Memorial Health Care System Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOUNDATION INC'S SOLE PURPOSE IS TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ("MHCS"). FUNDS RAISED ALLOW MHCS TO EXTEND ITS MISSION FURTHER INTO THE COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $8.2 million
- Spending
- $7.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 8.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 205
- Highest pay
- $2.5 million, member at large
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: 74 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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.
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 26 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)
- $5.7 million spent. I. MISSION MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOUNDATION (THE FOUNDATION) WAS FOUNDED IN JANUARY 2001 TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHI MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM (MEMORIAL), A TAX-EXEMPT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THE MISSION OF COMMON SPIRIT HEALTH AND MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS TO MAKE THE HEALING PRESENCE OF GOD KNOWN IN OUR WORLD BY IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE, WHILE WE ADVANCE SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR ALL. THE FUNDS RAISED BY THE FOUNDATION ALLOW MEMORIAL TO EXTEND ITS MISSION OF MEDICAL EXCELLENCE FURTHER INTO THE COMMUNITY. THE FOUNDATION HAS A GOVERNING BOARD COMPOSED OF COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES THAT REPRESENT THE DIVERSE POPULATIONS WITHIN THE GREATER CHATTANOOGA AREA. II. COMMUNITY BENEFIT IN FY 2025, THE FOUNDATION RAISED FUNDS THROUGH SPECIAL EVENTS, ANNUAL GIVING, MAJOR GIFTS, PLANNED GIVING, CORPORATE/FOUNDATION GRANTS AND CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS TO FUND CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, SUPPORT COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS, SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS PURSUING HEALTHCARE CAREERS, AND AN ENDOWMENT FUND. IN FY 2025, THE FOUNDATION RAISED $8.2 MILLION FOR THESE PURPOSES AND DISBURSED $5.95 MILLION TO SUPPORT MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM NONPROFIT HEALTH CARE SERVICES. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE FOUNDATION HAS RAISED $82.51 MILLION AND DISBURSED $58.43 MILLION TO SUPPORT MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM'S MISSION. COMMUNITY SERVICES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. EACH YEAR, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY ARE EVALUATED AND EXPANDED TO PROMOTE BOTH INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH STATUS OF CHATTANOOGANS, MEMORIAL FOCUSES ON THE WHOLE PERSON INCLUDING THE PERSON'S SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. HIGHLIGHTED BELOW ARE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS OR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE FOUNDATION. * REES SKILLERN CANCER INSTITUTE IN HONOR OF THE DONOR'S SON'S WISHES WHO BATTLED CANCER FOR MANY YEARS AND RECEIVED MUCH OF HIS TREATMENT AT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, A GENEROUS DONATION OF $3 MILLION WAS GIVEN TO THE FOUNDATION TO HELP ADVANCE CANCER CARE IN THE LOCAL CHATTANOOGA COMMUNITY. THIS GENEROUS GIFT FUNDED THREE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED SERVICES THAT WERE NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE CHATTANOOGA REGION. HIGH-RISK GENETIC COUNSELING, A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY RESOURCE FOR ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS, AND GREATER ACCESS TO THE LATEST TREATMENTS IN CANCER. THE HIGH-RISK SURVIVORSHIP CLINIC WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT IN FY14 AND BEGAN TREATING PATIENTS IN FY15. THE CONTRIBUTION ALSO FUNDED AN INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR RENOVATION OF THE NEWLY NAMED REES SKILLERN CANCER INSTITUTE. ADDITIONAL GIFTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE