American Brain Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE AMERICAN BRAIN FOUNDATION ACCELERATES BREAKTHROUGH RESEARCH ACROSS BRAIN DISEASES AND DISORDERS BY INVESTING IN INNOVATIVE SCIENCE, EARLY-CAREER INVESTIGATORS, AND CROSS-DISEASE DISCOVERIES THAT ADVANCE TREATMENTS, CURES, AND BRAIN HEALTH FOR ALL.
- Income
- $7.8 million
- Spending
- $11.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 10.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 48
- Highest pay
- $400,075, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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, 2025, 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)
- $889,892 spent. THE FOUNDATION ADVANCED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF BRAIN RESEARCH AND BRAIN HEALTH THROUGH EDUCATIONAL CONTENT, RESEARCH UPDATES, PATIENT AND CAREGIVER STORIES, PUBLIC EVENTS, AND DONOR ENGAGEMENT. THESE EFFORTS HELPED PEOPLE SEE THE CONNECTIONS AMONG BRAIN DISEASES, REDUCE STIGMA, AND UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY AND PROMISE OF RESEARCH. THROUGH ITS CURE ONE, CURE MANY APPROACH, THE FOUNDATION SHOWED HOW DISCOVERIES IN ONE BRAIN DISEASE CAN ACCELERATE PROGRESS ACROSS MANY, INSPIRING AWARENESS, ADVOCACY, AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT.
- $8.1 million spent. IN 2025, THE FOUNDATION INVESTED IN RESEARCH ACROSS MULTIPLE BRAIN DISEASES THROUGH ITS NEXT GENERATION RESEARCH GRANTS AND CURE ONE, CURE MANY INITIATIVES. IT FUNDED EARLY-CAREER INVESTIGATORS AND INNOVATIVE PROJECTS IN ALS, ALD, ALZHEIMER'S AND AGE-RELATED COGNITIVE DECLINE, EPILEPSY, FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION, LEWY BODY DISEASES, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE, NEUROLOGICAL HEALTH DISPARITIES, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY, AND STROKE. THESE GRANTS HELP LAUNCH RESEARCH CAREERS; MORE THAN 95% OF NEARLY 330 FOUNDATION-FUNDED INVESTIGATORS HAVE SECURED FOLLOW-ON SUPPORT FROM NIH OR OTHER MAJOR FUNDERS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO ADVANCED TWO CROSS-DISEASE INITIATIVES TO TARGET SHARED MECHANISMS AND ACCELERATE DISCOVERIES FOR PATIENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 May 1993.
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 November 4, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Americares Foundation Inc (Stamford, CT), EIN 06-1008595. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.