Open Medicine Foundation Inc.
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution | EIN: 26-4712664 | Agoura Hills CA
Mission: FUNDS MEDICAL RESEARCH TO FIND TREATMENTS AND DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS FOR CHRONIC COMPLEX DISEASES.
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 2013, and donations are tax-deductible.
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Encompass Rating System by Charity Navigator
Overall Score
100
out of 100
This charity's score is a passing score.
This overall score is calculated entirely from a single beacon score: 100% Finance & Accountability
Learn about the Encompass Rating System: Overview | FAQ | Release Notes
This organization is potentially eligible for a Charity Navigator Star Rating. Vote Now to request to have our analyst team rate Open Medicine Foundation Inc. for a Star Rating. The organization currently has 0 votes.
Finance & Accountability
This score provides an assessment of a nonprofit's financial health (stability, efficiency and sustainability) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
Finance & Accountability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by Open Medicine Foundation Inc. is a passing score
This V4 of the Finance & Accountability Score provides a baseline measure of an organization’s health including the indicators listed in the report below.
This score represents Form 990 data from 2020, the latest year published by the IRS.
Finance & Accountability Report
100
of 100 points
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Program Expense Ratio
90.08%
Higher effect on score
More data
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense percentage AND Liabilities to Assets |
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Composition
6/8 Independent
Higher effect on score
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review
Audited
Higher effect on score
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $250,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $250,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Liabilities to Assets Ratio
22.62%
Lower effect on score
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Website
Listed
Lower effect on score
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy
Listed
Lower effect on score
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes
Documented
Lower effect on score
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction
Listed
Lower effect on score
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy
Listed
Lower effect on score
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Additional Information
Unscored
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Total Revenue and Expenses
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons
Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts include salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
LINDA TANNENBAUM, CEO / PRESIDENT
$182,326
KATHLEEN MORGAN, VP OF PHILANTHROPY
$150,000
CHRISTOPHER ARMSTRONG, MEDICAL RESEARCHER
$110,000
KIMBERLY HICKS, TREASURER
$58,333
PATTI LINSLEY, SECRETARY
$0
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Business Master File Data
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
Data Sources: IRS Forms 990
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to view this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available).
Pandemic Response
Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Revenue
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
OMF qualified for the Paycheck Protection Program and subsequent loan forgiveness, which provided a welcome buffer against the unknown, and allowed OMF to protect its operational reserves. The pandemic and the 2020 election, which coincided with our largest annual fundraising campaign, impacted our ability to raise small gifts. However, despite the global economic upheaval, OMF retained many of its largest contributors in 2020 and attracted new, high-capacity donors with untapped potential. The national average Donor Retention Rate is a steady 45%. OMF achieved an excellent retention rate of 63% in the US and 75% in Canada.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Ongoing research projects conducted at the five OMF funded Collaborative Research Centers were impacted due to shutdowns at the host universities. Our research collaborative regrouped, and by mid-year, many research projects were back on track. Research activity across the five centers is now exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The single most significant change to our program was the development of a COVID-19 focused research study in alignment with our ME/CFS research goals. A dedicated grant of $1 million was secured, and a multi-year, internationally-based study was launched.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
As a medical research organization, OMF needed to adopt and model safety protocols early in the pandemic. Attendance at important industry and community events and staff meetings that required travel were canceled, and OMF team members widely adopted alternate communication tools. The potential economic fallout of COVID-19 necessitated an examination of planned "fundraising department" reconfigurations. In the first quarter, bold actions were deferred. We shifted our communications efforts to reassure our patient/donor population that our focus was unwavering. We sent messages of comfort and support across our communications channels. We were pleased to see steady, uninterrupted investment from donors and measurable engagement growth across all communication channels. OMF reconfigured its 2020 fundraising campaigns to acknowledge the chaotic economic landscape while remaining focused on our steady and thoughtful approach to research.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
OMF has become a fully remote-based workplace, which better aligns with our international research efforts. Subsequently, we have adopted more frequent, Zoom-based staff meetings and opened other communication channels to ensure we stay connected as a team. We are focused on security across all company platforms and have adopted rigorous best security practices for remote-based offices. Additionally, we added two full-time positions in 2020 and launched a regional branch entity in Australia.
Impact & Results
This score estimates the actual impact a nonprofit has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Impact & Results Score
Not Currently Scored
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. cannot currently be evaluated by our Encompass Rating Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Do you work at Open Medicine Foundation Inc.? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
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Largest Programs
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
$3,791,553
Spent in most recent FY
100%
Percent of program expenses
THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS COLLABORATIVE MEDICAL RESEARCH TO FIND EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS AND DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS FOR CHRONIC COMPLEX DISEASES. THROUGH THESE COLLABORATIVE MEDICAL RESEARCH EFFORTS, WE STRI ... (More)
Leadership & Adaptability
This score provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Leadership & Adaptability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by Open Medicine Foundation Inc. is a passing score.
Encompass Rating V4 provides an evaluation of the organization's Leadership & Adaptability through the nonprofit organization submitting a survey response directly to Charity Navigator.
