Greater Delaware Valley Society of Transplant Surgeons
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM, THE TAX-EXEMPT NON-PROFIT FEDERALLY DESIGNATED ORGANIZATION SERVING THE EASTERN HALF OF PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECOVERING AND ALLOCATING ORGANS AND TISSUES USED IN LIFESAVING AND LIFE-ENHANCING
- Income
- $152.9 million
- Spending
- $147.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 98%
- Employees
- 349
- Volunteers
- 600
- Highest pay
- $1.0 million, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (medical research, over $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (medical research, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 11 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 December 31, 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 (1)
- $137.3 million spent. MISSION STATEMENT: GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM REMAINS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS AWAITING TRANSPLANTATION BY MAXIMIZING THE AVAILABILITY OF DONOR ORGANS AND TISSUES WHILE UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST MEDICAL, LEGAL, ETHICAL, AND FISCAL STANDARDS. TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION, GIFT OF LIFE WILL- WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGION'S HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO ENSURE THAT THE FAMILY OF EVERY POTENTIAL DONOR IS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION IN A COMPASSIONATE, TIMELY, INFORMATIVE, AND CARING MANNER. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.- PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS TO POSITIVELY PREDISPOSE ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION SO THAT THE DONATION IS VIEWED AS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY. - SERVE AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE BY PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES OF DONORS AS WELL AS TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND - SERVE AS A LEADER IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION. GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM'S INITIATIVES ARE SUPPORTED BY ITS AFFILIATES TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION AND GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION PROVIDES ONGOING COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND GRANT PROGRAMS, AND THE PROGRAMMING FOR DONATION PROFESSIONALS THROUGH ITS GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE. GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE, A RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE-TYPE SETTING, WHERE FAMILIES OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING TRANSPLANTS AT THE TRANSPLANT CENTERS IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION ARE ACCOMMODATED NEAR THE SITE OF THE SURGERY AND FOR FOLLOW-UP VISITS. IN 2024, THE GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE PROVIDED 9,964 LODGING NIGHTS OF CARE TO TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES, SERVED OVER 36,160 MEALS TO FAMILIES THROUGH THE HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM, ACCUMULATED 7,711 HOURS OF SUPPORT FROM IN-HOUSE VOLUNTEERS, AND PROVIDED 1,382 TRIPS TO AND FROM AREA HOSPITALS TRANSPORTING 3,697 GUESTS, DRIVING 13,921 MILES. VARIOUS RESOURCES FOR TRANSPLANT FAMILIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE TO ALLOW FOR FULL REGIONAL ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND SERVICES. GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE SERVES AS A PHYSICAL REMINDER OF THE CRITICAL NEED FOR LIFE-SAVING ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANT.GIFT OF LIFE'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE IS TO COORDINATE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATIONS, AND WORK WITH 126 AREA ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS AND 12 TRANSPLANT CENTERS TO SUPPORT ALLOCATION OF THOSE GIFTS TO THE MORE THAN 4,600 PEOPLE IN THE GIFT OF LIFE REGION ON THE TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST. BEYOND ITS CLINICAL WORK, GIFT OF LIFE IS CHARGED WITH EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION, URGING THOSE WHO HAVE NOT DONE SO TO DESIGNATE THEMSELVES AS ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS. ORGAN DONATIONGIFT OF LIFE'S TEAM, CONSISTING OF OVER 300 FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME CLINICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL, SERVES 12 REGIONAL TRANSPLANT CENTERS WHERE HEART, KIDNEY, LIVER, LUNG AND PANCREAS TRANSPLANTS ARE PERFORMED. IN GIFT OF LIFE'S REGION, MORE THAN 4,600 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE AWAITING A LIFE-SAVING TRANSPLANT.GIFT OF LIFE'S CLINICAL TEAM PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN COORDINATING THE ORGAN DONATION PROCESS, ACTING AS THE VITAL LINK BETWEEN DONORS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND PATIENTS IN NEED OF TRANSPLANTS. UPON HOSPITAL REFERRAL, CLINICAL TEAM MEMBERS PROMPTLY RESPOND ON-SITE TO ASSESS, EVALUATE, AND COORDINATE POTENTIAL DONORS WHILE ALSO INTERACTING WITH FAMILIES AND HOSPITAL STAFF THROUGHOUT THE DONATION PROCESS. IN 2024, GIFT OF LIFE STAFF EVALUATED OVER 41,200 DEATH REFERRALS FOR POTENTIAL ORGAN OR TISSUE DONATION. ADDITIONALLY, GIFT OF LIFE STAFF GENERATES ORGAN TRANSPLANT CANDIDATE LISTINGS ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND OVERSEES ALLOCATION OF ORGANS. IN 2024, GIFT OF LIFE COORDINATED 1,671 LIFE-SAVING TRANSPLANTS, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROSITY OF 664 ORGAN DONORS.GIFT OF LIFE'S HOSPITAL SERVICES TEAM PROVIDES EDUCATION AND SUPPORT RELATED TO THE CLINICAL ASPECTS OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION TO AREA HOSPITAL PROFESSIONALS. GIFT OF LIFE BUILDS STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH HOSPITALS, PHYSICIANS, AND NURSES, DELIVERING HUNDREDS OF PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN 2024.TISSUE DONATIONIN ADDITION TO ORGAN TRANSPLANTS, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF GIFT OF LIFE'S MISSION IS SUPPORTING TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION. GIFT OF LIFE COORDINATES THE RECOVERY OF LIFE-ENHANCING TISSUES, WHICH ARE UTILIZED FOR PATIENTS NEEDING CORNEAS FOR SIGHT-RESTORING PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS SKIN, TISSUE, AND BONE TO REPAIR INJURIES. GIFT OF LIFE TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH HOSPITAL TEAMS FOLLOWING A PATIENT'S DEATH TO EVALUATE DONATION OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILIES ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONE'S DECISION REGARDING DONATION, OR TO DISCUSS THE OPTION IF NO PRIOR DECISION WAS MADE. IN 2024, GIFT OF LIFE FACILITATED THE RECOVERY OF TISSUE FROM 2,732 DONORS, INCLUDING 1,350 MUSCULOSKELETAL DONORS AND 2,335 CORNEA DONORS. THESE LIFE-ENHANCING DONATIONS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT OVER 139,000 INDIVIDUALS, OFFERING BONE FOR ORTHOPEDIC AND SPORTS INJURIES, HEART VALVES TO REPAIR LIFE-THREATENING DEFECTS, SKIN FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY AND BURN HEALING, AND CORNEAS TO RESTORE SIGHT.EDUCATIONGIFT OF LIFE'S PUBLIC AWARENESS INITIATIVES SPAN A WIDE RANGE OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND HIGHLIGHT THE LIFE-SAVING IMPACT OF DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION. THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REGISTER AS ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS BY ADDING THE DESIGNATION TO THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR STATE ID CARD, OR THE DONATE LIFE ONLINE REGISTRY. THIS EFFORT IS ACTIVE ACROSS ALL THREE STATES WITHIN GIFT OF LIFE SERVICE AREA. CURRENTLY, 48% OF LICENSED DRIVERS IN PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES ARE REGISTERED AS DONORS, 40% IN NEW JERSEY, AND 48% IN DELAWARE. GIFT OF LIFE'S GOAL IS TO INCREASE THESE PERCENTAGES, AIMING FOR THE MAJORITY OF LICENSED INDIVIDUALS IN EACH STATE TO BE DESIGNATED AS ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS.DETAILS ABOUT GIFT OF LIFE'S EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ARE REGULARLY SHARED THROUGH VARIOUS COLLATERAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE GIFT OF LIFE NEWSLETTER, PUBLISHED THREE TIMES A YEAR
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 2024.
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 January 1975.
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.