Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1993.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
20 people listed on the 990; $514K paid to officers and key staff.
Michelle Heritage’s $366K as Executive Director is at the 93rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 360 $1–10M medical research 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Ransom | — | — | $371,331 | $308,660 | $295,079 | $281,328 |
| Michelle Heritage | $365,800 | $262,990 | — | — | — | — |
| Heather Heart | $170,000 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Emily Christian | — | $165,667 | $143,081 | $144,769 | $121,630 | — |
| Julia Miglets-Nelson | $131,435 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kimberly Howard | $128,000 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Julia Mglets-Nelson | — | $123,111 | — | — | — | — |
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.
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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 scientists to accelerate brain disease research and optimize brain health.
Questions for American Brain Foundation
Your first name shows with your question. American Brain Foundation answers here, for everyone.
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Grants
In 2023, the American Brain Foundation funded Next Generation Research Grants in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); Alzheimer's; Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss; Epilepsy; Frontotemporal Degeneration; Lewy Body Dementia; Migraine; Multiple Sclerosis; Muscular Dystrophy; Neuromuscular Disease; Parkinson's Disease; Peripheral…
Public Outreach
The American Brain Foundation continued to invest in a large-scale public awareness campaign with the purpose of educating the public about the need for brain disease research. The multi-channel campaign provided resources and information about brain diseases and disorders, the latest brain research news, and stories from patients and…
Awards
The American Brain Foundation honored leaders in the fight against brain disease-both scientists and members of the public. Among these were the prestigious Potamkin Prize in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases, and the Sheila Essey Award for Research in ALS.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2023 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY23 | End FY23 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $3.7M | $6.1M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $9.5M | $10.8M |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $16.9M | $21.9M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $3.7M | $2.4M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $13.2M | $19.5M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $2.4M | $2.4M | ||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $2K | $2K | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $419K | $131K | $177K | $111K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $646K | $203K | $272K | $171K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $71K | $22K | $30K | $19K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $89K | $28K | $37K | $23K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $64K | $20K | $27K | $17K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $48K | $16K | $19K | $13K |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $29K | $8K | $16K | $5K |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $130K | $39K | $59K | $32K |
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $41K | $41K | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $9K | $0 | $9K | $0 |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $569K | $420K | $102K | $47K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $59K | $57K | $0 | $2K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $197K | $28K | $48K | $121K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $44K | $15K | $18K | $12K |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $40K | $12K | $17K | $10K |
| TravelLn 17 | $48K | $16K | $15K | $17K |
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $32K | $11K | $12K | $9K |
| InterestLn 20 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $10K | $0 | $10K | $0 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $9K | $1K | $4K | $4K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $5.0M | $3.4M | $872K | $656K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $7.8M | $11.0M | −$3.2M | $18.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $6.2M | $5.3M | $985K | $20.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 Viewing | $10.4M | $5.0M | $5.4M | $19.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $5.9M | $7.7M | −$1.8M | $13.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $8.9M | $4.5M | $4.4M | $16.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $5.9M | $4.1M | $1.8M | $13.7M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $10,383,820 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $10,383,820 across 15 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,956,400 across 30 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $21,918,542 assets, 23 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,468,647 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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