Gundersen Clinic Ltd
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SERVICES, ENGAGE IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY HEALTH TO DELIVER THE HIGHEST QUALITY COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE TO ALL PATIENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR ABILITY TO PAY.
- Income
- $244.3 million
- Spending
- $327.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -36.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $1.7 million, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 474% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 52% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 9 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 September 30, 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)
- $290.2 million spent. GUNDERSEN CLINIC, LTD. (THE CLINIC) HAS 738 PHYSICIANS REPRESENTING NEARLY EVERY SPECIALTY SERVING A 21 COUNTY REGION IN WESTERN WISCONSIN, NORTHEASTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA. THE CLINIC PROVIDES MEDICAL CARE TO ALL PATIENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. CHARITY CARE AND/OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS DETERMINED BASED ON FINANCIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE PATIENT AND ANALYSIS OF OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,144,681 PATIENT ENCOUNTERS FOR FY2024 (OCT-SEP). THE CLINIC PROVIDED UNCOMPENSATED CARE RELATED TO CHARITY AT COST, $1,822,561; MEDICARE, $142,043,878; AND MEDICAID, $48,952,997 FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $192,819,436 AT COST BASED ON POLICIES AND CONTRACTS ARRANGED TO HELP SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. THE $192,819,436 IS THE SUM OF UNREIMBURSED MEDICARE & MEDICAID COST PLUS CHARITY AT COST. ALL OF THESE ARE CALCULATED USING THE SAME METHOD UTILIZED FOR THE HOSPITAL CALCULATION OF CHARITY COST AND UNREIMBURSED MEDICARE AND MEDICAID COSTS. THE COST OF CHARITY IS CALCULATED BY ALLOCATING THE COST TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO A PATIENT BETWEEN ANY PAYMENTS, BAD DEBT, AND CHARITY WRITEOFFS WHERE TOTAL PAYMENTS ARE LESS THAN THE COST OF SERVICES PROVIDED. THE UNREIMBURSED MEDICARE AND MEDICAID COSTS ARE CALCULATED BY COMPARING THE COST OF SERVICES TO MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PATIENTS TO THE NET REVENUE FOR THOSE SAME PATIENTS. THE UNREIMBURSED COST IS THE AMOUNT THE COST EXCEEDS THE NET REVENUE FOR THOSE SAME PATIENTS. MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PATIENTS TO THE NET REVENUE FOR THOSE SAME PATIENTS. THE UNREIMBURSED COST IS THE AMOUNT THE COST EXCEEDS THE NET REVENUE FOR THOSE SAME PATIENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 2025.
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 February 1989.
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.