PLATINUM2022

American Lung Association HQ

When you can't breathe, nothing else matters

Chicago, IL   |  www.lung.org

Mission

The American Lung Association's mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.

Ruling year info

1944

President & CEO

Mr. Harold P. Wimmer

Main address

55 W Wacker Dr Suite 1150

Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

13-1632524

NTEE code info

Lung (G45)

Cancer (G30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2022, 2021 and 2019.
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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. Our work is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. Whether it's searching for cures to lung diseases, keeping kids off tobacco or fighting for laws that protect the air we all breathe, the work of the American Lung Association helps to save lives every day. Breathing is essential to life. From our first breath to our last, every breath counts. For more than 115 years, the American Lung Association has been America's leading force for lung health—successfully tapping into America's spirit of community that inspires us to work together for better health and longer life for all.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Lung HelpLine

You Ask. We Answer. Talk to our lung health experts at the American Lung Association Lung HelpLine and Tobacco QuitLine. Our service is free and available as often as you need. 1-800-LUNGUSA

Population(s) Served
Adults

The American Lung Association has been helping people quit smoking for over 35 years through Freedom From Smoking®. Ranked as one of the most effective programs in the country, Freedom From Smoking has helped hundreds of thousands individuals quit smoking for good and is now available in a variety of formats. Freedom From Smoking Plus, whose user-friendly interface allows you to create a personal quit smoking plan on your desktop, tablet or smartphone, is the newest way to quit smoking . Through interactive features that include videos, quizzes and activities, Freedom From Smoking Plus walks you through the quitting process and has a surround sound of support from our Lung HelpLine counselors and other quitters through our online community. See a free demo of this program online at FreedomFromSmoking.org.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Living with a chronic lung disease can be easier. Better Breathers Clubs are welcoming support groups for individuals with COPD, pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer, and their caregivers. Learn better ways to better cope with lung disease while getting the support of others in similar situations. Led by a trained facilitator, these in-person adult support groups give you the tools you need to live the best quality of life possible.

Better Breathers Clubs meet regularly and feature educational presentations on a wide range of relevant topics, including:

How COPD affects the lungs
Breathing techniques
Exercise
Talking with your physician
Medications and other treatment options
Medical tests
Supplemental oxygen
Home healthcare
Lung transplants
Air pollution

You don't have to feel alone or isolated. It feels good to talk with others who understand—and that can have a positive impact on your health.

Find a Better Breathers Club near you, by following the links below or calling 1-800-LUNGUSA for more information.

If you are interested in joining an online support community in addition to an in-person Better Breathers Club, Living with COPD, Living with Lung Disease and Lung Cancer Survivors online communities on Inspire.

Population(s) Served
Adults

The American Lung Association is committed to defeating lung cancer and supporting those affected by this disease. We offer a variety of resources and information about lung cancer. Check out some of our key lung cancer support and education resources featured at lung.org/lung-cancer, including patient resources, videos, toolkits, worksheets, infographics and other resources for lung cancer patients and caregivers.

Lung Cancer Survivors Community

This online lung cancer community is a place to discuss how lung cancer is affecting you and share your experience and hope with peers.

LUNG FORCE

Our movement to defeat lung cancer. Through events all over the country and our LUNG FORCE Heroes program, you can meet others with lung cancer and join the fight.

Population(s) Served
Adults

The American Lung Association's Asthma Basics course is a free one-hour interactive online learning module designed to help people learn more about asthma. This course is ideal for frontline healthcare professionals, such as school nurses or community health workers, as well as individuals with asthma, parents of children with asthma, and co-workers, friends and family who want to learn more about asthma. Asthma Basics is available in English and Spanish.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Open Airways For Schools® is a program that educates and empowers elementary-aged children through a fun and interactive approach to asthma self-management.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Since 1915, our researchers have made significant contributions/milestones in the fight against lung disease by revolutionizing treatment and unlocking secrets of the body's immune system. As such, premature babies are less likely to die from respiratory distress syndrome; tuberculosis (TB) rates are at an all-time low; and young and old with chronic lung diseases are benefiting from improved treatment options such as lung transplantation, oxygen therapy and genetically-based medicines.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of individuals enrolled in a smoking addiction program

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Freedom From Smoking

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The # of individuals enrolled in our Freedom From Smoking Cessation program is back to pre-pandemic participation for FY 22 at 4704.

