Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	American Heart Association
Address:	7272 Greenville Avenue
	Dallas, TX 75231
Phone:	214-373-6300
Web Address:	www.americanheart.org
Also known as: American Stroke Association

AHA meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

AHA offers initiatives and information for consumers, healthcare providers, hospitals, elected officials and policy-makers. Its consumer health initiative operates programs designed to mobilize consumers to make healthy behavior changes. AHA funds research at both the national and regional levels as well as publishes brochures and other resource materials on subjects like nutrition and the dangers of smoking. Its food certification program also helps consumers in identifying items low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Furthermore, the organization funds scientific studies to obtain knowledge in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. AHA reports that in addition to publishing five medical journals, it holds professional development seminars and meetings to keep physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals versed in the latest ways to prevent or treat problems involving stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. The organization also offers training in emergency cardiac care. AHA also monitors and promotes legislation at both the federal and state levels on policy issues in order to alleviate the rates of heart disease and stroke. Some ($99,973,000 or 22%) of AHA's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, AHA's program expenses were:

Public health education	240,100,000
Research	114,811,000
Professional education and training	76,080,000
Community services	18,879,000
Total Program Expenses:	$449,870,000

Chief Executive : Nancy A. Brown, Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*:

$646,007

Chair of the Board: Debra W. Lockwood, CPA
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Provident Resources Group, Inc.

Board Size: 22

Paid Staff Size: 2727

*July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, special events, print advertisements, television, radio, grant proposals, Internet appeals, door to door, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.

Fund raising costs were 19% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $500,027,000, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

AHA incurred joint costs of $168,023,000 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs, $99,973,000 was allocated to program expenses, $53,236,000 was allocated to fund raising expenses, and $14,814,000 was allocated to administrative expenses.

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on AHA's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

Source of Funds
Special events, net	224,042,000
Contributions	139,296,000
Bequests	72,497,000
Contributed services and materials	52,103,000
Sales of educational materials	44,616,000
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments	32,432,000
Program fees	19,337,000
Royalty revenue	17,366,000
Split interest agreements	12,751,000
Federated and nonfederated fund-raising organizations	8,950,000
Interest and dividends, net of fees	8,681,000
Perpetual trust distributions	4,966,000
Membership dues	3,139,000
Net realized gains on beneficial interest in perpetual trusts	2,136,000
Miscellaneous revenue, net	1,895,000
Gains on disposal of fixed assets	175,000
Change in the value of split-interest agreements	-16,048,000
Total Income	$628,334,000

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 76%  Fund Raising: 16%  Administrative: 8%

Total income				$628,334,000
	Program expenses			$449,870,000
	Fund raising expenses			95,369,000
	Administrative expenses			45,831,000
Total expenses				$591,070,000
Income in Excess of Expenses				37,264,000
Beginning net assets				517,905,000
Other Changes in Net Assets				(3,006,000)
Ending net assets				552,163,000
Total liabilities				393,552,000
Total assets				$945,715,000

Note 1: According to AHA's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, the organization's in-kind donations include PSAs ($41,071,000), donated materials ($5,932,000), research peer review ($4,694,000), and miscellaneous services ($406,000).

Note 2: In the above financial summary, "other changes in net assets" represents postretirement changes other than net periodic benefit cost.