Leadership & Adaptability Report
100
of 100 points
Mission
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s mission
To create a world where people with ME/CFS and related chronic complex diseases return to leading full lives. -- Open Medicine Foundation is dedicated to solving and breaking the cycle of chronic complex diseases like ME/CFS, Long COVID / Post- Treatment COVID, Post-Treatment Lyme, and others. Vital to this mission is to financially support outcome-directed research at global centers that work openly, urgently, and collaboratively with each other (and the broader research community of scientists and clinicians), and translate findings to treatments.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
To be the most effective global foundation funding and facilitating research and medical education for chronic complex diseases (CCD) and solving those diseases.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Improve Diagnosis: Establishment of validated diagnostic tests and tools that will help clinicians diagnose chronic complex diseases (CCD), focusing on ME/CFS, Post-Treatment Lyme Disease, and others.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Two: Understand Disease Mechanisms: Discover the pathophysiology of ME/CFS and other CCD that will inform effective and personalized diagnosis and treatments.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Three: Establish Treatments: Launch pilot clinical trials on potential treatments for the most prevalent and impactful symptoms of ME/CFS and other CCD.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
Along with its strategic plan and annual objectives, OMF continues to grow its roster of full-time employees, providing leadership with the human resources required to meet ambitious income and productivity goals and providing bench strength for succession planning. OMF has made thoughtful investments in state-of-the-art grants and gifts management software to ensure we are employing data-driven programming, elevating transparency, and remaining agile and responsive to trends and events. OMF encourages team members at all levels to take advantage of training and educational opportunities, and is working on a Talent Development & Learning Organization Plan.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Mobilizing for Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
OMF is considered the leading research-funding organization within the ME/CFS and Chronic Complex Disease landscape, bringing prestige (through its renowned Scientific Advisory Board) and high-profile leadership to the national and international research landscape. OMF has developed a unique global collaborative research model that incorporates researchers and clinicians from around the world, and accelerates research through 5 global collaborative centers. We incorporate other organizations into collaborative efforts, participate robustly in federal funding and communications activities, offer financial support to smaller advocacy organizations as appropriate, bring medical expertise to community forums and professional organizations, and conduct a year-round, diversified communications effort for our constituents within the chronic complex disease community. In our role, we emphasize hope, transparency, and an aspirational approach to finding diagnostic tools and treatment options.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Story of Adaptability
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
OMF is uniquely positioned to weather upheaval as an agile and remote work organization. ME/CFS and other post-infectious diseases have a legacy as highly stigmatized and ignored diseases that particularly impact vulnerable and isolated populations. Against this background, OMF has strategically assembled top researchers and institutions willing to challenge the status quo and bring innovation, integrity, and credibility to this largely neglected area of focus. The pandemic and resulting epidemic of Long COVID patients has only amplified the need for our critical research efforts, and with our model in place, we were able to easily incorporate large donations for this research and a strong research agenda. OMF has a reputation for transparency, excellence, and consistency. OMF’s credibility within its constituent base and consistent communications strategy ensured that investment in all chronic complex diseases research continued throughout the pandemic and set the stage for a return to pre-pandemic levels. OMF leadership has also taken the time to articulate the values that will guide us through the next phase of our planned growth: 1) Innovation: Research that speeds up progress towards solving these diseases 2) Collaboration: Researchers and clinicians working together and sharing ideas 3) Open Research Model: Open to new ideas and ways of approaching how to solve chronic diseases, open to sharing and creating a new paradigm for open, collaborative research 4) Improved Patient Outcomes: Deliver patients better diagnoses and effective treatments 5) Increased Access to Clinical Care: Educate more clinicians, primary care and specialists to increase the number that can diagnose and treat CCD 6) Equality in Research & Healthcare: Diversity in research and care that accurately represents the patient community 7) Responsible Fiduciary: Accountable, transparent overseer of donor funds
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Culture & Community
This score provides an assessment of the organization's engagement with the constituents it serves, a practice we term Constituent Feedback. When organizations listen to constituents, they are able to better deliver on programs and meet the needs of stakeholders. A future version of this Beacon will also assess an organization's people operations and its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) metrics.
Culture & Community Score
Not Currently Scored
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. is currently not eligible for a Culture & Community score because we have not received its Constituent Feedback data. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile. This data will provide the basis for the initial evaluation of Culture & Community.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Culture & Community Report
Unscored
This beta feature is currently viewable only on desktop or tablet screens. Check back later for updates.
Constituent Feedback
Constituent Feedback and Listening Practice data are not available for this organization. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile. This data will provide the basis for the initial evaluation of Culture & Community.
Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective. We award every nonprofit that completes the Candid survey full credit for this Beacon, in recognition of their willingness to publicly share this information with the nonprofit and philanthropic communities. Although the data is not evaluated for quality at this time, future iterations of this Beacon will include third party or other data that will serve to validate the information provided by the nonprofit.
Analysis and Research
Like the overall Encompass Rating System, the Culture & Community Beacon is designed to evolve as metrics are developed and ready for integration. Our partnership with Feedback Labs and Guidestar by Candid, and other partners including Fund for Shared Insight, GlobalGiving, and Keystone Accountability, enables us to launch the first version of this beacon with Constituent Feedback information collected on Candid's site.
Feedback practices have been shown to support better Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion outcomes, an essential area of assessment that we intend to further expand and develop in the future. Feedback Labs has documented several studies which indicate that beyond achieving organizational goals, nonprofits that are attentive and responsive to concerns and ideas raised by beneficiaries establish stronger relationships with the people they serve, promote greater equity, and empower constituents in ways that can help to ensure better long-term outcomes. You can find resources to help nonprofits improve their feedback practices here.
