Frequently asked questions

Answered by a team member at The ALS Association

• What is your mission?

  To make ALS livable and cure it.

• How are donations used?

  Since our founding in 1985, The ALS Association has been tirelessly working to end ALS. Every day, researchers are getting closer to discovering treatments and a cure for ALS, but need the help of our donors to get us to that finish line.

  - We are the only ALS non-profit organization that supports all three pillars of ALS — care services, research and advocacy
  - We are the highest non-profit funder of ALS research in the world outside the U.S. Federal Government
  - We are a 4 Guide Star non-profit organization
  - We inspire collaborations with all partner sectors — the government, academia, industry and other non-profit organizations

• What progress has been made already thanks to your donors?

  We are the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research in the world, supporting projects around the globe with the highest potential impact for people living with ALS and their caregivers. Since the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, we have committed over $160 million to support more than 580 projects in the U.S. and 19 other countries, with the goal of making ALS a livable disease until we can cure it.

• What is the history of your organization?

  We are the world’s leading ALS organization, made up of volunteers who are living with ALS, loved ones, caregivers, advocates, and dedicated staff. Our goal is to make ALS livable for everyone, everywhere, until we can cure it.

  On the ground in all 50 states, we are providing support for people living with ALS and their loved ones while funding the most promising ALS research in the world. We are also leading local and national advocacy efforts to deliver more funding for ALS research and better policies for those impacted by the disease.

  Thanks to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and the generous support of our donors, we have been able to dramatically accelerate the fight against ALS by funding the development of new ALS treatments, by discovering new ALS genes, by creating new global research collaborations, and by significantly expanding access to ALS care.

  Our commitment is that every person living with ALS, regardless of where they live, should be able to access high-quality care and effective treatments.