Project lyme's mission is to eradicate the epidemic of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses by spreading awareness, providing educational resources, funding peer-reviewed research, and supporting advocacy for solutions to end the suffering. Since 2016, Project Lyme has challenged misinformation about diagnosis and treatment, advocated for patients' rights, and built a community for Lyme patients as well as their loved ones.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
11¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 20 volunteers and 3 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $761K a year · 86% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
11%
of spending
Concern: 11% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$120K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $153K
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$249
0.03% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$546K
-44% vs prior year
Spent
$5.1M
To programs
11%
Net assets
$908K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$546K
FY2024▼ -44%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.5M
FY2021$575K
FY2022$791K
FY2023$982K
FY2024$546K
Expenses
$5.1M
FY2024▲ +547%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$984K
FY2021$645K
FY2022$779K
FY2023$781K
FY2024$5.1M
Net assets
$908K
FY2024▼ -23%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$969K
FY2022$981K
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$908K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2016.

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

Where the money goes

11 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 11% · $566K Management & general 86% · $4.3M Fundraising 3% · $146K

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

12 people listed on the 990; $120K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$120,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Noah Johnston’s $120K as Executive Director is at the 88th percentile of top reported officer pay among 901 $100K–1M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022
Noah Johnston$120,000$120,000$106,459

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 Project Lyme 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Combats Lyme and tick-borne illnesses through awareness, education, research funding, and patient advocacy.

Questions for Project Lyme

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $566K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Research

Project lyme directs funds for research through our partner organization bay area lyme foundation. The main focus of this program is to increase the viability of diagnostics available to the general public and therapeutics available for patients. We distributed $251,900 to bay area lyme.

$347Kprogram expense
02

Education and Awareness

Education, awareness, and advocacy are project lyme's three largest initiatives from an employment and public engagement standpoint. These funds are split between funding the distribution of documentary film the quiet epidemic, creating social media and website content for @projectlyme and PROJECTLYME.ORG, creating and distributing…

$219Kprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 11 funders →
Grants paid · 10 grants · $1.6M · 2020–2024
Bay Area Lyme FoundationCA · FY2024$251,900
Creative Visions FoundationCA · FY2024$45,000
Bay Area Lyme FoundationCA · FY2023$222,000
The Lyme Trials LLCFY2023$47,750
Generation Lyme INCNY · FY2023$14,824
Bay Area Lyme FoundationCA · FY2022$400,000
TmimFY2022$5,305
Bay Area Lyme FoundationCA · FY2021$50,000
Bay Area Lyme FoundationCA · FY2020$438,896
Everybody Knows Films LLCFY2020$100,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$546K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$678K
Investment incomeLn 3$13K
Money outPt IX
$5.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$566K
Managementcol C$4.3M
Fundraisingcol D$146K
Owns and owesPt X
$908K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$908K
Total assetsLn 16$908K
LiabilitiesLn 26$249
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$678K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$678K
Investment incomeLn 3$13K
Total revenueLn 12$546K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$501K
SavingsLn 2$407K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$908K
Total assetsLn 16$908K
LiabilitiesLn 26$249
Net assetsLn 32$908K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M$908K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M$908K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$249
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M$908K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$310K$310K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$120K$48K$48K$24K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$2K$5K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$565$565
Accounting feesLn 11c$19K$19K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$257K$164K$2K$90K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4.2M$2K$4.2M
Office expensesLn 13$43K$28K$2K$13K
Information technologyLn 14$3K$190$3K
OccupancyLn 16$909$909
TravelLn 17$20K$5K$1K$14K
InsuranceLn 23$2K$120$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$27K$7K$20K$272
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.1M$566K$4.3M$146K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $546K$5.1M−$4.5M$908K 990 PDF
FY2023 $982K$781K$201K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $791K$779K$12K$981K 990 PDF
FY2021 $575K$645K−$70K$969K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.5M$984K$558K$1.0M 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $546,084 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,214,964$678,170
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $73$12,890
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$232,586−$144,976
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $982,451$546,084
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $293,284$309,985
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $135,990$136,306
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $351,898$4,605,404
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $781,172$5,051,695
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $201,279−$4,505,611
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $546,084 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$678,170
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$0
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$678,170
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $12,890$12,890
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$144,976−$144,976
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$132,086$546,084
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,051,695 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $309,985$309,985
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $48,000 · Management $48,000 · Fundraising $24,000$120,000
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $5,591$5,591
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,875 · Management $5,090 · Fundraising $3,750$10,715
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $565$565
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,440$19,440
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $164,277 · Management $2,261 · Fundraising $90,265$256,803
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,570 · Management $4,230,692$4,232,262
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $27,878 · Management $1,915 · Fundraising $13,497$43,290
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $190 · Management $2,520$2,710
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $909$909
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,339 · Management $1,328 · Fundraising $13,764$20,431
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $120 · Management $1,484$1,604
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $7,211 · Management $19,907 · Fundraising $272$27,390
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $566,445 · Management $4,339,702 · Fundraising $145,548$5,051,695
Part X · Balance sheet $907,936 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $682,533$500,898
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $500,073$407,038
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,182,606$907,936
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$249
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$249
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,182,606$907,687
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,182,606$907,687
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,182,606$907,936
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $907,687 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$546,084
XI-2 Total expenses$5,051,695
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$4,505,611
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,182,606
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$4,230,692
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$907,687

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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