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Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

EIN 36-3152959 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION OF CAREGIVERS WHO ASPIRE TO CONSISTENT, HIGH STANDARDS OF QUALITY, COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND PATIENT SATISFACTION. WE SEEK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE BY DELIVERING A BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES WITH SENSITIVITY TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE ARE BONDED IN AN ESSENTIAL ACADEMIC AND SERVICE RELATIONSHIP WITH FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. THE QUALITY OF OUR SERVICES IS ENHANCED THROUGH THEIR INTEGRATION WITH EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES EXCELLENCE OF PRACTICE, CRITICAL INQUIRY AND LEARNING.

Income
$2.8 billion
Spending
$1.9 billion
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
21.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 67%
Employees
5,309
Volunteers
0

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 21.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 74% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 23% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 22 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.

  • 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 August 31, 2025, 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. $1.7 billion spent. NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE (NMHC) IS THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATE DIRECT OR INDIRECT PARENT OF NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (NMH), NORTHWESTERN LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL (NLFH), CENTRAL DUPAGE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION (CDHA), DELNOR-COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (DCH), VALLEY WEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (VWCH), KISHWAUKEE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (KCH), MARIANJOY REHABILITATION HOSPITAL & CLINICS (MJHRH), NORTHERN ILLINOIS MEDICAL CENTER (NIMC), PALOS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (PCH), NORTHWESTERN MEDICAL FACULTY FOUNDATION, CENTRAL DUPAGE PHYSICIAN GROUP, AND THEIR VARIOUS AFFILIATES AS LISTED IN THIS FORM 990, SCHEDULE R. WORKING TOGETHER UNDER THE BRAND NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE, NMHC AND NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (FEINBERG) SHARE A VISION TO TRANSFORM MEDICAL CARE THROUGH CLINICAL INNOVATION, BREAKTHROUGH RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES. NMHC PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE INPATIENT CARE AT ELEVEN HOSPITAL FACILITIES. AMONG THESE ELEVEN FACILITY LOCATIONS, THREE HOSPITALS IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS OPERATE UNDER A SINGLE LICENSE AS NORTHERN ILLINOIS MEDICAL CENTER. AS THE PARENT OF THE NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM, NMHC PROVIDES GOVERNANCE SUPPORT AND CENTRALIZED SERVICES TO THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. NMHC IS POSITIONED TO ADVANCE GROUNDBREAKING WORK THAT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE RESOURCES OF AN INTEGRATED ACADEMIC MEDICAL HEALTH SYSTEM. AS AN INTEGRATED ACADEMIC MEDICAL HEALTH SYSTEM, NMHC CAN TAKE ACTION BEYOND PROVIDING CLINICAL CARE. WORKING WITH SCIENTISTS AND EXPERTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE ARE STRIVING TO DETERMINE ROOT CAUSES AND DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO ERADICATE SOME OF THE MOST WIDESPREAD, GROWING AND COMPLEX PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES FACING THE UNITED STATES TODAY - FROM CHRONIC DISEASES INCLUDING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, CANCER AND DIABETES, TO THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF OBESITY, POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND PERSISTENT VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. NMHC SUPPORTS SOME OF THE NATION'S MOST ADVANCED RESEARCH PROGRAMS, LED BY PHYSICIAN SCIENTISTS AT FEINBERG, WHO ARE PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE THROUGH NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RESEARCH PROGRAMS AS WELL AS ENTIRELY NEW SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES THAT ARE PIONEERING DIRECTIONS FOR PREVENTING AND CURING DISEASE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 August 2025.

    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 2011.

    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 November 4, 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.