Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Head for the Cure

EIN 20-8345719 · Kansas City, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE HEAD FOR THE CURE FOUNDATION (HFTC) IS THREEFOLD: TO BUILD AWARENESS, RAISE FUNDING, AND INSPIRE HOPE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF BRAIN CANCER PATIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, CAREGIVERS AND OTHER SUPPORTERS, WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR COURAGE, SPIRIT AND ENERGY.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
2.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
14
Volunteers
980

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: 68 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 14 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (1)
  1. $1.8 million spent. HEAD FOR THE CURE (HFTC) IS MORE THAN JUST A FUNDRAISING ORGANIZATION; WE ARE A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO OFFERING CONNECTION, HOPE, AND SUPPORT TO THOSE AFFECTED BY BRAIN CANCER. OUR MISSION IS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS THAT HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND THEIR LOVED ONES. IN 2024, HFTC CELEBRATED ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR TO DATE, DRIVEN BY THE GUIDING THREADS OF "HONORING THE JOURNEY, ACCELERATING THE MISSION." THIS COMMITMENT RESULTED IN RAISING OVER $3 MILLION, WHICH WILL EXPAND OUR IMPACT ON THE MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES FIGHTING FOR OUR BRAIN TUMOR PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND THEIR LOVED ONES. THESE FUNDS ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE HONORING AND CELEBRATING THE LIVES AND LEGACIES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS DISEASE, ENSURING THEIR STORIES INSPIRE BOTH HOPE AND PROGRESS. WE AMPLIFIED OUR IMPACT BY FUNDING INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, EXPANDING SUPPORT PROGRAMS, AND FOSTERING KEY COLLABORATIONS WITH MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS NATIONWIDE.OUR CORE BELIEF THAT NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE IS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY OUR SIGNATURE HEAD FOR THE CURE 5K RUN/WALK EVENTS. THESE EVENTS ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY BUILDING AND FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. IN 2024, MORE THAN 20,000 PARTICIPANTS CAME TOGETHER IN 21 CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EVERY 5K SERVES AS A BEACON OF HOPE AND A PLATFORM FOR SHARED EXPERIENCES, OFFERING UNITY, REMEMBRANCE, AND SUPPORT TO THE BRAIN CANCER COMMUNITY. WHILE A CORE PURPOSE REMAINS RAISING FUNDS FOR VITAL RESEARCH, THESE EVENTS EQUALLY SERVE TO FOSTER DEEP COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.BEYOND THE 5K FINISH LINE, HFTC PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS THROUGHOUT THEIR JOURNEY. THIS YEAR SAW THE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF PATH TO HOPE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS BRAINS FOR THE CURE) AND THE BRAIN CANCER SUPPORT & SOLUTIONS ALLIANCE (BCSSA). AS ITS FIRST MAJOR INITIATIVE, THE BCSSA APPOINTED A NEURO-ONCOLOGY NURSE NAVIGATOR WHO OFFERS HIGHLY SPECIALIZED ASSISTANCE ADDRESSING BOTH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PRACTICAL NEEDS OF PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS. FURTHERMORE, WE ADVANCED OUR TECHNOLOGICAL REACH WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE "JOIN YOUR PATH TO HOPE" (JPH) ONLINE RESOURCE, HOSTED ON PATH TO HOPE. THIS ACCESSIBLE PLATFORM FEATURES A QUICK, INTUITIVE QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NEWLY DIAGNOSED PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS WITH IMMEDIATE, PERSONALIZED RESOURCES. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO CULTIVATE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH OUR MONTHLY LEGACY OF HOPE ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP, FACILITATED BY HFTC STAFF, WHICH INCLUDES GUEST SPEAKERS AND DISCUSSIONS ON GRIEF-RELATED TOPICS, HELPING PARTICIPANTS FIND COMFORT AND HONOR THE LEGACIES OF THEIR LOVED ONES.WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE BRAIN CANCER DIAGNOSIS JOURNEY IS LONG. WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR DEDICATED COMMUNITY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO WALKING IT TOGETHER, STEP BY STEP. LOOKING AHEAD, WE PLAN TO EXPAND OUR GEOGRAPHICAL REACH BY LAUNCHING IN FIVE NEW CITIES, ENHANCING OUR EXISTING PATIENT AND CAREGIVER RESOURCES, AND CREATING NEW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH COMPELLING CONTENT AND CONTINUOUS SUPPORT INITIATIVES.

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 July 2007.

    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.