Movement Disorders Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
271618835
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2019, Form 990-N 2017
Location
Arvada, CO, USA
Phone
3035883496
Rating
90
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Birth Defects, Genetic Diseases Research

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$255,709
Expenses
$277,793
Assets
$596,239
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Eugene H Sobczak (Executive Director)

Highest reported compensation

  • Eugene H Sobczak (Executive Director): $65,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

We accelerate breakthroughs in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, dystonia, essential tremor and related movement disorders by funding bold, cutting edge research; empowering scientists to pursue innovative ideas that translate laboratory discoveries into life-extending and life-enriching treatments and therapies; fostering collaboration across the global research community; and bridging the gap between scientists and society by mobilizing public engagement in movement disorders research.

What it reported doing in 2025

In 2025, the Movement Disorders Foundation (MDF) Board of Directors provided ongoing oversight and strategic development of the YOUNG INVESTIGATOR PILOT GRANT (YIPG) program, a cornerstone of MDF's research mission. The Board focused on strengthening scientific review, enhancing accountability for funded research, refining program scope, and positioning the program for long-term growth and donor engagement. Board members reviewed progress reports from active grantees, applying qualitative and quantitative criteria. Funding decisions were contingent in some cases on clarification, revised reporting, or adjusted timelines, balancing scientific accountability with support for early-career investigators. By year-end, all 2024 awardees had received full $50,000 grants, phased according to demonstrated progress. The Board also developed draft criteria for second-year funding, considering progress, likelihood of external support, adherence to acknowledgment requirements, and alignment with MDF research priorities. Beyond grant administration, the Board emphasized donor-facing strategies, including framing YIPGs as catalytic seed investments, exploring flexible funding models, and planning salon-style donor events to highlight investigator work. The Board also evaluated a high-impact translational research opportunity at the University of Denver, considering potential alignment and collaboration with YIPG-funded projects. By the end of 2025, MDF had established a more strategic research framework, positioning the YIPG program to expand impact, support innovative early-career investigators, and bridge promising science to larger-scale funding opportunities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 86% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 67% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 96
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 94.2%; rating input score 94
  • Fundraising efficiency: $63.02 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 78; 78th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.15; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 23.4%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -2% per year; rating input score 0; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.2% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 94.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $262K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $65K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 40 of 40 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2020 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • 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 — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 20/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 16/100.