SKILLERN FAMILY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CANCER SERVICES INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF TREATMENT FOR BRAIN TUMORS. * BUZ STANDEFER LUNG CENTER THROUGH DONATIONS, MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HAS CREATED A WORLD-CLASS LUNG CENTER THAT REVOLUTIONIZES CARE FOR OUR REGION. LUNG DISEASES, INCLUDING LUNG CANCER, ARE SOME OF THE MOST DEBILITATING AND FRIGHTENING OF ALL MEDICAL ISSUES. THE LUNG CENTER ALLOWS PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM EMPHYSEMA, ASTHMA LUNG CANCER, PULMONARY FIBROSIS, AND OTHER PULMONARY DISEASES TO SEEK CARE FROM PULMONARY MEDICINE EXPERTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT DIMINISHES ANXIETY AND FEAR, ALLOWING THE PATIENT AND FAMILY TO BE EMBRACED BY A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FOCUSED ON THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. THE LUNG CENTER AT MEMORIAL ASPIRES TO BE THE ULTIMATE REGIONAL EPICENTER FOR LUNG HEALTH, PROVIDING THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CARE AVAILABLE. SMOKING REMAINS THE HIGHEST RISK FACTOR FOR LUNG DISEASE. WITHIN OUR REGION, SMOKING RATES RANGE FROM 20% IN HAMILTON COUNTY TO 30% IN CATOOSA COUNTY. ONE IN FOUR TENNESSEANS SMOKE, AND SMOKING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 87% OF LUNG CANCERS. AS A RESULT, EVERY COUNTY IN OUR REGION EXCEEDS THE NATIONAL RATES FOR LUNG CANCER MORTALITY RATES. THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE NEW LUNG CENTER, MEMORIAL IS DETERMINED TO IMPROVE THESE BLEAK STATISTICS. THE LUNG CENTER AT MEMORIAL TREATS THOSE WHO HAVE CURRENT HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO LUNG DISEASE BUT ALSO PROACTIVELY EDUCATES AND SCREENS THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE OVERALL GOAL OF DRAMATICALLY CHANGING THESE NUMBERS. AS A PART OF THORACIC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE, MEMORIAL OFFERS A LUNG SCREENING PROGRAM TO HELP DETECT LUNG CANCER EARLIER. IN THE LATTER PART OF FY15, MEDICARE ANNOUNCED COVERAGE FOR THIS SERVICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THIS CRITERION, WE OFFER THE CT SCREENING TO THE PATIENT AT NO COST. IN FY 2025, 455 CT LUNG SCREENINGS WERE PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE. THE FOUNDATION ALSO RAISED FUNDS TO PURCHASE A MOBILE COACH IN FY18 CALLED THE BREATHE EASY. MHCS BECAME THE FIRST PROVIDER OF MOBILE LUNG SCREENING IN THE REGION AND HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE SCREENINGS TO UNDERSERVED AND UNDERINSURED PATIENTS THROUGH FOUNDATION FUNDING OF THE COACH AND NO CHARGE SCREENINGS. IN FY24 A SECOND MOBILE COACH WAS FUNDED BY THE FOUNDATION. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE AND TREAT SUSPICIOUS LUNG NODULES THE FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED FUNDING FOR NEW SOFTWARE NEEDED TO PERFORM INTERVENTIONAL PULMONOLOGY PROCEDURES AND CONTINUES TO FUND LUNG SCREENINGS FOR UNDERSERVED PATIENTS. * CHI MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER HIXSON CHI MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER-HIXSON OPENED ITS NEW LOCATION IN FY15 TO BETTER SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF NORTH CHATTANOOGA RED BANK HIXSON AND ALL COMMUNITIES NORTH OF THE RIVER. THE FOUNDATION WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE $350,000 INITIALLY IN FUNDING FOR THIS NEW FACILITY THROUGH GENEROUS DONATIONS BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY CHI MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED TEENS AND ADULTS INCLUDING: - PRIMARY HEALTHCARE - WELL-WOMAN CHECKS, INCLUDING ANNUAL PELVIC EXAMS AND PAP TESTS - ADULT PHYSICALS - SCREENINGS - DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES - PATIENT COUNSELING AS NEEDED - LABORATORY SERVICES - X-RAY SERVICES -
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 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? 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 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.
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