We will cure ms while empowering people affected by ms to live their best lives.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 30,000 volunteers and 789 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $402K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$4.0M
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $118.2M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.8 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
58
named funders · $740K
Looks good: 58 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$66.6M
35% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 35% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
25
of 26 voting members
Looks good: 25 of 26 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$162.0M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$155.7M
To programs
71%
Net assets
$122.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$162.0M
FY2025▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$155.2M
FY2021$146.4M
FY2022$171.9M
FY2023$149.5M
FY2024$171.8M
FY2025$162.0M
Expenses
$155.7M
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$158.6M
FY2021$138.4M
FY2022$159.7M
FY2023$172.9M
FY2024$169.1M
FY2025$155.7M
Net assets
$122.6M
FY2025▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$115.8M
FY2021$134.2M
FY2022$124.4M
FY2023$109.5M
FY2024$127.5M
FY2025$122.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1947.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $109.8M Management & general 9% · $13.7M Fundraising 21% · $32.2M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

48 people listed on the 990; $4.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & CEO (as of 07/2024)
$505,332Pt VII · Sec A
FMR. President & Ceo(thru 07/2024)
$404,427Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$399,744Pt VII · Sec A
EVP, Development (thru 10/2024)
$316,387Pt VII · Sec A
FMR. Chief Ppl, Vol & Comm Eng Off.
$306,462Pt VII · Sec A
FMR. EVP, Community Leadership
$300,343Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel (thru 02/2025)
$275,913Pt VII · Sec A
EVP, Advocacy & Healthcare Access
$268,405Pt VII · Sec A

Timothy Coetzee’s $505K as President & CEO (as of 07/2024) is at the 29th percentile of top reported officer pay among 45 $100M+ diseases & disorders nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Tami Caesar Thru 122023—$704,634————
Cynthia Zagieboylo$404,427$630,435$590,389$473,993$478,104$570,915
Timothy Coetzee$505,332$385,380————
Cynthia Bertrando$399,744$275,591————
Lisa Goldfarb Thru 052024$306,462$391,879————
Lisa Goldfarb——$375,095$331,191$300,242$312,801
Maureen Reeder————$369,476$290,484
Tim Coetzee——$367,375$317,479$304,314$335,983

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See National Multiple Sclerosis Society executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Funds global scientific research to find a cure for multiple sclerosis while providing support and resources to empower individuals affected by the disease.

Questions for National Multiple Sclerosis Society

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $103.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Client and community services (see schedule o)client and community services - the society empowers people affected by MS to solve everyday challenges. We believe that when individuals are informed, connected and supported by loved ones, communities, healthcare providers and the society, they experience an improved quality of life…

$40.9Mprogram expense
02

Public Education (see Schedule O)public Education

People with MS can better manage their disease when they have the support and understanding of the people around them-from doctors to employers to family members. That's why we work relentlessly to tell the world what it means to live with MS.

$33.6Mprogram expense
03

Research and scientific studies (see schedule o)research and scientific studies - in fiscal 2025, the society invested nearly $30 million to support 311 new and ongoing research projects around the world aimed at stopping MS in its tracks, restoring function, and ending the disease forever.

