Iowa Donor Network
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 245 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
WORKING TOGETHER TO TRANSFORM LIVES THROUGH THE GIFT OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION.
- Income
- $40.5 million
- Spending
- $41.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 4.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 97%
- Employees
- 247
- Volunteers
- 86
- Highest pay
- $400,421, chief executive officer (thru oct 14)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 59 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 245 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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, 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 (2)
- $31.6 million spent. ORGAN AND TISSUE RECOVERY:IOWA DONOR NETWORK (IDN) IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES AS THE PRIMARY CONTACT FOR ORGAN, TISSUE AND EYE DONATION SERVICES IN THE STATE OF IOWA. THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) HAS CERTIFIED IDN TO FUNCTION AS THE SINGLE ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION SERVING THE STATE OF IOWA. IDN ALSO PROVIDES TISSUE RECOVERY SERVICES. IN 2025, ORGAN RECOVERY SERVICES GENERATED $28,527,164 IN REVENUES WHILE TISSUE RECOVERY SERVICES CONTRIBUTED $10,858,480 TOWARD REVENUES. THROUGH REFERRAL CALLS FROM 311 IOWA HOSPITALS, HEALTH CENTERS, REHABILITATION FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES, HOSPICES, MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICES, EMS AGENCIES, AND OTHER REFERRING ORGANIZATIONS, IDN EVALUATED 13,913 PATIENT DEATHS IN 2025 FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. TO MAINTAIN THIS REFERRAL NETWORK AND PROVIDE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION SERVICES, IDN ENGAGES IN MANY INTERRELATED ACTIVITIES: ORGAN AND TISSUE RECOVERY, ORGAN DISTRIBUTION BOTH OF LOCALLY RECOVERED ORGANS AND THOSE BROUGHT IN FROM OUT-OF-STATE DONORS, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS ACTIVITIES, HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY DONOR REFERRAL DEVELOPMENT, AND DONOR FAMILY CARE AND FOLLOW-UP SERVICES.AN IDN ORGAN DONATION COORDINATOR MANAGES THE IDENTIFICATION, EVALUATION AND MEDICAL MAINTENANCE OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS. THIS INCLUDES, ASSISTING OR PERFORMING THE SURGICAL RECOVERY OF ORGANS AND TISSUES, AND COORDINATING THE PLACEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OF RECOVERED ORGANS. IDN ALSO WORKS WITH IOWA LIONS EYE BANK TO FACILITATE EYE DONATION AND RECOVERY.IDN, SUPPORTED BY THE STATE OF IOWA, WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DONATION SERVICE AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES TO DEVELOP A DONOR REGISTRY AND ENACT FIRST PERSON CONSENT LEGISLATION. THE REGISTRY, COMBINED WITH LEGISLATION, ALLOWS IOWANS TO LEGALLY CONSENT TO ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION PRIOR TO DEATH. THIS PROCESS, MEMORIALIZING A DONOR'S DECISION, ALLEVIATES THE STRESS ON SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS OF TRYING TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, DURING THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE.IOWA DONOR NETWORK IS A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATIONS (AOPO). IN 2025, IOWA DONOR NETWORK PROVIDED LIFE-SAVING ORGANS TO WAITING RECIPIENTS FROM 124 DONORS. IN ADDITION, LIFE-SAVING AND LIFE-ENHANCING TISSUE WAS RECOVERED FROM 1,308 TISSUE DONORS.IDN'S COMMUNICATION CENTER RECEIVED MORE THAN 13,913 CALLS FROM IOWA HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES REFERRING POTENTIAL ORGAN AND TISSUE DONORS. THIS 24-HOUR CALL CENTER PROVIDED DONOR FAMILIES WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CARE POSSIBLE. ANNUAL TRAINING WAS PROVIDED ON HOW TO CARE FOR FAMILIES DURING A CRISIS. THIS PROVIDED STAFF WITH VALUABLE TOOLS TO HELP SUPPORT GREIVING FAMILIES DURING THE DONATION PROCESS. IN ADDITION, IDN FOCUSED ON SELF-CARE FOR STAFF MEMBERS THROUGH TRAINING AND DEBRIEFINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
