The Lowell General Hospital
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO MEET THE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES SERVED THROUGH THE PROVISION OF INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT MEDICAL SERVICES. TO PROVIDE SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE CITIZENS IN THE AREA, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED, AT RISK, OR FINANCIALLY DISADVANTAGED.
- Income
- $605.3 million
- Spending
- $626.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 93%
- Employees
- 4,574
- Volunteers
- 345
- Highest pay
- $2.1 million, president & ceo - tufts medicine
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 54% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $337.6 million spent. LOWELL GENERAL HOSPITAL'S OUTPATIENT AND ANCILLARY SERVICES INCLUDE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (LEVEL III TRAUMA SERVICES), IMAGING/RADIOLOGY (INCLUDING MRI, CT, ULTRASOUND, MAMMOGRAPHY), LABORATORY, CARDIAC TESTING AND CATHETERIZATION, ENDOSCOPY, SURGERY, REHABILITATION THERAPIES, RADIATION ONCOLOGY AND CHEMOTHERAPY, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER SERVICES NEEDED TO SUPPORT INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CARE.
- $181.5 million spent. LOWELL GENERAL HOSPITAL'S PRIMARY SERVICE AREA ("PSA") IS COMPRISED OF THE FOLLOWING NINE COMMUNITIES: BILLERICA, CHELMSFORD, DRACUT, DUNSTABLE, LOWELL, TEWKSBURY, TYNGSBORO AND WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND PELHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE, WITH A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 291,000 RESIDENTS. THE HOSPITAL'S SECONDARY SERVICE AREA ("SSA") HAS A POPULATION OF ALMOST 340,000 AND INCLUDES THE SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES OF ANDOVER, CARLISLE, GROTON, LAWRENCE, LITTLETON, METHUEN, NORTH ANDOVER, PEPPERELL AND WILMINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND HOLLIS, HUDSON AND NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.THE HOSPITAL OFFERS THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND A FULL RANGE OF MEDICAL, SURGICAL AND CRITICAL CARE SERVICES FOR PATIENTS, FROM NEWBORNS TO SENIORS. IT IS CURRENTLY LICENSED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO OPERATE A TOTAL OF 434 ACUTE CARE BEDS (301 ADULT MEDICAL/SURGICAL, 29 INTENSIVE CARE, 40 PEDIATRIC, 26 OBSTETRICAL, 10 LEVEL IIB SPECIAL CARE NURSERY BASSINETS AND 28 WELL-NEWBORN BASSINETS).
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1939.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.