updated in 2022, and is also available in Dutch, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish and Chinese.In 2022, HERO was awarded a sole-source contract from NIOSH through the Department of Health and Human Services to develop an open-source data clearinghouse for the NIOSH Worker Well-being Questionnaire (WellBQ). With completion of this project in 2024, researchers now have access to employee-level data to inform research studies on employee health, well-being and safety and the organizational best practices that support a healthy work environment. Employers have the added capability to easily administer the online survey to employees and receive a de-identified summary report of their data.HERO connects science and practice for employers and updates the research agenda annually to reflect areas of importance to demonstrate the value of a health and well-being employer ecosystem. When approved by HERO's research leadership, HERO will designate research funds to support a study to add to the evidence for health and well-being.
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
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 December 2024.
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 1996.
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.