Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SAVE AND ENHANCE THE LIVES OF AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE THROUGH ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION.
- Income
- $141.7 million
- Spending
- $136.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 97%
- Employees
- 484
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $811,148, medical director & vp of r&d
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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 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 (2)
- $121.9 million spent. 1. PROVIDED 1,495 LIFESAVING ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANT FROM 526 SELFLESS ORGAN DONORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.2. RECOVERED TISSUE FROM 1,936 TISSUE DONORS, WHICH PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF LIFESAVING AND LIFE ENHANCING TRANSPLANTS.3. PERFORMED HISTOCOMPATIBILITY LABORATORY TESTING ON GIFT OF HOPE'S AND OTHER REGIONAL ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION'S ORGAN DONORS. (SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES WHICH SUPPORT GIFT OF HOPE'S CHARITABLE MISSION.) PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) HOSPITAL CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION REQUIRES HOSPITALS TO REPORT ALL DEATHS AND IMMINENT DEATHS TO THEIR REGION'S FEDERALLY DESIGNATED NON-PROFIT ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION (OPO). AS THE OPO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECOVERY AND TRANSPLANTATION OF DONATED ORGANS AND TISSUES IN THE NORTHERN THREE-QUARTERS OF ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA, GIFT OF HOPE ORGAN & TISSUE DONOR NETWORK WORKS WITH 180 HOSPITALS AND HUNDREDS OF PARTNER AGENCIES AND ADVOCATES TO SERVE OVER 12 MILLION PEOPLE IN OUR DONATION SERVICE AREA. SINCE BEGINNING OPERATIONS IN 1987, OUR WORK WITH ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA ORGAN/TISSUE DONORS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAS SAVED THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 31,000 ORGAN TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS. TOGETHER, WE HAVE IMPROVED THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TISSUE TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS. OUR FULL-SERVICE HISTOCOMPATIBILITY LABORATORY PROVIDES THE HISTOCOMPATIBILITY TESTING REQUIRED TO MATCH DONOR ORGANS WITH TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE EVALUATING POTENTIAL DONORS FOR MEDICAL SUITABILITY, DISCUSSING DONATION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OF POTENTIAL DONORS, COORDINATING THE PROCESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT AND FOLLOW-UP TO DONOR FAMILIES, EDUCATING HEALTHCARE AND ALLIED PROFESSIONALS ABOUT THEIR ROLES, WORKING WITH HOSPITALS ON THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO DONATION, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT DONATION AND HOW TO REGISTER THEIR LEGAL DECISIONS TO BECOME ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS. THROUGH OUR WORK, WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW DONATION SERVICE AREAS IN THE NATION TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN 500 ORGAN DONORS IN A SINGLE YEAR, AND MORE THAN 33,500 ORGANS DONATED SINCE INCEPTION. FEDERAL DESIGNATION GIFT OF HOPE ORGAN & TISSUE DONOR NETWORK IS FEDERALLY DESIGNATED BY CMS UNDER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AS THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT OPO SERVING THE NORTHERN THREE-QUARTERS OF ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. ACCREDITATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS GIFT OF HOPE ORGAN & TISSUE DONOR NETWORK IS: - ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TISSUE BANKS, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY & IMMUNOGENETICS, AND THE COLLEGE OF AMERICAN PATHOLOGISTS - CERTIFIED IN HISTOCOMPATIBILITY, SYPHILIS SEROLOGY, GENERAL IMMUNOLOGY TESTING, ROUTINE CHEMISTRY, AND HEMATOLOGY THROUGH THE CLINICAL LABORATORY IMPROVEMENT AMENDMENTS PROGRAM, DIVISION OF LABORATORY SERVICES, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - REGISTERED WITH THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AS A HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS ESTABLISHMENT - AN APPROVED PROVIDER OF CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR TRANSPLANT COORDINATORS BY THE AMERICAN BOARD FOR TRANSPLANT CERTIFICATION, CONTINUING CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE - AN APPROVED PROVIDER OF CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR FUNERAL DIRECTORS BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION; AND - A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING OF THE UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING, THE ASSOCIATION OF ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TISSUE BANKS. DONOR RESOURCE CENTER GIFT OF HOPE'S 24/7 DONOR RESOURCE CENTER AND ITS SPECIALLY TRAINED STAFF FIELDED OVER 71,000 CALLS IN 2024. THIS INCLUDED OVER 42,000 CALLS FROM THE 180 HOSPITALS IN OUR SERVICE AREA AS WELL AS COUNTY CORONERS, NURSING AGENCIES AND OTHER AGENCIES REFERRING PATIENT DEATHS AND IMMINENT DEATHS FOR EVALUATION FOR POTENTIAL ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. OUR COORDINATORS