BBB Wise Giving Report for
National Multiple Sclerosis Society

BBB Wise Giving Report issued January 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires February 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Address: 733 Third Avenue,
6th Floor
  New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-986-3420
212-476-0432
Web Address: www.nationalmssociety.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1946, New York
Affiliates: 53 chapters
Stated Purpose: "to mobilize people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS)."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

NMSS provides funding for research for a cure and provides education and support to people with MS, their families and caregivers; provides education and training for healthcare professionals who treat people living with MS; and provides direct financial assistance to people living with multiple sclerosis.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008, NMSS's program expenses were:

  
Research and research fellowships 45,077,195
Services to chapters 19,775,487
Client and community services 15,136,336
Public education 6,038,858
Professional education and training 2,456,355
Total Program Expenses: $88,484,231
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Joyce Nelson, President and CEO
Compensation*:
 $469,879

Chair of the Board: Weyman T. Johnson, Jr.
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Attorney

Board Size: 25

Paid Staff Size: 1250

*October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving.
Fund raising costs were 9% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $103,790,008, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
NMSS incurred joint costs of $13,262,000 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs, $7,920,000 was allocated to fund raising expenses, $3,947,000 was allocated to administrative expenses and $1,395,000 was allocated to program expenses.
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Tax Status

               

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on NMSS's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Contributions from chapters 71,013,905
Dues and contributions from members and others 31,278,196
Investment return and other 2,463,346
Contributions for research and development 965,837
Federal grant 496,855
Federal Service Campaign for national health agencies 35,215
Total Income $106,253,354


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 77%  Fund Raising: 8%  Administrative: 7%  Other Expenses: 8%

Total income   $106,253,354
  Program expenses $88,484,231
  Fund raising expenses 9,167,937
  Administrative expenses 7,855,745
  Other Expenses 9,566,997
Total expenses   $115,074,910
Expenses in Excess of Income   (8,821,556)
Beginning net assets   21,758,944
Ending net assets   12,937,388
Total liabilities   51,623,638
Total assets   $64,561,026

Note: In the financial section above, "other expenses" represents payments to chapters.

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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