VETERANS MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

VETERANS MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO

EIN 33-0189397 · Medical Research (H900)

What they do

HONORING MILITARY SERVICE WITH SCIENCE; OUR BENCH-TO-BEDSIDE APPROACH HAS LED to BREAKTHROUGHS IN AREAS SUCH AS SHINGLES PREVENTION, HEART DISEASE, METABOLIC DISEASES and GROUND BREAKING WORK ON POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $71.40 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders19 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

73.74%of revenue went to mission work71.4% of expenses · Program services

$103.31spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

29.56%of revenue went to management and office costs28.6% of expenses

$0.29in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

77.7%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $530,086 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $405,278 for MARIA SITTMANN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$16,030,812

Mission workProgram services$11,821,65073.74% of revenue71.4% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$4,739,24829.56% of revenue28.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations0.00% of revenue0.0% of expenses

Total expenses$16,560,898103.31% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 71.4% mission · 28.6% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.31% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 72.7% mission · 27.3% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.85% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 72.5% mission · 27.5% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.22% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 73.7% mission · 26.3% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.81% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 71.0% mission · 29.0% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.27% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 74.4% mission · 25.6% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.38% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 74.3% mission · 25.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.99% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 75.0% mission · 25.0% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.85% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$16,030,812

Expenses$16,560,898

Annual shortfall $530,086 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$11,821,650 · 71.4% of expenses

Management and office costs$4,739,248 · 28.6% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$16,030,812

Expenses$16,560,898

Assets$4,790,926

Income$16,030,812

Contributions$12,462,602

Mission work (program services)$11,821,650

Management and general$4,739,248

Accounting fees$48,635

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

MARIA SITTMANNEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO · 40 hrs/week $405,278Base $385,281 · Other $19,997

ADAM CASSIUSCFO · 40 hrs/week $259,642Base $223,879 · Other $35,763

RUTH M HARBECKERESEARCH ASSOCIATE · 40 hrs/week $175,908Base $142,226 · Other $33,682

MATTHEW DOHNERPRE AWARD DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $167,006Base $132,791 · Other $34,215

JEAN FREISERPOST AWARD DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $146,049Base $127,290 · Other $18,759

MARI V BRAYVMU DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $133,848Base $116,172 · Other $17,676

JAMES F CHRISTIANIT MANAGER · 40 hrs/week $120,189Base $109,461 · Other $10,728

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (19)

MARIA SITTMANNEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO

ADAM CASSIUSCFO

RUTH M HARBECKERESEARCH ASSOCIATE

MATTHEW DOHNERPRE AWARD DIRECTOR

JEAN FREISERPOST AWARD DIRECTOR

MARI V BRAYVMU DIRECTOR

JAMES F CHRISTIANIT MANAGER

ERICA LIN MDDIRECTOR

FRANK PEARSON DPT PA-CDIRECTOR

LARRY EDDINGFIELD CAPT USN RETDIRECTOR

BRUCE GILLINGHAM MD RADM USN RETDIRECTOR

MARK BIPES RDML USN RETDIRECTOR

MICHAEL KIEFER MHA FACHEDIRECTOR

NILOOFAR AFARI PH DDIRECTOR

PAUL PEARIGEN MD RDML USN RETDIRECTOR

PETE HEKMAN VADM USN RETVICE CHAIRMAN

PHILLIP L JELSMA ESQCHAIRMAN

ROBIN SAMIT ESQDIRECTOR

ADRIAN DOLLARHIDE MDDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1987
Location: 3350 LA JOLLA VILLAGE DR NO151A, SAN DIEGO, CA 92161-0002
County: San Diego
In care of: MARIA SITTMANN
Primary officer: MARIA SITTMANN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailvmrf@vmrf.org Phone(858) 642-3070

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: October 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: ALDRICH CPAS AND ADVISORS LLP
NTEE classification: Medical Research (H900)