Celebrating 30 years of helping you give wisely
America's most independent,
assertive charity watchdog
Top Rated

Epilepsy Foundation

CharityWatch report issued
May 2020

Top-Rated Charity
B+
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
79%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$23
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Epilepsy Foundation
8301 Professional Place
Landover, MD 20785

Other Names

Epilepsy Foundation of America
Epilepsy Research Foundation

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

To lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.

View similar charities
Charity  
Against Malaria Foundation  
ALS Association (National Office)  
American Brain Tumor Association  
American Diabetes Association  
American Heart Association  
American Kidney Fund  
American Leprosy Missions  
American Liver Foundation  
American Lung Association  
American Parkinson Disease Association  
American Sexual Health Association  
Arthritis Foundation  
Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation  
BrightFocus Foundation  
CDC Foundation  
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation  
City of Hope & Affiliates  
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation  
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation  
Defeat Diabetes Foundation  
Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation  
Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation  
Diabetes Research Institute Foundation  
Easterseals (National Office)  
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation  
Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR)  
Hearing Health Foundation  
Heart Center of America (DISSOLVED)  
Huntington's Disease Society of America  
JDRF International  
Lupus Foundation of America (National Office)  
Lupus Research Alliance  
March of Dimes  
MedicAlert Foundation United States  
Mercy Ships & Affiliates  
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research  
Miracle Flights  
MiracleFeet  
Movember Foundation  
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America  
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation  
Muscular Dystrophy Association  
National Caregiving Foundation  
National Emergency Medicine Association (DISSOLVED)  
National Hemophilia Foundation (National Office)  
National Jewish Health  
National Kidney Foundation  
National Multiple Sclerosis Society  
National Psoriasis Foundation  
Operation Smile  
Parkinson Research Foundation  
Parkinson's Foundation  
Partnership for a Healthier America  
PKD Foundation  
Project Cure  
Salk Institute for Biological Studies  
San Francisco AIDS Foundation  
Shriners Hospitals for Children  
Smile Train  
United Cerebral Palsy (National Office)  
Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation  
WonderWork (DISSOLVED)  
Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2019

Program Percentage: 79%

The percentage of Epilepsy Foundation's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$23,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $23

How many dollars Epilepsy Foundation spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$14,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Joint Costs

Epilepsy Foundation's rating was adjusted for Joint Costs. If you are a donor who considers direct mail, telemarketing, and other Joint Cost solicitations to be true charitable programs, the below efficiency ratios, which were not adjusted for joint costs, may better reflect your goals.

Program % Cost to Raise $100
83% $17
Accounting rules allow charities to report some telemarketing, direct mail, and other solicitation costs as Program expenses. CharityWatch believes that most donors do not consider a charity's solicitation activities to be the Programs they are intending to support with their donations. We therefore adjust such expenses out of a charity's reported Program expense and add it to Fundraising expense prior to calculating its rating.

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Epilepsy Foundation of America IRS Form 990 52-0856660
Epilepsy Foundation of America Audited Consolidated Financial Statements Multiple
Entity: Epilepsy Foundation of America
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 52-0856660
Entity: Epilepsy Foundation of America
Document Type: Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
Epilepsy Foundation
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Epilepsy Foundation
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy

  Name Title Compensation
1 Philip Gatone President/CEO $326,025
2 Brandy E. Fureman VP Research $234,652
3 Ellen K. Hobby COO/VP $219,715
1
Name: Philip Gatone
Title: President/CEO
Compensation: $326,025
2
Name: Brandy E. Fureman
Title: VP Research
Compensation: $234,652
3
Name: Ellen K. Hobby
Title: COO/VP
Compensation: $219,715

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation consolidated audit of June 30, 2019 (Note 1 re: Organization):

"During April 2016, two Delaware limited liability companies were formed (Epilepsy Foundation of America (Utah) LLC and Epilepsy Foundation of America (Oklahoma) LLC). The Epilepsy Alliance of Utah and the Epilepsy Association of America (Oklahoma) then merged into their respective LLCs, with the LLC being the surviving entity, and the Epilepsy Foundation is the sole member of each LLC.

"During the 2018 fiscal year, the Epilepsy Foundation acquired the Epilepsy Foundation Chesapeake Region (Chesapeake), the Epilepsy Foundation Western Ohio (Western Ohio), the Epilepsy Foundation Mississippi (Mississippi), the Epilepsy Foundation Alabama (Alabama), the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles (LA), and the Iowa and Nebraska territory of the Epilepsy Foundation North Central Illinois, Iowa & Nebraska (Iowa/Nebraska). During the 2019 fiscal year, the Epilepsy Foundation acquired the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona (Arizona) and the Epilepsy Foundation Northwest (Northwest). These [audited] financial statements include the results of operations subsequent to the effective dates of the acquisitions. See Note 20 [cited separately, below] for further details regarding these acquisitions."


Also according to Note 1:  "...The accompanying [audited] consolidated financial statements include the activities of twelve local chapters that provide programs, information, and referral services to local communities. In addition, the Foundation is affiliated with multiple separately incorporated foundations that provide local program services. The [audited] consolidated financial statements do not include the activities of the affiliates."

According to the Epilepsy Foundation consolidated audit of June 30, 2019 (Note 20, Acquisitions):

During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Foundation acquired Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona, effective July 1, 2018; and Epilepsy Foundation Northwest, effective September 30, 2018. During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Foundation acquired Epilepsy Foundation Chesapeake Region, effective September 30, 2017; Epilepsy Foundation Western Ohio, effective October 31, 2017; Epilepsy Foundation Alabama, effective December 31, 2017; Epilepsy Foundation Mississippi, effective December 31, 2017; Epilepsy Foundation North Central Illinois, Iowa & Nebraska, effective December 31, 2017; and Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, effective June 30, 2018.

"All of the acquisitions were approved by Board of Directors of each organization and did not have a formal purchase price." The total "inherent contribution recognized by the Foundation" as a result of the acquisitions was $322,289 and $5,496,803 during the years ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.


Related External Articles