Avera Queen of Peace
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Avera is a health ministry rooted in the Gospel. Our mission is to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values.
- Income
- $159.9 million
- Spending
- $148.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 9.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 95%
- Employees
- 905
- Volunteers
- 54
- Highest pay
- $1.4 million, orthopedics & sports medicine
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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 29% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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)
- $137.2 million spent. Avera Queen of Peace's mission is to provide healthcare services to Mitchell, South Dakota residents and residents of the surrounding area. Avera Queen of Peace is a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Avera Health. Avera Queen of Peace consists of a 25-bed critical access hospital and an 84-bed nursing home in Mitchell, SD, a 16-bed critical access hospital in Wessington Springs, SD, a 6-bed critical access hospital in De Smet, SD and 11 physician clinics. The program services offered include orthopedics, general surgery, internal medicine, radiation, laboratory, radiology, sleep lab, wound care, emergency, EKG, EEG, IP surgery, OP surgery, oncology, dermatology, pain management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pharmacy, ophthalmology, and optometry. They provide acute care & long-term healthcare services. Following is a breakdown of these statistics by facility:Avera Queen of Peace Hospital 1,762 Acute patient discharges 456 Newborn patient discharges 8 Swing Bed patient discharges98,017 Outpatient visits 104 Swing-bed patient days 933 Newborn patient days47,161 Clinic visitsAvera Brady Health and Rehabilitation 111 Long Term Care patient discharges25,938 Long-term care resident daysAvera Weskota Memorial Medical Center (CAH) 64 Acute patient discharges 22 Swing Bed discharges 5,953 Outpatient visits 219 Swing-bed patient daysAvera De Smet Memorial Hospital (CAH) 60 Acute patient discharges 22 Swing Bed patient discharges10,617 Outpatient visits 104 Swing-bed patient days 4,815 Clinic visitsAvera Queen of Peace maintains records to identify and monitor the level of charity care it provides. These records include the amount of charges forgone for services and supplies furnished under its charity care policy and equivalent service statistics. The amount of charges foregone, based on established rates, were $6,935,965.Avera Queen of Peace also provides community benefit health activities at less than or at no cost to support those in the area serviced, see Schedule H. As a member of the Avera Health Network, Avera Queen of Peace upholds the vision of the Presentation and Benedictine Sisters to work through collaboration to provide quality, effective health ministry and to improve the healthcare of individuals and our communities through a regionally integrated network of persons and institutions. Avera Queen of Peace engages in activities designed to improve the health of individuals and communities in response to a calling to heal the sick, the elderly, and the oppressed.
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
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? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1946.
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.