United States Association for the Study of Pain Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF PAIN IS TO PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES THAT REDUCE THE BURDEN OF PAIN. OUR GOAL IS TO BRING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, INCLUDING THOSE OF SCIENTISTS, CLINICIANS, HEALTH-CARE PROVIDERS, AND POLICYMAKERS TOGETHER TO STIMULATE AND SUPPORT THE STUDY OF PAIN AND TO TRANSLATE THAT KNOWLEDGE INTO IMPROVED PAIN RELIEF.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $886,411
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 13 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 67%
- Employees
- 1
- Highest pay
- $111,518, operations m
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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
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 (3)
- $503,265 spent. WE CONDUCTED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SCIENTIFIC MEETING IN SEATTLE, WA THAT INCLUDED ALMOST 800 PARTICIPANTS. SESSIONS INCLUDED NEW DISCOVERIES IN THE SCIENCE OF PAIN AND PRESENTERS DESCRIBED INNOVATIVE WAYS TO RESEARCH AND TREATMENT OF PAIN. IN ADDITION TO PLENARY LECTURES FROM LEADERS IN THE FIELD, MORE THAN 500 POSTERS PRESENTED FINDINGS FROM PRECLINICAL, BASIC SCIENTIFIC WORK IN THE LABORATORY TO RACIAL AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE EXPERIENCE OF PAIN AND ITS IMPACT ON DAILY LIFE. PRESENTERS INCLUDED EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS WHO ARE STILL IN TRAINING AS WELL AS SEASONED RESEARCHERS . SUBSPECIALTIES OF MEETING PARTICIPANTS RANGED FROM NEUROSCIENCES TO PSYCHOLOGY, NURSING, PHYSICAL THERAPY AND DENTISTRY.
- $100,000 spent. WE CONTINUE OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PRIMARILY DIRECTED TO EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN PAIN RESEARCH. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OUR EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WORK WITH THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO IDENTIFY TOPICS FOR SEMINARS OF BROAD INTEREST TO OUR MEMBERSHIP AND THE PUBLIC. THIS YEAR WE CONDUCTED WEBINARS ON THE INTERSECTION OF PAIN AND TRAUMA, THE USASP LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, DEMYSTIFYING NIH GRANT REVIEWING, PUBLISHING IN THE JOURNAL OF PAIN, AND THE FUTURE OF AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN RESEARCH. WEBINARS WERE TYPICALLY ATTENDED BY 30-40 ATTENDEES INCLUDING NON-MEMBERS. A PRIMARY EVENT SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION IS THE SCIENTIFIC MEETING (1 ABOVE), WHICH INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD TRAINEES. IN ADDITIONAL TO ATTENDING AN EARLY CAREER FORUM FOCUSED ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES, EXEMPLARY WORK BY EARLY CAREER PARTICIPANTS WAS RECOGNIZED THROUGH TRAVEL AWARDS AND POSTER AWARDS. WE CONTINUE OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PRIMARILY DIRECTED TO EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN PAIN RESEARCH. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OUR EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WORK WITH THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO IDENTIFY TOPICS FOR SEMINARS OF BROAD INTEREST TO OUR MEMBERSHIP AND THE PUBLIC. THIS YEAR WE CONDUCTED WEBINARS ON THE INTERSECTION OF PAIN AND TRAUMA, THE USASP LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, DEMYSTIFYING NIH GRANT REVIEWING, PUBLISHING IN THE JOURNAL OF PAIN, AND THE FUTURE OF AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN RESEARCH. WEBINARS WERE TYPICALLY ATTENDED BY 30-40 ATTENDEES INCLUDING NON-MEMBERS. A PRIMARY EVENT SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION IS THE SCIENTIFIC MEETING (1 ABOVE), WHICH INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD TRAINEES. IN ADDITIONAL TO ATTENDING AN EARLY CAREER FORUM FOCUSED ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES, EXEMPLARY WORK BY EARLY CAREER PARTICIPANTS WAS RECOGNIZED THROUGH TRAVEL AWARDS AND POSTER AWARDS.
- $204,404 spent. A THIRD ACCOMPLISHMENT THIS YEAR WAS CONTINUING THE SUCCESS OF THE JOURNAL OF PAIN. THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM CONTINUES INTO ITS THIRD YEAR, TRAINING EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS IN NUANCES OF PUBLISHING IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS AND PROVIDING EXPOSURE TO THE ENTIRE PROCESS INVOLVED IN CREATING EACH ISSUE OF THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL. FELLOWS WORK WITH EXPERIENCED JOURNAL EDITORS AND LEARN ABOUT PUBLISHING FROM SUBMISSION TO FINAL DECISION.
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 January 2020.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: United States Association for Unhcr (Washington, DC), EIN 52-1662800. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.