Ronald Mcdonald House Charities Upper Midwest
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
We, in partnership with our community, provide a comfortable and caring home away from home that supports keeping families together and reduces stress during a child's serious illness.
- Income
- $8.1 million
- Spending
- $5.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 33.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 91
- Volunteers
- 8,230
- Highest pay
- $320,675, 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 83% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 33.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 29 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 (3)
- $4.2 million spent. Last year we served 5,649 families across our five locations, providing $7.5 million in out-of-pocket savings to families. In addition, family surveys reported 98% of the families we served rated our programs as 'very good or 'excellent', felt 'better supported' because of our services, and felt 'less stressed and better able to cope' with their child's health crisis due to our programs and services. Lodging: The Ronald McDonald House-Oak Street in Minneapolis features 48 private rooms available to families living at least 40 miles from the Twin Cities. Last year it served 832 families, provided 13,687 nights of lodging and saved families approximately $4.1 million in lodging, meals, basic daily supplies and more. Lodging: The Ronald McDonald House at Children's, Minneapolis is an in-hospital facility with 15 private rooms that serves families with a child in the hospital's NICU or PICU. In 2024, it served 2,358 families, provided 4,862 nights of lodging, welcomed 70,296 visitors, and saved families more than $2.1 million in lodging and meal costs.Lodging: The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, with four overnight rooms, serves the pediatric trauma and disability community. In 2024, this location supported 1,577 families, provided 1,322 nights of lodging, welcomed 17,654 visitors and $555,000 in cost savings.Lodging: The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Children's, St Paul, with four overnight rooms, primarily serves families from the east metro, including western Wisconsin. In 2024, this site served 779 families, provided 1,378 nights of lodging and $473,000 in cost savings to families.Lodging: The Ronald McDonald House Northland in Duluth, MN opened in February 2021 to serve families with children undergoing treatment at Essentia Health. Last year it served 103 families, provided 857 nights of lodging and $275,000 in cost savings.
- $600,589 spent. Volunteer Services: Last year, we benefited from the support of 8,230 volunteers who worked 53,726 hours, the equivalent of 26 full-time employees. The Cooks for Kids program success, including an opportunity for groups to sponsor a meal and use an RMH-supplied menu and ingredients as well as daytime shifts both contributed to the increase in volunteers. In addition, expansion of individual volunteer opportunities and growth in in-kind hours assembling boxed meals, snack bags, etc. increased significantly last year.
- $200,658 spent. Family Services: The K-12 School at RMH-Oak St. provided 980 student days last year vs 909 in 2023, with most of the students in grades K-5. The after-school enrichment program provided 827 student days and included gym and outdoor activities, art projects, card and board games, imaginative play and more. During the summer, Camp RMH's busy schedule included recreational and educational outings to Twin Cities landmarks, behind-the-scenes tours of stadiums and museums, opportunities to learn new skills such as sailing and fishing, in-house days with special visitors, and more. All five locations also offered a wide variety of events and activities to parents, other caregivers and siblings including game nights, special "Caring for the Caregiver" meals, outings to local sporting events, health and wellness activities, arts and crafts experiences led by local artists, book and knitting clubs and more.
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 December 1977.
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.