$29.3Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 58 funders →
Grants paid · 599 grants · $171.2M · 2019–2024
Johns Hopkins UniversityMD · FY2024$1,615,407
University of UtahUT · FY2024$836,987
Kessler Foundation INCNJ · FY2024$599,688
Weill Cornell Medical CollegeFY2024$590,898
Yale UniversityCT · FY2024$539,079
Washington UniversityMO · FY2024$494,655
Myrobalan Therapeutics INCFY2024$425,482
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2024$408,831
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2024$386,077
See all 599 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$162.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$138.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$21.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.7M
Money outPt IX
$155.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$109.8M
Managementcol C$13.7M
Fundraisingcol D$32.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$122.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$36.6M
Total assetsLn 16$189.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$66.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
48
listed · VII A
PaidVII A15
Voting boardVI 1a26
IndependentVI 1b25
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$138.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$553K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2.2M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$78.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$21.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.7M
Gains on assetsLn 7$17.4M
Total revenueLn 12$162.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$36.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$36.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$118.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.6M
Other assetsLn 15$16.7M
Total assetsLn 16$189.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$66.6M
Net assetsLn 32$122.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5789
VolunteersI 630,000
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$22.7M$36.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$112.0M$118.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.9M$2.6M
Total assetsLn 16$201.1M$189.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$73.6M$66.6M
Net assetsLn 32$127.5M$122.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$23.2M$23.2M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$388K$388K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$3.0M$3.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.6M$1.8M$271K$464K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$62.2M$44.4M$6.5M$11.2M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2.0M$1.4M$212K$362K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$12.5M$9.0M$1.3M$2.3M
Payroll taxesLn 10$5.0M$3.6M$529K$904K
Management feesLn 11a$297K$297K
Legal feesLn 11b$754K$754K
Accounting feesLn 11c$186K$186K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$69K$69K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$2.4M$2.4M
Investment management feesLn 11f$162K$162K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5.5M$4.0M$1.5M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3.5M$1.1M$170K$2.2M
Office expensesLn 13$3.6M$93K$70K$3.4M
Information technologyLn 14$9.5M$7.1M$700K$1.7M
OccupancyLn 16$5.1M$3.6M$975K$569K
TravelLn 17$1.2M$601K$108K$502K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1.9M$1.5M$157K$265K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1.3M$879K$140K$239K
InsuranceLn 23$1.1M$734K$117K$200K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$7.9M$2.8M$988K$4.1M
All other expensesLn 24e$417K$361K$17K$39K
Total functional expensesLn 25$155.7M$109.8M$13.7M$32.2M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $162.0M$155.7M$6.3M$122.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $171.8M$169.1M$2.7M$127.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $149.5M$172.9M−$23.4M$109.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $171.9M$159.7M$12.3M$124.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $146.4M$138.4M$8.0M$134.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $155.2M$158.6M−$3.4M$115.8M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $161,966,823 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $164,094,474$138,491,006
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,657,527$21,727,386
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $998,636$1,748,431
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $171,750,637$161,966,823
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $30,200,989$26,584,095
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $94,295,974$84,308,355
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $2,400,997$2,406,140
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $42,178,454$42,405,754
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $169,076,414$155,704,344
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,674,223$6,262,479
Part VI · Governance 25 of 26 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body26
VI-1b Independent voting members25
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $161,966,823 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $227,987 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$78,720,782
VIII-1e Government grants$553,398
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$59,216,826
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,169,236
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$138,491,006
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $4,290,462$4,290,462
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $7,681$7,681
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $17,436,924$17,436,924
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $834,426 · Excluded from tax $678,337$1,512,763
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $834,426 · Excluded from tax $22,641,391$161,966,823
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $155,704,344 across 25 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $23,191,902$23,191,902
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $387,601$387,601
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $3,004,592$3,004,592
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,843,220 · Management $271,385 · Fundraising $463,769$2,578,374
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $44,430,439 · Management $6,541,684 · Fundraising $11,179,058$62,151,181
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,439,996 · Management $212,017 · Fundraising $362,315$2,014,328
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $8,963,607 · Management $1,319,750 · Fundraising $2,255,316$12,538,673
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,592,827 · Management $528,987 · Fundraising $903,985$5,025,799
IX-11a Management feesManagement $296,662$296,662
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $754,044$754,044
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $185,707$185,707
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $69,044$69,044
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $2,406,140$2,406,140
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $161,910$161,910
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,030,281 · Fundraising $1,470,889$5,501,170
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,128,920 · Management $170,415 · Fundraising $2,166,650$3,465,985
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $93,259 · Management $69,894 · Fundraising $3,440,581$3,603,734
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,131,647 · Management $699,624 · Fundraising $1,668,585$9,499,856
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $3,585,550 · Management $974,613 · Fundraising $569,380$5,129,543
IX-17 TravelPrograms $600,661 · Management $108,007 · Fundraising $502,431$1,211,099
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,485,551 · Management $157,441 · Fundraising $264,792$1,907,784
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $879,442 · Management $139,654 · Fundraising $239,047$1,258,143
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $733,822 · Management $116,840 · Fundraising $200,057$1,050,719
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,840,061 · Management $988,482 · Fundraising $4,065,233$7,893,776
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $360,751 · Management $17,180 · Fundraising $38,647$416,578
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $109,793,173 · Management $13,714,296 · Fundraising $32,196,875$155,704,344
Part X · Balance sheet $189,195,287 assets, 18 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $22,733,586$36,610,655
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $10,993,676$9,305,870
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $343,656$513,405
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,471,020$5,212,633
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,885,974$2,649,455
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $111,852,609$118,215,976
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $154,480$18,091
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $44,682,762$16,669,202
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $201,117,763$189,195,287
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $14,142,448$13,910,239
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $24,049,274$23,054,207
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $8,624,082$8,018,940
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $12,244,687$8,272,781
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $73,624,690$66,611,316
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $54,418,000$65,444,665
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $73,075,073$57,139,306
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $127,493,073$122,583,971
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $201,117,763$189,195,287
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $122,583,971 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$161,966,823
XI-2 Total expenses$155,704,344
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$6,262,479
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$127,493,073
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$12,958,679
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1,787,098
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$122,583,971

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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