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29302 LARO DR
Agoura Hills CA 91301-1608
Agoura Hills CA | IRS ruling year: 2013 | EIN: 26-4712664
FUNDS MEDICAL RESEARCH TO FIND TREATMENTS AND DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS FOR CHRONIC COMPLEX DISEASES.
Great
This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 80% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Open Medicine Foundation Inc. is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. has earned a 100% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 6/8 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 6/8 - 25/25 pts
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 - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Audited - 20/20 pts
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 |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
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 - 3/3 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 pts
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 - 3/3 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 pts
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 - 3/3 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
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
Website - Listed - 3/3 ptsWebsite - Listed - 3/3 pts
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
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 22.62% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 22.62% - 15/15 pts
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
Program Expense Ratio - 90.08% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 90.08% - 25/25 pts
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 |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
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 do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
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)
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 search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Open Medicine Foundation Inc.) or EIN (264712664) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. 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, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. 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.
Not Currently Scored
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. cannot currently be evaluated by our 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.
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Open Medicine Foundation Inc. reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
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)
THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS COLLABORATIVE MEDICAL RESEARCH TO FIND EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS AND DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS FOR CHRONIC COMPLEX DISEASES. THROUGH THESE COLLABORATIVE MEDICAL RESEARCH EFFORTS, WE STRIVE TO FIND EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM DIFFICULT-TO-TREAT DISEASES, BY BRINGING TOGETHER A COMMUNITY OF THOUGHT LEADERS, PATIENTS, CLINICIANS AND RESEARCHERS FOR TARGETED INITIATIVES. WE ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON RESEARCHING MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME IN HOPES OF DISCOVERING DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS AND TO BRING ANSWERS TO OTHER CHRONIC COMPLEX DISEASES THAT SHARE SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. (Less)
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. has earned a 99% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
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Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. 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.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
Patients with chronic complex multi-system diseases, advocates, families, researchers, clinicians
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Community meetings or town halls, Other means
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
Asking for feedback makes us a stronger organization and builds bonds and trust with our community
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
We have been assessing and improving the methods, frequency, and content of communications.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 98/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 98/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 98 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 10 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (4/7) | |
|---|---|
We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race. | |
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. | |
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served. | |
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support. | |
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. | |
We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured | |
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Equity Policies and Procedures (6/7) | |
|---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Open Medicine Foundation Inc. has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon 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.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
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.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
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
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
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.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
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.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
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.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
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
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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