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First Responder Center for Excellence for Reducing Occupation

EIN 81-1890101 · Crofton, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE FRCE IS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF FIRST RESPONDERS, NATIONWIDE. OUR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INITIATIVES CONSTANTLY SHED NEW LIGHT ON CHALLENGES TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF FIREFIGHTERS, EMS PERSONNEL AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS. IT'S ALL WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING LINEOFDUTY INJURIES AND DEATHS AS WELL AS OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
3.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 78%
Employees
6
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$205,609, chief executive officer

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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% 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 26% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 90% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 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. $948,319 spent. FIRE SERVICE PROGRAMS - THE FRCE IS A RESEARCH TO PRACTICE ENTERPRISE THAT BUILDS HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRODUCTS AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE WIDELY DISSEMINATED THROUGHOUT THE FIRST RESPONDER COMMUNITY. SOME OF OUR 2024 PROGRAMS INCLUDED: A WOMEN'S HEALTH ONLINE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING MODULE FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE IMPACT THE JOB HAS ON WOMEN FIREFIGHTERS. TOPICS INCLUDE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, INJURIES, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND CANCER. THESE ONLINE MODULES WERE CREATED TO PROMOTE AWARENESS, ENHANCE DISSEMINATION, AND ENCOURAGE INCORPORATION INTO PRIMARY CARE AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH FOR WOMEN IN THE FIREFIGHTING PROFESSION. CURBSIDE MANNER 2.0 ENTAILED REFINEMENT, PRODUCTION, AND THE CREATION OF AN E-LEARNING DELIVERY OF UPDATED CURBSIDE MANNER COURSE FOR FIELD PROVIDERS, WITH COMPONENTS FOR BOTH FIRE AND EMS. CURBSIDE MANNER WAS CREATED ALONGSIDE STRESS FIRST AID TO PREPARE FIREFIGHTERS TO APPLY THE CORE ELEMENTS OF SFA IN DAILY CARE OF PATIENTS AND CITIZENS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE SERVICE, CONNECTION, AND QUALITY OF CARE WHILE HELPING ENSURE THAT THOSE WELL PRACTICED APPROACHES WOULD BECOME OUR DEFAULT RESPONSE TO ONE ANOTHER AS WELL.
  2. $139,795 spent. HEALTH PROGRAMS - THE FRCE HELD A HEALTH & WELLNESS SYMPOSIUM OCTOBER 16-18, 2024 IN XENIA, OH. PARTICIPANTS LEARNED ABOUT BUILDING RESILIENCE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WELLNESS, INJURY PREVENTION, PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS, PHYSICAL FITNESS, PROPER NUTRITION, SLEEP DEPRIVATION, STRESS, MINDFULNESS, SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND MORE. OVER 40 TOPICS WERE DELIVERED BY SPEAKERS WHO ARE LEADERS AND PIONEERS IN FIRE SERVICE HEALTH AND WELLNESS. OVER 400 PARTICIPANTS OF THE HEALTH & WELLNESS SYMPOSIUM GAINED ACCESS TO RESOURCES, PROFESSIONALS AND LEADERS TO TAKE BACK TO THEIR ORGANIZATIONS/DEPARTMENTS TO IMPLEMENT. THIS INCLUDED: PRIORITIES TO DEVELOP A TOTAL WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE SERVICE AGENCIES, HOW HEALTH AND WELLNESS CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO DEPARTMENTS EFFECTIVELY AND WHAT APPROACHES THOSE TASKED WITH BUILDING THE PROGRAM CAN TAKE, HOW TO OBTAIN PROGRAM BUY-IN, PROGRAM OUTREACH AND EVALUATE YOUR IMPACT TO STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS PRACTICAL STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES TO BUILD OR ENHANCE AND EXISTING PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM.
  3. $71,814 spent. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
  4. $111,213 spent. PUBLIC SAFETY OUTREACH, AND OTHER PROGRAMS - STRESS FIRST AID IS A BASIC BUT COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO EMBEDDED PEER SUPPORT SPECIFICALLY DERIVED FROM THE US NAVY/MARINE CORPS COMBAT AND OPERATIONS STRESS COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (AN ARM OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION). THIS PROJECT EXPANDS UPON INITIAL SUCCESS BY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A MORE ACCESSIBLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE WEB-BASED DELIVERY PLATFORM AS WELL AS UPDATE CONTENT, AND TO SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE MODULES TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING SUICIDAL IDEATION BASED ON AN ADAPTATION OF THE US ARMY'S ACE MODEL. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INCLUDE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS TO SUPPORT DISSEMINATION AND ASSISTANCE WITH ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

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 2024.

    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 September 2016.

    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.