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Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation

EIN 45-3090698 · Mclean, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak30 out of 100GovernanceGood89 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It owes more than it owns.

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

What it says it does

TLI DRIVES INNOVATIVE THINKING AND ACTION ON GLOBAL ISSUES RELATING TO HEALTH TO FOSTER TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF PATIENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE WORLD.

Income
$530,991
Spending
$513,863
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
-0.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 85%
Employees
0
Volunteers
4

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 108% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 43% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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

    12 of 15

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

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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. $135,334 spent. THE LIMB LOSS & PRESERVATION REGISTRY (LLPR) AIMS TO CLOSE MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH KNOWLEDGE GAPS THAT WILL BE CRITICAL TO LIMB LOSS CARE, REFINING REHABILITATION APPROACHES AND GUIDING DEVELOPMENT OF PROSTHETICS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH LIIMB LOSS. THE LLPR WILL ENABLE RESEARCHERS STUDYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LIMB LOSS, SUCH AS DIABETES, TO ANALYZE THE REGISTRY OF DATA BY FACTORS INCLUDING AGE, GENDER, TYPE OF SURGERY AND PROSTHESIS TO BETTER SUPPORT LONG-TERM CARE OF THESE PATIENTS. THE AIM IS TO ENHANCE THEIR FUNCTIONALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE LONG-TERM AND HELP ENABLE PATIENTS TO BETTER CARE FOR THEMSELVES, WORK AND BE MORE ACTIVE IN DAILY LIFE. THE LLPR ACHIEVED A MAJOR MILESTONE IN 2022, MEANING THAT THE ARCHITECTURE AND DEVELOPED SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS FOR THE LLPR MEET THE FEDERAL RISK AND AUTHORIZATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (FEDRAMP), NIST 800-53, AND HIPPA SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR A US GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. THE LLPR HAS BEEN RECEIVING DATA FEEDS SINCE MARCH 2022 AND HAS COLLECTED DATA FOR 466,418 PATIENTS THROUGH JUNE 2025.
  2. $208,498 spent. AUTISM PROGRAM: TLI IS DEVELOPING AN ONLINE RESEARCH GATEWAY WHERE PHYSICIANS CAN EASILY SEARCH OVER 40,000 PUBLISHED RESEARCH ARTICLES ON AUTISM AND USE THIS RESEARCH TO ENSURE THAT PEER-REVIEWED MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS REACH AUTISTIC PATIENTS. PHYSICIANS WILL ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO SECURE AND PRIVATE FORUMS TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE.
  3. $30,674 spent. AMD PROGRAM - EYES ON THE FUTURE: TLI IS WORKING TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN FOR DEVELOPING A PATIENT PORTAL FOR THOSE LIVING WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD) THAT WILL COLLECT CRITICAL PATIENT DATA AND PROVIDE LINKS TO RESOURCES FOR PATIENTS SUCH AS LOCAL SUPPORT SERVICES, ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR MEDICATIONS AND INSURANCE, AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT CAN BE MADE TO SUPPORT EYE HEALTH. THE DATA COLLECTED THROUGH SURVEYS WILL ADDRESS CURRENT KNOWLEDGE GAPS THAT COULD HELP RESEARCHERS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE IN THE AMD COMMUNITY AND BE USED TO HELP THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH PROJECTS AND GUIDE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS FOR YEARS TO COME. PRIMARY GOALS INCLUDE BUILDING THE PATIENT PORTAL AND COLLECTING AND SHARING SURVEY DATA THROUGH POPULATION-LEVEL ANALYTICS.
  4. NONPROFIT SPONSORSHIP OF MOBILITY IS FREEDOM DOUNDATION

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 2012.

    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.