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Kennedy Krieger Childrens Hospital Inc

EIN 52-0607971 · Baltimore, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

KENNEDY KRIEGER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (KKCH) OFFERS CLINICAL PROGRAMS TO MEET THE SPECIALIZED NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. MORE THAN 35 DIFFERENT OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS AND FOUR INPATIENT UNITS ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF CHILDREN WITH A WIDE RANGE OF DISORDERS. KKCH IS RECOGNIZED FOR THE RANGE OF SERVICES IN AREAS INCLUDING AUTISM, CEREBRAL PALSY, SPINA BIFIDA, NEUROREHABILITATION, SPINAL CORD INJURY AND FEEDING DISORDERS. AS A PROVIDER OF SPECIALTY PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE SERVICES, KKCH IS VIEWED AS A "NICHE" PROVIDER. MANY SERVICES PROVIDED AT KKCH ARE NOT DUPLICATED THROUGHOUT THE GENERAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE CITY, REGION OR WORLD.

Income
$278.5 million
Spending
$267.9 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
3.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 97%
Employees
2,519
Volunteers
1,181
Highest pay
$1.1 million, president & ceo

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 36% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% 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

    9 of 10 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 (3)
  1. $182.3 million spent. OUTPATIENT PROGRAMSPATIENTS ARE SEEN ON AN OUTPATIENT BASIS IN ONE OF MORE THAN 35 DIFFERENT CLINICS. A CHILD MAY BE SEEN BY A SINGLE PROFESSIONAL OR AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM DEPENDING UPON THE NATURE OF THE CHILD'S NEEDS. CLINICS PROVIDE DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT SERVICES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, ATAXIA TELAGIECTASIA, AUDIOLOGY, BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT, BOTULINUM TOXIN TREATMENT, AUTISM AND RELATED DISORDERS, DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING PROBLEMS, GENETIC MUSCLE DISORDERS, CEREBRAL PALSY, FEEDING DISORDERS, DEVELOPMENTAL COGNITIVE NEUROLOGY, DOWN SYNDROME, ENVIRONMENT HEALTH PROBLEMS, FRAGILE X, HOLOPROSENCEPHALY, SPINAL CORD INJURIES, MOVEMENT DISORDERS, NICU FOLLOW-UP, NEUROGENETICS, NEUROPHYSIOLOGY, NUTRITION, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, ORTHOPEDICS, OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECT, CHILD PSYCHIATRY, REHABILITATION, PHYSICAL THERAPY, SOCIAL WORK AND SPEECH AND LANGUAGE.
  2. $52.7 million spent. INPATIENT PROGRAMS ARE MADE UP OF 3 UNITS:THE NEUROBEHAVIORAL UNIT (NBU) PROVIDES SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE SELF-INJURIOUS, AGGRESSIVE AND DISPLAY OTHER SEVERE BEHAVIORS.THE PEDIATRIC FEEDING DISORDERS UNIT (PFDU) SERVES CHILDREN WITH SEVERE FEEDING PROBLEMS. MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS, NUTRITIONAL MONITORING, ORAL MOTOR ASSESSMENTS AND INTENSE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS CAN BE CONDUCTED.THE PEDIATRIC REHABILITATION UNIT (PRU) OPERATES ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL NEUROREHABILITATION PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD AND INCLUDES THE BRAIN INJURY PROGRAM AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPINAL CORD INJURY PROGRAM.
  3. $4.0 million spent. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMSKENNEDY KRIEGER DEDICATES SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES TO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELDS OF NEUROLOGICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. WE ALSO TAKE SERIOUSLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE CARE THROUGH RESEARCH, BUT TO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS. THAT IS WHY MORE THAN 400 INDIVIDUALS COME HERE TO TRAIN IN A WIDE VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES EACH YEAR. THE GOALS OF THE INSTITUTE'S CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE TWOFOLD: 1) TO TRAIN LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND 2) TO HELP ENSURE THAT THERE IS A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BY TRAINING FUTURE GENERATIONS OF RESEARCHERS AND PROFESSIONALS FROM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO CURRENT STAFF WE ARE ENSURING THAT CHILDREN EVERYWHERE CAN RECEIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1940.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.