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Brain Recovery Project

EIN 45-2571898 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood88 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ENHANCE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WHO NEED NEUROSURGERY TO TREAT THEIR MEDICATION-RESISTANT SEIZURES BY EMPOWERING FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES, FINANCIAL AID, SUPPORT SERVICES, AND RESEARCH BEFORE AND AFTER SURGERY.

Income
$432,363
Spending
$337,797
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
6.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
3
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$46,673, president and ceo

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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    6 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, 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 (4)
  1. $174,534 spent. INFORMATION AND RESOURCES: IN 2025, THE ALLIANCE TRANSITIONED FROM PROVIDING GENERAL INFORMATION TO DELIVERING HIGH-STAKES SUPPORT AND EDUCATION FOR THE EPILEPSY COMMUNITY. OUR "EPILEPSY SURGERY SAVES LIVES" CAMPAIGN REACHED OVER 70,000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH THE CLINICAL CONTEXT NEEDED TO PURSUE SURGICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT ARE KNOWN TO IMPROVE THE TEN-YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY OF CHILDREN WITH DRUG-RESISTANT SEIZURES. THIS DIGITAL OUTREACH WAS SUPPORTED BY A ROBUST ONLINE RESOURCE HUB THAT SAW 80,000 PAGE VIEWS, ALONGSIDE NINE EXPERT-LED WEBINARS AND TEN TECHNICAL BLOG POSTS THAT TRANSLATED COMPLEX SEIZURE MANAGEMENT INTO ACTIONABLE GUIDANCE FOR CAREGIVERS. TO IMPROVE THE DAILY LIVES OF STUDENTS, WE TRAINED 140 SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS ACROSS 16 STATES, MOVING BEYOND BASIC SAFETY TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC COGNITIVE AND EDUCATIONAL HURDLES CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD EPILEPSY SURGERY FACE IN THE CLASSROOM. ON A DIRECT-SERVICE LEVEL, OUR PARENT SUPPORT NAVIGATOR PROGRAM MANAGED MORE THAN 150 REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE, PROVIDING A CLEAR ROADMAP FOR FAMILIES OVERWHELMED BY A NEW DIAGNOSIS OR A CHANGE IN CARE. BY FACILITATING ONE-ON-ONE PEER MENTORSHIP FOR 90+ PARENTS, WE ENSURED THAT CAREGIVERS HAD THE EMOTIONAL AND PRACTICAL FORTITUDE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN WITHIN BOTH THE MEDICAL AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS.
  2. $44,455 spent. ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION: THROUGH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN LEADING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS, THE ALLIANCE ENSURES THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES NAVIGATING COMPLEX EPILEPSY ARE REPRESENTED WITHIN THE BROADER MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL SECTORS. IN 2025, WE CONTRIBUTED OUR EXPERTISE TO SEVERAL HIGH-IMPACT GROUPS, INCLUDING THE RARE EPILEPSIES NETWORK, THE INFANTILE SPASMS ACTION NETWORK, THE EPILEPSY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY, AND PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND. OUR STAFF PROVIDED TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONS AND ADVOCACY-FOCUSED SESSIONS AT MAJOR PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS, SUCH AS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL NURSES, THE COUNCIL OF PARENT ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES, THE AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY, AND THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF AUDIOLOGY, DIRECTLY INFORMING THE CLINICIANS AND SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONALS WHO MANAGE PATIENT CARE AND SCHOLASTIC EDUCATION. FURTHERMORE, WE FACILITATED TWO IN-PERSON TRANSITION OF CARE MEETINGS, BRINGING TOGETHER CLINICIANS AND INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES YOUNG ADULTS WHO HAD EPILEPSY SURGERY FACE WHEN MOVING INTO ADULT HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS.
  3. $31,744 spent. FINANCIAL AID :THE DREAMS FOR DANNY SURGICAL EVALUATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM REMOVES FINANCIAL BARRIERS FOR FAMILIES SEEKING SPECIALIZED CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH DRUG-RESISTANT EPILEPSY. BY PROVIDING UP TO $1,000 FOR TRAVEL AND LODGING, THE PROGRAM ENSURES THAT GEOGRAPHICAL DISTANCE AND THE HIGH COSTS OF MULTI-DAY DIAGNOSTIC MONITORING DO NOT PREVENT CHILDREN FROM ACCESSING LEVEL 4 EPILEPSY SURGERY CENTERS. IN 2025, THE ALLIANCE AWARDED $46,000 IN FINANCIAL AID, AUTHORIZING CRITICAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES TRAVELING OVER 50 MILES TO REACH PEDIATRIC SPECIALISTS. OF THESE COMMITMENTS, $26,137 WAS DISBURSED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR TO COVER IMMEDIATE AIRFARE, TRANSPORTATION, AND ACCOMMODATIONS, WITH THE REMAINING BALANCE ALLOCATED FOR ONGOING CLINICAL EVALUATIONS. BY SUBSIDIZING THESE ESSENTIAL LOGISTICAL COSTS, THE SCHOLARSHIP ENABLES EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SURGICAL CONSULTATIONS AND ALLOWS CAREGIVERS TO FOCUS ENTIRELY ON THEIR CHILD'S MEDICAL PATH AND RECOVERY.
  4. $14,197 spent. RESEARCH: THE ALLIANCE INITIATES AND FUNDS PATIENT-POWERED RESEARCH DESIGNED TO UNDERSTAND AND IMPROVE LONG-TERM SURGICAL OUTCOMES. IN 2025, OUR GLOBAL PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY SURGERY REGISTRY THE REACHED A MILESTONE OF 494 ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS, PROVIDING THE ROBUST DATA SET NECESSARY TO FINALIZE A MAJOR MANUSCRIPT ON FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES FOLLOWING HEMISPHERIC SURGERY. TO ENSURE THIS RESEARCH TRANSLATES INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE, WE CONVENED A CONSORTIUM OF LEADING CLINICIANS TO DEVELOP A FORMAL PAPER ON STANDARDIZED SYMPTOM SURVEILLANCE AND SCREENING PROTOCOLS AFTER HEMISPHERECTOMY. OUR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING THE FIELD WAS FURTHER DEMONSTRATED AT THE AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING, WHERE WE CONVENED A CRITICAL WORKING GROUP OF NEUROLOGISTS AND NEUROSURGEONS TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC GAPS IN TRANSITIONING PEDIATRIC PATIENTS TO ADULT NEUROSURGICAL CARE. BY FACILITATING THESE HIGH-LEVEL CLINICAL DIALOGUES AND SERVING ON RESEARCH COMMITTEES FOR THE PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY SURGERY CONSORTIUM AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE AGAINST EPILEPSY, RHE ALLIANCE ENSURES THAT THE CAREGIVER PERSPECTIVE DIRECTLY INFORMS THE GLOBAL RESEARCH AGENDA AND THE EVOLUTION OF CLINICAL STANDARDS.

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

  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 October 13, 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 2025.

    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 2011.

    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 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.