Ballad Research Institute

What it reported doing in 2024

Type 1 DiabetesBallad scientists have identified a new immune cell type in human blood. Children who are diagnosed with rapidly progressing type 1 diabetes have very few of these cells but children with less severe diabetes have almost normal numbers. More recently Ballad scientists have found that the cells they have discovered have the capacity to actively modulate inflammation. This is important because diabetes is an inflammatory disease and this might explain why having few of these cells is associated with worse disease. The next step in their research is to understand how to make more of these cells as a way of slowing progression, or reversing this devastating disease.In a linked but separate project, these scientists are working to understand whether the same cells are related to the development of diabetes in children who are genetically at-risk for developing type 1 diabetes. Neurological DisordersScientists at Ballad are working to understand how neurological disorders in people infected with HIV persist, despite treatment with antiretroviral drugs that control the infection. It also examines how cannabis use might be helpful in preventing neurological disorders in this population by strengthening blood vessel walls to prevent harmful inflammatory cells from migrating into the brain and by improving mobilization of drugs into the brain. It is hoped that these studies will lead to novel therapies to prevent neurological damage in people with HIV, as well as in other neurological disorders linked to aging and metabolic syndrome.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 97.9%; rating input score 98
• Program expense ratio: 98.7%; rating input score 99
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 40%; rating input score 40; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -0.1%; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.33; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.96; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.2% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.2% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 16.5% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings