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Western Institute for Veterans Institute

EIN 87-0470748 · Salt Lake City, UT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WESTERN INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION ESTABLISHED IN 1989 TO PROMOTE RESEARCH AND RELATED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AT THE VA SALT LAKE CITY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, BY PROVIDING A FLEXIBLE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC GRANTS TO SUPPORT VA APPROVED RESEARCH PROJECTS.

Income
$6.2 million
Spending
$6.2 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
15.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 45%
Employees
25
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$535,467, former director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    2 of 8 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, 2025, 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)
  1. $561,003 spent. EARLY RECOGNITION OF UNDIAGNOSED VIRAL SYNDROMES AND THEIR PREDICTORS OVER TIME: THIS DOD FUNDED PROJECT EVALUATES THE USE OF AUTOMATED TOPIC MODELING TO RAPIDLY IDENTIFY AND SUMMARIZE EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE PATTERNS FROM ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD (EHR) NOTES. USING LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS, IT AIMS TO EXTRACT MEANINGFUL CLINICAL THEMES WITH MINIMAL ANALYST INPUT WHILE PROTECTING SENSITIVE DATA. THE GOAL IS TO ASSESS ACCURACY AND FEASIBILITY TO SUPPORT EARLIER DETECTION, IMPROVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, AND ENHANCE MONITORING OF EMERGING HEALTH RISKS.
  2. $441,779 spent. MILITARY INJURIES--UNDERSTANDING POST-TRAUMATIC EPILEPSY (MINUTE): BIOINFORMATICS WITH BIG DATA TO EXAMINE MULTIMODAL PTE BIOMARKERS:THIS DOD FUNDED PROJECT USES MACHINE LEARNING TO STUDY HEALTH TRAJECTORIES AND IDENTIFY KEY FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT EPILEPSY CONDITIONS IN VETERANS, INCLUDING POST-TRAUMATIC EPILEPSY. BY INTEGRATING CLINICAL DATA, NEUROIMAGING, BIOMARKERS, AND SURVEY INFORMATION, THE STUDY AIMS TO UNCOVER PATTERNS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED CONDITIONS. THE GOAL IS TO ENHANCE DETECTION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND OUTCOMES OF EPILEPSY AND ASSOCIATED DISORDERS IN VETERAN POPULATIONS.
  3. $298,059 spent. FORECASTING AND SURVEILLANCE OF INFECTIOUS THREATS AND EPIDEMICS (FORESITE):THIS CDC FUNDED PROJECT AIMS TO IMPROVE OUTBREAK FORECASTING AND ANALYTIC CAPABILITIES WITHIN THE VA. BY INTEGRATING ADVANCED MODELING TOOLS INTO BIOSURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, THE PROJECT ADDRESSES GAPS BETWEEN MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND REAL-WORLD DECISION-MAKING THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. ITS OBJECTIVE IS TO ENHANCE THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, AND USABILITY OF PREDICTIVE MODELS TO SUPPORT MORE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSES FOR VETERANS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 June 1991.

    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.

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