- $2.7 million spent. HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND DONOR FAMILY SERVICES:IDN IS COMMITTED TO MEETING ALL HOSPITALS' EDUCATIONAL AND COMPLIANCE NEEDS REGARDING DONATION. THIS INCLUDES: TRAINING IN THE IDENTIFICATION, REFERRAL AND MANAGEMENT OF ORGAN DONORS, SENSITIVITY AND TIMING FOR APPROACHING POTENTIAL DONOR FAMILIES WITH THE OPTION OF DONATION AND REPORTING ON ORGAN AND TISSUE DONOR POTENTIAL AND OUTCOMES TO HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION FOR USE, AS NECESSARY, WITH THEIR OWN COMPLIANCE AND ACCREDITATION REPORTING.EVERY HOSPITAL, MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, DMV OFFICE, AND EMS PROGRAM IN IOWA HAS AN ASSIGNED IDN REPRESENTATIVE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PERSONNEL KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO CONTACT IDN FOR DONATION ASSISTANCE. IDN STAFF WORK WITH HOSPITALS AND ASSIGNED AGENCIES TO DEVELOP PROTOCOLS OR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO REFERRAL FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. OTHER DUTIES INCLUDE: MEETING WITH HOSPITAL/ AGENCY LEADERSHIP AND PERSONNEL TO ENGAGE SUPPORT FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION, FOLLOW-UP AFTER EACH ORGAN REFERRAL AND FOLLOW-UP WITH STAFF AFTER EACH ORGAN OR TISSUE RECOVERY. IDN HAS A DEPARTMENT WITH TRAINED STAFF DEDICATED TO PROVIDING DONOR FAMILY CARE SERVICES AT THE TIME OF CRISIS AND FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO 24 MONTHS FOLLOWING DONATION IF SO DESIRED BY THE DONOR NEXT-OF-KIN. IOWA DONOR NETWORK PROVIDED GRIEF SUPPORT TO 1,604 IOWA FAMILIES THROUGHOUT 2025 WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE AND MADE THE GENEROUS DECISION TO DONATE.IDN'S PUBLIC EDUCATION FOCUS IS TO INCREASE DONATION AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE. WITH DATA FROM THE IOWA DONOR REGISTRY, THIS EFFORT IS FOCUSED ON REGIONS OF THE STATE (COUNTIES) WITH LOWER-THAN-AVERAGE DONOR REGISTRATIONS. IDN CONDUCTED NUMEROUS PUBLIC EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS. ACTIVITIES AND PROMOTIONS ARE ORGANIZED AND CONDUCTED BY IDN'S OUTREACH STAFF, WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS AND CONTRACTED ADVERTISING AND PR AGENCIES. PUBLIC EDUCATION INCLUDES: PRESENTATIONS TO CIVIC GROUPS, WORK-PLACES, DRIVER'S EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EVENTS. AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2025 IOWA HAD 1.6 MILLION RESIDENTS SIGNED UP TO THE IOWA DONOR REGISTRY. THE REGISTRY CAPTURES THE AUTHORIZATION OF ANYONE IN THE STATE MAKING THE DECISION TO BE A DONOR. IDN PROVIDES RESOURCES TO VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORT GROUPS THROUGHOUT IOWA: THESE GROUPS ARE COMPOSED OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR TRANSPLANT, DONOR FAMILY MEMBERS, RECIPIENTS AND OTHER CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS. IDN IS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, INCLUDING THE NORTH AMERICAN TRANSPLANT COORDINATORS ORGANIZATION, THE ASSOCIATION OF ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATIONS, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MULTICULTURAL HEALTH AND TRANSPLANT PROFESSIONALS, THE AMERICAN BOARD OF TRANSPLANT COORDINATION, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TISSUE BANKS AND THE UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING. IN COOPERATION WITH THE GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY THESE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND GOVERNING BODIES, ALONG WITH THE TRANSPLANT CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DONATED ORGANS ARE ALLOCATED EQUITABLY TO TRANSPLANT PATIENTS ACCORDING TO NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION POLICIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 April 1994.
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.