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Sparrow Health System

EIN 38-2542859 · Lansing, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 12% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO ADVANCE HEALTH TO SERVE MICHIGAN AND THE WORLD.

Income
$166.5 million
Spending
$165.6 million
Spent on programs
12%
Reserves
88.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 94%
Employees
769
Volunteers
1,049
Highest pay
$1.6 million, treasurer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 88.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    12% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 25

    12 of 15 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 June 30, 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. $19.5 million spent. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW IS A FULLY INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HEADQUARTERED IN LANSING, MICH. SERVING A CORE EIGHT-COUNTY REGION IN MID-MICHIGAN. UM HEALTH-SPARROW INCLUDES SIX HOSPITALS ENCOMPASSING OVER 770 LICENSED HOSPITAL BEDS, MORE THAN 130 AMBULATORY/OUTPATIENT LOCATIONS, HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYED PHYSICIANS AND A POST-ACUTE CARE NETWORK CONSISTING OF OUTREACH LABORATORY, HOMECARE, HOSPICE, PHARMACY AND DME SERVICES. UM HEALTH-SPARROW ALSO OWNS AND OPERATES THE MICHIGAN ATHLETIC CLUB, THE LARGEST HOSPITAL-OWNED FITNESS CLUB IN THE UNITED STATES. UM HEALTH-SPARROW IS A MICHIGAN NONSTOCK, NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPT CORPORATION, AND IS THE PARENT CORPORATION OF THE FOLLOWING TAX-EXEMPT, 501C3 ENTITIES: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW LANSING HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW CARSON HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH- SPARROW CLINTON HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW EATON HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW IONIA HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW SPECIALTY HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW COMMUNITY CARE, AND UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW FOUNDATION. THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW FOUNDATION SERVES AS THE FUNDRAISING ARM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW. EACH OF THESE ENTITIES FILE THEIR OWN 990 RETURN. LASTLY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW IS THE PARENT CORPORATION OF SPARROW DEVELOPMENT, INC. (SDI), A MICHIGAN STOCK, FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION. SDI INCLUDES, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, THE MICHIGAN ATHLETIC CLUB (MAC), AS WELL AS THE MAC RESTAURANT, AND ST. LAWRENCE OR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW IS A FULLY INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HEADQUARTERED IN LANSING, MICH. SERVING A CORE EIGHT-COUNTY REGION IN MID-MICHIGAN. UM HEALTH-SPARROW INCLUDES SIX HOSPITALS ENCOMPASSING OVER 770 LICENSED HOSPITAL BEDS, MORE THAN 130 AMBULATORY/OUTPATIENT LOCATIONS, HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYED PHYSICIANS AND A POST-ACUTE CARE NETWORK CONSISTING OF OUTREACH LABORATORY, HOMECARE, HOSPICE, PHARMACY AND DME SERVICES. UM HEALTH-SPARROW ALSO OWNS AND OPERATES THE MICHIGAN ATHLETIC CLUB, THE LARGEST HOSPITAL-OWNED FITNESS CLUB IN THE UNITED STATES. UM HEALTH-SPARROW IS A MICHIGAN NONSTOCK, NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPT CORPORATION, AND IS THE PARENT CORPORATION OF THE FOLLOWING TAX-EXEMPT, 501C3 ENTITIES: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW LANSING HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW CARSON HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH- SPARROW CLINTON HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW EATON HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW IONIA HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW SPECIALTY HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW COMMUNITY CARE, AND UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW FOUNDATION. THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW FOUNDATION SERVES AS THE FUNDRAISING ARM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW. EACH OF THESE ENTITIES FILE THEIR OWN 990 RETURN. LASTLY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-SPARROW IS THE PARENT CORPORATION OF SPARROW DEVELOPMENT, INC. (SDI), A MICHIGAN STOCK, FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION. SDI INCLUDES, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, THE MICHIGAN ATHLETIC CLUB (MAC), AS WELL AS THE MAC RESTAURANT, AND ST. LAWRENCE OR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 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 August 1985.

    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.