Answer ALS
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
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 35Spendable reserves would cover 21.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% 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 259 of 9 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.
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, 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)
- $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
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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 January 2015.
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 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.