The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a networking organization for human resource management professionals. It was founded in 1948 and has nearly 340,000 members across 180 countries. ¹

SHRM regularly engages in political advocacy work, particularly by lobbying the U.S. Congress. ² SHRM champions the concept of “inclusion” and subscribes to the belief that certain identity groups get paid less due to discrimination. ³ As of 2024, SHRM affirmed that that regulations and laws around immigration and immigrant employment “hindered” the ability for U.S. companies to “thrive.” ⁴

Background

Society for Human Resource Management is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(6) trade organization. It is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. ⁵

Its first annual conference was held in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1949, with 67 attendees. It was originally called the American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA), which was founded in 1948 by 28 individuals aiming to create a national networking organization for human resource managers. ⁶ It continued to grow throughout the twentieth century, forming chapters throughout the United States and eventually expanding worldwide. It was renamed the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 1989, four years after moving to Washington, D.C. ¹

Activities

Society for Human Resources Management is formally affiliated with a charitable counterpart, the SHRM Foundation, as well as an educational group, HR People & Strategy. ⁷ It also has branches in the United Arab Emirates and India. ⁸

SHRM regularly engages in political advocacy work, particularly by lobbying the U.S. Congress. As of 2024, SHRM was advocating for Congress to “modernize” the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to secure and expand paid leave laws, to “improve” the Immigration and Nationality Act to set about “improving case processing,” and to streamline the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) governing certain workplace regulations. ²

SHRM champions the concept of “inclusion” and subscribes affirms that certain identity groups get paid less due to discrimination. ³ As of 2024, SHRM held that that regulations and laws around immigration and immigrant employment “hindered” the ability for U.S. companies to “thrive.” ⁴

Financials

In 2022, Society for Human Resource Management reported revenue of $178,746,649, expenses of $171,170,798, and ended the year with net assets of $167,019,461, according to tax filings. ⁹

Grantmaking

In 2022, Society for Human Resource Management disbursed grants to nonprofit groups, including the Third Way Foundation ($50,000), Jobs for America’s Graduates ($100,000), Children at Heart Foundation ($10,225), Metroplex Economic Development Corporation ($10,000), National Down Syndrome Society ($8,000), and She Is A CEO ($10,000). ¹⁰

1. “About.” The Society for Human Resource Management. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.shrm.org/about.
2. “Advocacy.” The Society for Human Resource Management. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.shrm.org/advocacy.
3.  “Workplace Inclusion.” Society for Human Resource Management. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.shrm.org/advocacy/policy/workplace-inclusion.
4. “Workplace immigration.” The Society for Human Resource Management. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.shrm.org/advocacy/policy/workplace-immigration.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Society for Human Resources Management. 2022. Boxes C, I.
6. “Who We Are.” The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Accessed August 16, 2024. https://co.shrm.org/shrm.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Society for Human Resources Management. 2022. Schedule R, Part II.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Society for Human Resources Management. 2022. Schedule R, Part IV.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Society for Human Resources Management. 2022. Part I, 12, 18, 22.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Society for Human Resources Management. Schedule I. Part I.