Childrens Tumor Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION: DRIVE RESEARCH, EXPAND KNOWLEDGE, AND ADVANCE CARE FOR THE NF COMMUNITY. OUR VISION: END NF.
- Income
- $19.7 million
- Spending
- $19.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 11.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 55
- Volunteers
- 1,000
- Highest pay
- $468,352, president
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 45% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 25 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $11.1 million spent. RESEARCH - THE CHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION SUPPORTS NF RESEARCH THROUGH A RANGE OF FUNDING MECHANISMS. OUR INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH ARE THREE-FOLD: 1) TO ATTRACT TALENTED INVESTIGATORS TO NF RESEARCH; 2) TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE RESEARCH; AND 3) TO FOSTER COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO FIND TREATMENTS AND CURES FOR NEUROFIBROMATOSIS. THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF KEY ADVANCES IN NF RESEARCH INCLUDING FUNDING THE LABORATORIES THAT DISCOVERED THE NF1 AND NF2 GENES, SUPPORTING GROUNDBREAKING CLINICAL TRIALS, AND ESTABLISHING THE FIRST NATIONWIDE NF CLINIC NETWORK AND NF PATIENT REGISTRY. THE FOUNDATION SPONSORS AN ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE WHICH BRINGS RESEARCHERS TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO NF. ADDITONALLY, OUR PORGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO INTEGRATE WITH AND SUPPORT LARGER FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS THROUGH THE CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM (CDMRP) AND NIH.
- $4.9 million spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PATIENT SUPPORT - THE CHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION ENGAGES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS, MEDIA COVERAGE, AND ITS NATIONAL PROGRAMS. THROUGH OUR NF ENDURANCE AND NF WALK PROGRAMS, THE FOUNDATION HIGHLIGHTS NF HEROES AND THEIR TRIUMPHANT SPIRITS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SPONSORS BENEFIT DINNERS AND REGIONAL AND LOCAL EVENTS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS. THE CHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING PATIENTS WITH NF AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. THROUGH THE NF CLINIC NETWORK AND THE ANNUAL NF FORUM, THE FOUNDATION BRINGS RESEARCHERS, PROVIDERS, AND FAMILIES TOGETHER TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENTS IN TREATMENTS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SPONSORS THE ANNUAL NF CAMP WHICH BRINGS NF TEENS TOGETHER FOR ONE WEEK TO ENJOY THE SUPPORT AND FELLOWSHIP OF THEIR PEERS. REGIONAL SYMPOSIA ARE ALSO HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
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
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1984.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 October 21, 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.