MANAGE COMMUNICATION BEFORE AND THROUGHOUT DONATION CASES AMONG HOSPITAL PERSONNEL AND THE ENTIRE GIFT OF HOPE TEAM INCLUDING ADMINISTRATORS, FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AND ORGAN AND TISSUE RECOVERY COORDINATORS. THIS ULTIMATELY LED TO OUR WORK IN 2024 WITH 758 FAMILIES CONFIRMING AUTHORIZATION FOR ORGAN OR ORGAN/TISSUE DONATION, AND AN ADDITIONAL 1,704 FAMILIES CONFIRMING AUTHORIZATION FOR TISSUE DONATION. AS A RESULT, 1,495 LIFESAVING ORGANS WERE PROVIDED FOR TRANSPLANT, AND THOUSANDS OF LIVES WILL BE ENHANCED THROUGH DONATED HEART VALVES, BONE AND OTHER TISSUES REQUIRED FOR MEDICAL PROCEDURES REQUIRED BY PATIENTS TO WALK AGAIN, REGAIN A LIFE FREE OF PAIN, REPLACE A FAILING HEART VALVE OR SAVE A LIMB FROM AMPUTATION. MOST DONOR RESOURCE CENTER REFERRAL COORDINATORS HOLD FOUR-YEAR OR ADVANCED DEGREES IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING NURSING AND SOCIAL WORK; MANY ARE EXPERIENCED IN ALLIED HEALTH FIELDS SUCH AS RESPIRATORY THERAPY AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. DONOR FAMILY SERVICES AS A VITAL PART OF OUR MISSION, OUR DONOR FAMILY SERVICES STAFF WORKS WITH APPROXIMATELY 4,000 FAMILIES EACH YEAR TO PROVIDE FOLLOW UP AND DONATION OUTCOMES INFORMATION, RESOURCES AFTER A LOVED ONE'S DEATH, AND ONGOING SUPPORT, INFORMATION AND PROGRAMS FOR AS LONG AS FAMILIES SEEK IT. THE TEAM ALSO COORDINATES ONGOING FEEDBACK AND SURVEYS OF FAMILIES TO INFORM ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT. OUR SPECIALISTS ARE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED IN SOCIAL WORK, GRIEF SUPPORT, FAMILY AND PATIENT ADVOCACY AND RELATED FIELDS, WITH SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EXPERTISE WITH ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. HOSPITAL AND PARTNER RELATIONS GIFT OF HOPE'S HOSPITAL AND PARTNER RELATIONS TEAMS WORK WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND AGENCIES WITH ROLES IN DONATION TO IDENTIFY AND REFER POTENTIAL DONORS, WORK WITH GIFT OF HOPE TO FACILITATE DONATION AND SUPPORT FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE DONATION PROCESS. HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENT STAFF OVERSEE THE DONATION PROCESS AT THE 180 HOSPITALS INCLUDING 10 TRANSPLANT CENTERS IN GIFT OF HOPE'S SERVICE AREA. AMONG THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, THEY WORK WIT
- $4.6 million spent. GIFT OF HOPE'S MISSION IS SUPPORTED BY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING AN INTEGRATED EDUCATION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES ABOUT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO REGISTER THEIR DECISION TO DONATE.(SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES WHICH SUPPORT GIFT OF HOPE'S PUBLIC EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS.) PUBLIC EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS GIFT OF HOPE ACCOMPLISHES THESE GOALS BY: - CONDUCTING FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR - PROVIDING INFORMATION ON ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION TO COMMUNITY, CIVIC AND SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH PUBLIC DISPLAYS AND PRESENTATIONS - DISSEMINATING ELECTRONIC, PRINT AND ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS THAT GIVE HOSPITAL STAFF, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CORONERS, VOLUNTEERS AND OTHERS CURRENT INFORMATION - UTILIZING TRADITIONAL MEDIA THAT PROVIDES INTERVIEWS TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL TELEVISION, RADIO, PRINT AND ONLINE MEDIA ON ISSUES OF INTEREST IN ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION - EXECUTING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN DESIGNED TO GAIN NEW SUPPORTERS AND AMBASSADORS, INCREASE REGISTRATIONS IN THE DONOR REGISTRY, AND CREATE AND SUSTAIN A POSITIVE "BUZZ" ABOUT DONATION AMONG SOCIAL NETWORK FOLLOWERS - CONDUCTING VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS ON AN ONGOING BASIS IN SUPPORT OF GIFT OF HOPE'S MISSION; AND - PERFORMING COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGHOUT DESIGNATED COVERAGE AREAS BY EDUCATING HISPANIC AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ON HOW TO BECOME REGISTERED ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS. COMMUNITY OUTREACH ENGAGES ALL STAKEHOLDERS; ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND INFLUENCERS INTO CONVERSATIONS AND MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS ABOUT THE LIFESAVING DECISION TO BECOME ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS. GIFT OF HOPE SUPPLEMENTS THESE ACTIVITIES WITH OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS TIED TO SEVERAL DONATION-RELATED SPECIAL EVENTS HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING: - NATIONAL DONOR DAY (FEB 14) - NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH (APRIL) - NATIONAL MINORITY DONOR AWARENESS MONTH (AUGUST) - HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH (SEPT 15 - OCT 15) - HOPE AND FAITH MONTH/NATIONAL DONOR SABBATH (NOVEMBER); AND ONGOING REMEMBRANCE AND CELEBRATION OF DONOR FAMILIES AT SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH HOSPITALS AND PROFESSIONAL PARTNERS INCLUDING FUNERAL HOMES THROUGH OUR DONATION SERVICE AREA.
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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.