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Brain Trauma Foundation Inc

EIN 13-3764444 · Menlo Park, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE BRAIN TRAUMA FOUNDATION (BTF) IS THE WORLD'S LEADER IN EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDELINES FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (TBI) PRODUCING A 50% DECREASE IN DEATHS WHEN BTF GUIDELINES ARE IMPLEMENTED IN TRAUMA CENTERS.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$597,938
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
18.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
1
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$58,490, 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 49% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1110% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (1)
  1. $524,674 spent. BTF HAS PARTNERED WITH THE MILITARY TBI INITATIVE CENTER AT USUHS FUNDED BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. CONTRACT DELIVERABLES ARE TBI GUIDELINES FOR MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SECTORS. YEAR 2023-2024 PRODUCED MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR SEVERE TBI IN AUSTERE/COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS. YEAR 2024-2025 ARE GUIDELINES FOR A RAPID READINESS SCREEN. BTF ALSO HAS A CLINICAL PHASE ONE SAFETY TRIAL OF EARLY LUMBAR CSF DRAINAGE TO ABORT SEVERE TBI INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION (ELASTIC) IN FIVE US TRAUMA CENTERS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR PUBLICATIONS.PUBLICATIONS:HAWRYLUK GWJ, SELPH S, LUMBA-BROWN A, TOTTEN AM, GHAJAR J, AARABI B, ECKLUND J, SHACKELFORD S, ADAMS B, ADELSON D, ARMONDA RA, BENJAMIN J, BOONE D, BRODY D, DENGLER B, FIGAJI A, GRANT G, HARRIS O, HOFFER A, KITIGAWA R, LATHAM K, NEAL C, OKONKWO DO, PANNELL D, ROSENFELD JV, ROSENTHAL G, RUBIANO A, STEIN DM, STIPPLER M, TALBOT M, VALADKA A, WRIGHT DW, DAVIS S, BELL R. RATIONALE AND METHODS FOR UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PENETRATING TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. NEUROTRAUMA REP. 2022 JUN 21;3(1):240-247MASARU TERAMOTO, ELIZA BANCHOFF GROVER, JORDAN CORNWELL, RACHEL ZHANG, MARIE BOO, JAMSHID GHAJAR, ANGELA LUMBA-BROWN, SEX DIFFERENCES IN COMMON MEASURES OF CONCUSSION IN COLLEGE ATHLETES. J HEAD TRAUMA REHABIL 2022 JUL-AUG 01;37(4)HAWRYLUK GWJ, GHAJAR J. IN REPLY: EVOLUTION AND IMPACT OF THE BRAIN TRAUMA FOUNDATION GUIDELINES. NEUROSURGERY. 2022 AUG 15DR. BUSE SARIGUL, DR. RANDY S BELL, DR. RANDALL M. CHESNUT, DR. SERGIO AGUILERA, DR. ANDRAS BUKI, PROF. GIUSEPPE CITERIO, DR. D. JAMES COOPER, DR. RAMON R. DIAZ-ARRASTIA, DR. MICHAEL DIRINGER, PROF. ANTHONY FIGAJI, DR. GUOYI GAO, DR. ROMER GEOCADIN, DR. JAMSHID GHAJAR, ET AL. PROGNOSTICATION AND WITHDRAWAL OF CARE DECISIONS IN SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: A SURVEY OF THE SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CONSENSUS CONFERENCE (SIBICC) WORKING GROUP. J. NEUROTRAUMA. 18 MAR 2023.CHESNUT RM, AGUILERA S, BUKI A, BULGER EM, CITERIO G, COOPER DJ, ARRASTIA RD, DIRINGER M, FIGAJI A, GAO G, GEOCADIN RG, GHAJAR J, HARRIS O, HAWRYLUK GWJ ET AL. PERCEIVED UTILITY OF INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE MONITORING IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: A SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL BRAIN INJURY CONSENSUS CONFERENCE CONSENSUS-BASED ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. NEUROSURGERY. 2023 AUG 1;93(2):399-408.SARIGUL B, BELL RS, CHESNUT R, AGUILERA S, BUKI A, CITERIO G, COOPER DJ, DIAZ-ARRASTIA R, DIRINGER M, FIGAJI A, GAO G, GEOCADIN RG, GHAJAR J, HAWRYLUK GWJ ET ALA. PROGNOSTICATION AND GOALS OF CARE DECISIONS IN SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: A SURVEY OF THE SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CONSENSUS CONFERENCE WORKING GROUP. J NEUROTRAUMA. 2023 AUG;40(15-16):1707-1717.LULLA A, LUMBA-BROWN A, TOTTEN AM, MAHER PJ, BADJATIA N, BELL R, DONAYRI CTJ, FALLAT ME, HAWRYLUK GWJ, GOLDBERG SA, HENNES HMA, IGNELL SP, GHAJAR J, KRZYZANIAK BP, LERNER EB, NISHIJIMA D, SCHLEIEN C, SHACKELFORD S, SWARTZ E, WRIGHT DW, ZHANG R, JAGODA A, BOBROW BJ. PREHOSPITAL GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY - 3RD EDITION. PREHOSP EMERG CARE. 2023;27(5):507-538.HAWRYLUK GWJ, LULLA A, BELL R, JAGODA A, MANGAT HS, BOBROW BJ, GHAJAR J. GUIDELINES FOR PREHOSPITAL MANAGEMENT OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 3RD EDITION: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. NEUROSURGERY. 2023 SEP 26.SPIELMAN LS, MARUTA J, GHAJAR J, DUAL STATISTICAL MODELS LINK BASELINE VISUAL ATTENTION MEASURE TO RISK FOR SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMATIC CONCUSSION IN SPORTS. CONCUSSION. 16TH JANUARY 2024

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 August 1995.

    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.