Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation

EIN 94-6064808 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair66 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O.KFF FILLS THE NEED FOR TRUSTED, INDEPENDENT INFORMATION ON NATIONAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH POLICY ANALYSIS, POLLING & SURVEY RESEARCH, AND JOURNALISM. THE HALLMARK OF KFF IS OUR FOCUS ON HOW POLICY AFFECTS PEOPLE. WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF EVIDENCE, INFORMATION AND FACTS. WE PROVIDE A VOICE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. WE NEVER TRY TO ACHIEVE ANY PARTICULAR POLICY, OR TAKE POSITIONS OR ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES OR PROGRAMS. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT DEBATE IS INFORMED BY CREDIBLE AND TIMELY INFORMATION - WHETHER IT'S A POLICY ANALYSIS, A POLL, OR A KFF HEALTH NEWS STORY OR INVESTIGATION.

Income
$32.4 million
Spending
$74.8 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
90.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 50%
Employees
236
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$1.1 million, trustee, president & ceo

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

Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 90.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 20% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 131% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 62% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 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. $24.0 million spent. POLICY - THROUGH OUR POLICY WORK WE PRODUCE INFORMATION, FACTS AND ANALYSIS IN A VARIETY OF KEY NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY ARENAS. KFF POLICY EXPERTS WORK MAINLY ON ANALYZING HOW PEOPLE FARE IN THE LARGEST PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS - INCLUDING MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, AND IN PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE SPECIAL EXPERTISE IN UNDERSTANDING RACIAL AND ETHNIC EQUITY ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE, HIV, WOMEN'S HEALTH POLICY AND THE NATION'S ROLE IN GLOBAL HEALTH POLICY.
  2. $24.0 million spent. JOURNALISM - KFF HEALTH NEWS, OUR CREDENTIALED, NONPROFIT, EDITORIALLY-INDEPENDENT NEWS SERVICE, IS COMMITTED TO IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF HEALTH CARE POLICY AND POLITICS. KFF HEALTH NEWS PROVIDES THE HIGHEST QUALITY NEWS COVERAGE OF HEALTH POLICY ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS, IN THE MARKETPLACE AND HOW THEY AFFECT PEOPLE. KFF HEALTH NEWS SERVES AS THE PREMIER SOURCE OF HEALTH POLICY JOURNALISM DISTRIBUTING OUR CONTENT THROUGH DOZENS OF PARTNER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS WHO RUN KFF HEALTH NEWS STORIES, AMONG THEM THE WASHINGTON POST, NPR, NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AND A BROAD RANGE OF BROADCAST PARTNERS.
  3. $7.4 million spent. PUBLIC OPINION & SURVEY RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCTS AND ANALYZES ORIGINAL RESEARCH ON AMERICANS' ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES WITH THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WITH THE GOAL OF AMPLIFYING THE PUBLIC'S VOICE IN MAJOR NATIONAL DEBATES, PARTICULARLY THE VOICE OF OFTEN-DISENFRANCHISED GROUPS SUCH AS THE LOW INCOME AND UNINSURED. KFF CONDUCTS POLLS ITSELF AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAJOR NEWS ORGANIZATIONS.
  4. $6.5 million spent. SOCIAL IMPACT MEDIA - WE DEVELOP AND HELP RUN LARGE-SCALE, PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS IN THE U.S. BY WORKING WITH MAJOR MEDIA, OTHER CORPORATE ALLIES, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THESE LARGE-SCALE, MULTI-FACETED PUBLIC INFORMATION PARTNERSHIPS FOCUS MOSTLY AT REACHING PEOPLE MOST AT RISK OF HIV AND CURRENTLY FOCUS ON THE SOUTH UNDER THE UMBRELLA NAME GREATER THAN AIDS. THE HEALTH MISINFORMATION AND TRUST INITIATIVE - IN LATE FALL 2022, KFF BEGAN TO DEVELOP THIS NEW PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION IN HEALTH. KFF MAKES NO PROGRAMMATIC GRANTS. GRANTS CONSIST OF TRUSTEE SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS AND MATCHING GIFTS, WHICH QUALIFY AS GRANTS, AND ARE LISTED ON SCHEDULE I.

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 November 6, 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 June 2019.

    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 November 4, 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.