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Team Gleason Foundation

EIN 45-3689316 · New Orleans, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

(1)Help to provide individuals with neuro-muscular diseases or injuries with leading edge technology, equipment and services (2) Raise public awareness toward amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by providing & documenting life adventures for individuals with muscular diseases or injuries.

Income
$8.5 million
Spending
$7.5 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
13.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 54%
Employees
24
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$184,825, managing director

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 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 50% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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

Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 30 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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. $6.1 million spent. Helping deliver leading edge equipment, services and technology, the Team Gleason Foundation provides ALS patients with the tools to allow people living with ALS to communicate, interact, and live with purpose. Technology and equipment have advanced over the past decade but these services can be taken even further. The Foundation works with creative companies to develop voice creation and hands-free software and technology.The Foundation maintains contact with ALS families receiving specialized equipment and recycles the equipment to new patients when the equipment is no longer needed. Portable Power Wheelchairs (PPWCs) represent freedom, enabling individuals with ALS to travel, attend life events, visit loved ones, and experience their favorite walking trailsplaces they never thought theyd see again. Due to the significant impact PPWCs had on 2024, Team Gleason swiftly responded by creating the PPWC Refurbishment Program. When PPWCs are no longer in use, they are returned to Team Gleason, then sanitized, tested, and shipped out to another member of the community. In its first year, the program has saved over $200,000, with more than 180 chairs returned.In collaboration with Microsoft, Team Gleason piloted the Custom Neural Voice technology, enabling individuals with ALS to create personalized, natural-sounding synthetic voices. This initiative was showcased at Microsofts Ability Summit 2024, emphasizing the role of AI in advancing accessibility and personalized communication solutions.Team Gleason expanded its collaboration with Synchron to raise awareness and advance brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The partnership focuses on promoting Synchrons endovascular BCI system, which aims to restore communication and mobility for individuals with ALS without the need for invasive brain surgery.Team Gleason contributed to the Speech Accessibility Project, a research initiative funded by Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. The project aims to improve voice recognition technology for individuals with diverse speech patterns and disabilities, enhancing the inclusivity and effectiveness of speech-based AI systems.Partnering with Google Research, Team Gleason co-developed SpeakFaster, an innovative interface leveraging large language models to expedite eye-gaze typing for individuals with ALS. Published in Nature Communications, the system demonstrated a 57% reduction in motor actions required for text entry compared to traditional predictive keyboards, highlighting its potential to enhance communication efficiency for users with severe motor impairments.

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 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 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 March 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.