Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
516018401
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Newark, DE, US
Phone
(302) 999-9313
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Health

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$249,205
Expenses
$239,267
Assets
$489,436
Liabilities
$66,618

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHRISTY POOLE (PRESIDENT)
  • VAL BUDISCHAK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • VAL BUDISCHAK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $73,253 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To address the non-medical needs of people with epilepsy/seizure disorders and their families in Delaware.

What it reported doing in 2024

The epilepsy foundation of Delaware is a private, non-profit organization that provides programs and services to individuals and families affected with epilepsy and seizure disorders and the general community throughout the state of Delaware. We have two general types of services we provide: information and support, and training and outreach.information and support-direct support for individuals with epilepsy or who have a loved one with epilepsy. We help with questions about medications, transportation, work, disability, etc and provide appropriate resources. Over 122 served in this program. -meet and greet support groups are held twice per month (via zoom during covid) and have 10-15 attendees each group-project uplift is our over the phone skill based program for adults with epilepsy. It is 8 weeks long and combines cbt (cognitive behavioral therapy) skills with mindfulness. We conducted 2 cohorts with an average of 4 attendees (it is only for small groups)-paces is also an over the phone small group program teaching people with epilepsy skills on how to manage medications, talk to their doctor, and live their best lives. We also conducted 1 cohort with an average of 4 attendees.-cdsmp is our third self management program. It is also small group and over the phone/zoom. We conducted 2 cohorts with an average of 4 attendees. Topics of discussion vary each week from communicating with your doctor to healthy living to relaxation techniques.-Delaware epilepsy conference-we had 97 participants register for the conference this year. The theme was mental health in epilepsy.-transportation program- as of february 2025, efde offers a free transportation program to all adults living with epilepsy in Delaware. Through uber health, we have provided 142 rides from february until june 30, 2025. Training and outreach-teens-this is a seizure first aid and awareness program for teens in school health classes. We trained 221 teens.-school personnel- we trained 80 school personnel on seizure first aid in the classroom. -law enforcement-we trained 281 local law enforcement recruits on how to identify and properly provide aid to individuals having seizures. Val also trains law enforcement officials on a national level. Medical/other-we trained 155 medical professionals, camp counselors and others who asked to know how to help someone having a seizure.-seizure first aid-this is a national certification program and val and lindsay are a certified instructor on the national level. We have also provided local seizure first aid certification and offered this to all the groups above. In addition to the numbers above, we have certified 242 delawareans in seizure first aid.outreach events- through community events, health fairs and conferences, we have reached 660 folks, spreading awareness about epilepsy.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 44
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 77.6%; rating input score 78
  • Program expense ratio: 79.8%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

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: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.05; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 30.6%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1.5% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.5% per year; rating input score 100; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 11 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 77.6% of revenue deployed · 79.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $191K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $73K · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 22/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 48/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 23/100.