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Passes our checks

Answer ALS

EIN 47-1643994 · New Orleans, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALS NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE BY UTILIZING KNOWLEDGE OF PATIENTS, LEADING RESEARCHERS AND TECHNOLOGY TO SEEK IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE LIVING WITH ALS UNTIL A TREATMENT OR CURE IS FOUND; DISCOVER WHAT CAUSES ALS; DEVELOP MODELS TO UNDERSTAND ALS AND SCREEN FOR DRUG AND CELLULAR THERAPY; DISCOVER THERAPIES THAT COULD SUBSTANTIALLY SLOW OR HALT THE PROGRESS OF ALS AND ULTIMATELY CURE THE DISEASE; PROVIDE ALL GATHERED INFORMATION FREE FOR WORLDWIDE USE BY CLINICIANS, SCIENTISTS AND PHARMA TO RAPIDLY ADVANCE THERAPEUTICS.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
97%
Reserves
21.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
1
Volunteers
20

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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 21.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 23% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    97% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • 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.

  • 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. $3.1 million spent. CREATING THE LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE FOUNDATION OF ALS DATA EVER AMASSED, ENCOMPANSING CLINICAL, CHEMICAL, GENETIC, PROTEIN, HISTORICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DATA FROM AN ENORMOUS SAMPLING OF ALS PATIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN COLLABORATION WITH MACHINE LEARNING AND BIG DATA TECHNOLOGY, THE DATA WILL BE MINED TO UNCOVER ALS CAUSES, SUBTYPES, PATHWAYS GONE AWRY AND DRUG TARGETS. THIS WILL ESTABLISH A LARGE AND CRITICAL FOUNDATION FOR NEW CLINICAL TRIALS, DEVELOP NEW WAYS TO CATEGORIZE PATIENTS TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC DRUGGABLE PATHWAYS AND SUBTYPE BIOMARKERS AND DISEASE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY TO AID NOT ONLY IN EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASE, BUT ALSO TO MONITOR THE EFFICACY OF NEWLY DEVELOPED TREATMENTS.

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 January 2015.

    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.