Number of staff members certified in subject area training

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Open Airways for Schools

Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

These individuals are staff who have been certified through a credentialling body to be a Certified Asthma Education or a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialists.

Number of comment letters to government agencies

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Lung Cancer

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Includes written comments and oral testimony at regulatory hearings.

Number of people trained

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Open Airways for Schools

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

These are individuals trained in our Behavior Change Asthma Programs.

Number of research studies funded

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Research

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of media citations of advocate research or products

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Lung Cancer

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

These numbers reflect our State of the Air, State of Tobacco Control and State of Lung Cancer Reports.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

The American Lung Association aims to:

1) Defeat lung cancer

2) Champion clean air for all

3) Improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families

4) Create a tobacco free future

Advocacy, education, research, awareness and engagement are equally critical to achieving our mission. The American Lung Association uses evidence-based and data-driven decision making to make a measurable impact. Integral to the success of our mission is building a diverse, active and engaged pool of volunteers. We work to reduce the effects of lung disease in our community and engage individuals, families and organizations in our work. We use evidence-based, data-driven decision making to achieve measurable impact through a diverse, active and engaged pool of volunteers. We work to overcome health disparities to work toward universal lung health.

To protect public health, the American Lung Association led the battle against tuberculosis, has been a national leader in tobacco prevention and control, fought to protect the air we breathe by reducing air pollution, and has funded lifesaving research for lung diseases like asthma, COPD, emphysema and cystic fibrosis.

The organization is now focusing even more of its resources on lung cancer, the #1 cancer killer in the US, by doubling its funding of lung cancer research and exponentially increasing awareness of its devastating effects. The Lung Association is also promoting the importance of lung cancer screening to at-risk groups and their families.

With COVID-19 becoming a threat to lung health the American Lung Association launched a $25 million COVID Action Initiative to offer free lung health education and masks to those in need, advocate for COVID and flu vaccines in underserved communities of color and prevent future outbreaks by investing in respiratory virus research. We have increased our lung health research to include 24 COVID-19 research studies, including three with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to determine susceptibility and treatment for ‘long COVID.’

For more than 115 years, the American Lung Association has been America's leading force for lung health. Our work has directly contributed to major public health and medical landmarks, including:
• Control of tuberculosis in America
• A reduction in smoking rates to 13.9 percent
• 28 states and D.C. passed smokefree air laws
• Air pollution levels dropping 73 percent since 1970
• Funded research that discovered the gene behind cystic fibrosis, the cause of respiratory distress syndrome in infants and studies that have directly improved the lives of people living with asthma, COPD and lung cancer.

But there is more to do. Lung cancer remains the nation's #1 cancer killer, COPD remains the third cause of death in the US, and more than 10% of the US population is affected by chronic lung disease. We will continue to work to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, because when you can’t breathe, nothing else matters.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • 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, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback

Financials

American Lung Association
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

American Lung Association

Board of directors
as of 11/21/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mr. Stephen O'Kane

Healthcare Consultant

Term: 2020 - 2022

Larry Blumenthal

Dignity Health, Arizona

Cheryl Calhoun, CPA, MBA

CBIZ MHM, LLC, California

Michael V. Carstens

Physicians Mutual Insurance Co., Nebraska

Sumita Khatri, MD, MS

Cleveland Clinic, Ohio

Stephen R. O'Kane

Health Care Consultant, California

Kathleen M. Skambis

The Skambis Law Firm, Florida

Johnny A. Smith, Jr.

Ascension, Missouri

Penny J. Schilz

Owner, Quilt-agious, Wisconsin

Rabih I. Bechara, MD

Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine at Augusta University

Anne E. Dixon, MD

University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, Vermont

David G. Hill, MD

Waterbury Pulmonary Associates, Connecticut

Mark C. Johnson, MBA

ATyrPharma, Inc., California

Jonathon K. Rosen

Impact Communications, Connecticut

Sterling QL Yee, MBA

Oceanit, Hawaii

Colleen McIntosh, JD

CVS Health

Sean R. Muldoon, MD

Kindred Healthcare

Joe Ochipinti

United Healthcare

Jonathon K. Rosen

Impact Communications

Victor R. Waters, MD, JD, FCLM

St. Joseph Hospital & Medical Center

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 10/19/2021
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/19/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • 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 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.
Policies and processes
  • 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 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.