Celiac Disease Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION IS THE LEADING GLOBAL PATIENT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO ACCELERATING DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENTS, AND A CURE FOR CELIAC DISEASE. OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE WORLD AFFECTED BY THIS GENETIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION.
- Income
- $5.3 million
- Spending
- $4.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 15.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 20,323
- Highest pay
- $407,066, 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
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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, 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 (1)
- $3.2 million spent. RESEARCHTHE CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION MAKES STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN CUTTING-EDGE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND COLLABORATES WITH RESEARCHERS AND CLINICIANS TO ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF AND TREATMENTS FOR CELIAC DISEASE. IN 2025, THE FOUNDATION AWARDED NEARLY $500,000 IN BREAKTHROUGH GRANTS FOCUSED ON IMMUNE RESPONSE TO GLUTEN AND DISEASE ONSET, FUNDING PROJECTS AT BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, UC DAVIS, COLORADO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S NATIONAL HOSPITAL, AND BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER. THE FOUNDATION SPONSORED MAJOR SCIENTIFIC GATHERINGS INCLUDING THE TAMPERE CELIAC DISEASE SYMPOSIUM, THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CELIAC DISEASE ON THE HORIZON CONFERENCE, THE NASPGHAN SINGLE TOPIC SYMPOSIUM, AND THE COLORADO SCREENING SYMPOSIUM. IN A LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP, THE NORTH AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF CELIAC DISEASE (SSCD) BECAME THE FOUNDATION'S SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE FOUNDATION'S CLINICAL TRIAL RECRUITMENT PLATFORM, IQUALIFYCELIAC, SURPASSED 34,000 PARTICIPATING PATIENTS, WHILE IRECRUITCELIAC SUPPORTED 9 ACTIVE TRIALS ACROSS 9 NEW GLOBAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ON 3 CONTINENTS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO LAUNCHED THE FIRST-EVER CELIAC DISEASE CLINICAL TRIAL SITE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION IMPACT FUND, A VENTURE PHILANTHROPY VEHICLE TO FAST-TRACK BREAKTHROUGH THERAPIES AND DIAGNOSTICS FROM LAB TO PATIENT.________________________________________ADVOCACYIN 2025, THE CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION AFFIRMED ITS ROLE AS THE LEADING VOICE FOR CELIAC DISEASE POLICY. THE NIH ALLOCATED $10 MILLION FOR CELIAC DISEASE RESEARCH IN FY2025, AND CELIAC DISEASE WAS INCLUDED FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PEER REVIEWED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM, WITH $1.58 MILLION AWARDED. ADVOCATES FROM 14 STATES ATTENDED THE 2025 ADVOCACY SUMMIT AND HILL DAY, MEETING WITH 30 BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES AND SENDING MORE THAN 5,000 ADVOCACY EMAILS. ADVOCATES FROM ALL 50 STATES SUBMITTED CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH PROCLAMATION REQUESTS, SECURING A RECORD 27 STATES AND WASHINGTON, D.C. CEO MARILYN G. GELLER REPRESENTED CELIAC PATIENTS AT THE 48TH SESSION OF THE CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD LABELLING IN QUEBEC CITY, SECURING AMENDED LABELING TEXT, INCLUSION OF CELIAC DISEASE IN MANDATORY PREPACKAGED FOOD LABELING AND PRECAUTIONARY ALLERGEN LABELING GUIDELINES, AND A CALL FOR EXPERTS TO INFORM SETTING A GLUTEN THRESHOLD. THE FOUNDATION ALSO CONVENED THE GLOBAL CELIAC ADVOCACY ALLIANCE, UNITING PATIENT ADVOCACY LEADERS FROM 12 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 6 CONTINENTS.________________________________________EDUCATIONTHE CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION PROVIDES INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND PROGRAMMING TO PROMOTE CELIAC DISEASE EDUCATION FOR PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. THROUGH CELIAC.ORG, THE FOUNDATION OFFERS A SYMPTOMS ASSESSMENT TOOL, A NATIONWIDE PRACTITIONER DIRECTORY, EAT! GLUTEN-FREE MEAL PLANS, AND THE CELIAC DISEASE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAM. VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING - INCLUDING CULINARY MEDICINE WEBINARS NOW AVAILABLE WITH LIVE SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE TRANSLATION - REACHED OVER 1,000 PATIENTS AND 200 HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN 2025. THE FOUNDATION CONVENED THE COLLEGE CONSENSUS SUMMIT TO DEVELOP THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUPPORTING COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH CELIAC DISEASE, AND LAUNCHED THE CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION DIETITIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL. TOOLS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS INCLUDE THE NASPGHAN CLINICAL GUIDE FOR PEDIATRIC CELIAC DISEASE, THE CELIAC DISEASE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH TRAINING PROGRAM, AND ACCREDITED CME/CEU PROGRAMS. THE FOUNDATION REACHES A GLOBAL AUDIENCE THROUGH CELIAC.ORG, SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS WITH OVER 250,000 FOLLOWERS AND 25 MILLION VIEWS, AND AN E-NEWSLETTER WITH MORE THAN 100,000 SUBSCRIBERS.
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
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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 May 1995.
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 November 4, 2026.
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