Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Global Lyme Alliance Inc

EIN 06-1559393 · Old Greenwich, CT

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GLOBAL LYME ALLIANCE IS THE LEADING NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO CONQUERING LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES. OUR MISSION: CURE LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES THROUGH INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, AWARENESS, AND EMPOWERING THE PATIENT VOICE.

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$3.0 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
5.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
16
Volunteers
400
Highest pay
$200,969, ceo (until 10/2024)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 25% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 26% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    23 of 23 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $1.2 million spent. GLOBAL LYME ALLIANCE (GLA) HAS A STRONG TRACK RECORD OF PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THREE MAJOR AREAS, MEASURED BY EXPENSES: RESEARCH ADVANCEMENTS: GLA INVESTS IN RESEARCH, DRIVING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASE STUDIES. THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS INCLUDE GROUNDBREAKING WORK IN DIAGNOSTICS, TREATMENT, AND UNDERSTANDING OF LYME BACTERIA. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS COMPRISE CHARACTERIZING CHRONIC LYME DISEASE, GENOME SEQUENCING OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI STRAINS, UNCOVERING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE MECHANISMS, AND DOCUMENTING IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS. RECENT DISCOVERIES INCLUDE THE ROLE OF CELL WALL-DEFICIENT FORMS (L-FORMS) IN CHRONIC INFECTIONS, POTENTIALLY AIDING EARLY LYME DISEASE CURE.PATIENT SUPPORT: GLA IS COMMITTED TO AIDING PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND LOVED ONES AFFECTED BY THESE DISEASES. THEY OFFER VARIOUS SUPPORT PROGRAMS, SUCH AS ACCESS TO SPECIALISTS, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INFORMATION, CLINICAL TRIAL OPPORTUNITIES, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT MENTORSHIP, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. THEIR HOLISTIC APPROACH ADDRESSES PATIENTS AND FAMILIES' CHALLENGES COMPREHENSIVELY.KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS: GLA'S RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES HAVE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN ENHANCING UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS OF LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES. THEIR FUNDING OF STUDIES CONNECTING LYME DISEASE TO PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS HAS BROADENED AWARENESS OF THE DISEASES' IMPACT ON PATIENTS' WELL-BEING. MOREOVER, GLA'S DEDICATION TO SHARING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION EMPOWERS THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE INFORMED HEALTH DECISIONS.
  2. $991,363 spent. GLOBAL LYME ALLIANCE CONTINUES TO ADVANCE THE RESEARCH AND SCIENCE FOR LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES THROUGH ITS ROBUST RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM. GLA'S SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD (SAB), COMPRISED OF DISTINGUISHED RESEARCHERS IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIELDS IN LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASE, PROVIDES STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO GLOBAL LYME ALLIANCE IN ITS REVIEW AND AWARD PROCESS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH AT LEADING INSTITUTIONS WITH A GOAL OF IMPROVING DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT OF LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES.AS THE LEADING PATIENT VOICE LYME NON-PROFIT MEASURED BY OUR AUDIENCE SHARE, GLA GETS INPUT FROM OUR MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD AND PATIENT ADVOCATES TO DRIVE RESEARCH DISCOVERY; GLA BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN PATIENT AND RESEARCH TO INFORM WHERE SCIENCE NEEDS TO GO TO FIND A CURE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.