Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Center for Organ Recovery and Education

EIN 25-1332885 · Pittsburgh, PA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CORE IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROMOTING DONATION, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH ORGAN, TISSUE AND CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION.

Income
$94.1 million
Spending
$90.5 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
17.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 97%
Employees
270
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$798,257, president/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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

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 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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)
  1. $74.2 million spent. THE CENTER FOR ORGAN RECOVERY & EDUCATION (CORE) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROMOTING DONATION, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING AND ENHANCING LIVES THROUGH ORGAN, TISSUE AND CORNEA TRANSPLANTATION. CORE OPERATES UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF EIGHT VALUES: INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, QUALITY, RESPONSIVENESS, EDUCATION, INNOVATION, RESPECT AND LIFE.CORE HAD MANY NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2024, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:CORE ACHIEVES ITS SIXTH CONSECUTIVE RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR DONATION IN 2024, CORE REACHED AN UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONE-OUR SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF RECORD-BREAKING GROWTH IN ORGAN, TISSUE, AND CORNEA DONATION. WITH A 17% INCREASE IN ORGAN DONORS, A 12% INCREASE IN TISSUE DONORS, AND AN 8% INCREASE IN CORNEA DONORS OVER 2023, CORE'S IMPACT EXTENDED FARTHER THAN EVER. THESE DONATIONS RESULTED IN 970 LIVES SAVED NATIONWIDE THROUGH TRANSPLANT AND OVER 125,000 PEOPLE HEALED OR GIVEN THE GIFT OF SIGHT. THIS ACHIEVEMENT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY CORE'S COMMITMENT TO PURSUING EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR DONATION, EXPANDING ITS CLINICAL WORKFORCE, AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH DONOR HOSPITALS AND TRANSPLANT CENTERS.TRANSFORMATIVE INNOVATION IN ORGAN PRESERVATION AND RECOVERY INNOVATION SOARED IN 2024 AS CORE EMBRACED GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGIES TO EXTEND THE REACH AND VIABILITY OF DONATED ORGANS. NOTABLY, CORE FACILITATED ITS FARTHEST-EVER LUNG TRANSPORT-SENDING ORGANS FROM PENNSYLVANIA TO UCLA-USING THE PARAGONIX BAROGUARD SYSTEM, WHICH ENSURES OPTIMAL LUNG PRESERVATION. CORE ALSO DEEPENED ITS WORK IN THE BIOTECH SPACE, CONTRIBUTING LIVERS AND KIDNEYS FOR DECELLULARIZATION WITH MIROMATRIX TO SUPPORT BIOENGINEERED ORGAN RESEARCH, AND RECOVERED TISSUE FOR THE NATIONAL DGTEX INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE PEDIATRIC GENOMIC SCIENCE. THESE FORWARD-THINKING EFFORTS SIGNAL CORE'S LEADERSHIP IN REDEFINING WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION.HOSPITAL ENGAGEMENT REACHES NEW HEIGHTS THROUGH THE 2024 CHALLENGE IN 2024, HOSPITALS ACROSS CORE'S SERVICE AREA EMBRACED THE MISSION OF DONATION LIKE NEVER BEFORE THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIRGINIA HOSPITAL CHALLENGES. WITH PARTICIPATION GROWING 13% SINCE 2022, MORE THAN 60 HOSPITALS WERE HONORED FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO BUILD CULTURES OF DONATION THROUGH EDUCATION, CLINICAL PRACTICE, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH. HOSPITALS ACHIEVED RECOGNITION IN BRONZE THROUGH TITANIUM TIERS, WITH STANDOUT PERFORMERS LIKE AHN ALLEGHENY GENERAL AND MINNIE HAMILTON HEALTH SYSTEM TAKING TOP HONORS IN THEIR STATES. FROM HOSTING DONATE LIFE EVENTS TO DRIVING INTERNAL DONOR REGISTRATIONS, HOSPITAL PARTNERS PROVED TO BE TRUE CHAMPIONS-SAVING LIVES NOT ONLY AT THE BEDSIDE BUT ACROSS THEIR COMMUNITIES.

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

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1978.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 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.