W I Cook Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
KNOWING THAT EVERY CHILD'S LIFE IS SACRED, OUR PROMISE IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF EVERY CHILD IN OUR REGION THROUGH PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ILLNESS, DISEASE, AND INJURY.
- Income
- $180.7 million
- Spending
- $64.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 94%
- Employees
- 51
- Volunteers
- 91
- Highest pay
- $3.6 million, president/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 64% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 90% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 34 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 2532 of 32 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 September 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)
- $43.0 million spent. SUPPORTING NEW DISCOVERIES COOK CHILDREN'S IS HOME TO MANY OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST MINDS IN PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE. IN ADDITION TO PATIENT CARE, A NUMBER OF OUR PHYSICIANS CONDUCT RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO NEW DISCOVERIES IN MEDICINE AND ADVANCEMENTS IN PATIENT CARE. THE ENDOWED CHAIR PROGRAM AT COOK CHILDREN'S RECOGNIZES THE GREAT WORK OF OUR INNOVATIVE PHYSICIANS WHO ARE ADVANCING PEDIATRIC CARE ALONG WITH COOK CHILDREN'S RESEARCH. IT ALLOWS PHYSICIANS TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS, PARTICIPATE IN CLINICAL RESEARCH, WRITE FOR NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS, MAKE PRESENTATIONS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL AND FURTHER ELEVATE THE REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL PROMINENCE OF THEIR WORK. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT CONNECTS COOK CHILDREN'S PATIENTS WITH GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH, NOVEL THERAPIES AND STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THEIR CARE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES. SUPPORTING COOK CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCE FOR DECADES COOK CHILDREN'S HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROVIDING HOLISTIC SERVICES TO FAMILIES SUCH AS CASE MANAGEMENT, CHILD LIFE AND PASTORAL CARE. CASE MANAGEMENT IN PARTICULAR, HELPS PROVIDE A FAMILY'S BASIC NEEDS. WHEN A CHILD HAS AN UNEXPECTED MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR IS EXPERIENCING A PROLONGED ILLNESS OR TREATMENT IT CAN DISRUPT THE FAMILY'S ABILITY TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS. MEALS, HOUSING, UTILITY BILLS - THOSE THINGS ESSENTIAL IN LIFE CAN LEAVE A FAMILY VULNERABLE WHEN FACED WITH UNEXPECTED MEDICAL BILLS OR COSTLY PRESCRIPTIONS. COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT BEING PRESENT WITH YOUR SICK CHILD MEANS BEING AWAY FROM WORK FOR DAYS, WEEKS, EVEN MONTHS AT A TIME AFFECTING A FAMILY'S INCOME. THIS IS WHERE OUR DONOR-FUNDED CASE MANAGEMENT COMES IN BY HELPING TO PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES' BASIC NEEDS SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON THE HEALING OF THEIR CHILD. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THESE NON-REVENUE GENERATING AREAS THROUGH ITS EFFORTS SUCH AS ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAMS, THIRD PARTY EVENTS, CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS, CORPORATE, AND MID-LEVEL GIVING. IN FY25 ALONE, THE HEALTH FOUNDATION RAISED OVER $2.5 MILLION TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR PATIENT FAMILIES IN THESE ESSENTIAL AREAS. IT IS THESE ABOVE-AND-BEYOND-HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS THAT MAKE COOK CHILDREN'S A MAGICAL AND STELLAR INSTITUTION TREATING THE WHOLE CHILD, THE WHOLE FAMILY. COOK CHILDREN'S BELIEVES ALL CHILDREN DESERVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, NO MATTER THEIR ZIP CODE. NINE COMMUNITY-BASED NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTERS (NHC) GIVE FAMILIES A HOME FOR PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE CLOSE TO WHERE THEY LIVE, WORK AND ATTEND SCHOOL. THE FREE-STANDING PEDIATRIC CLINICS ARE LOCATED IN LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING INADEQUATE ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE FOR CHILDREN. ROUGHLY 91% OF NHC PATIENTS ARE MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES. NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTERS ARE STAFFED WITH DOCTORS AND OTHER CLINICAL SUPPORT STAFF THAT PROVIDE AT-RISK CHILDREN HIGH-QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE AND CULTURALLY SENSITIVE MEDICAL SERVICES FROM BIRTH THROUGH THEIR TEEN YEARS, INCLUDING WELL CHILD EXAMS, VACCINES, SICK VISITS, NUTRITION, COUNSELING, SPEECH LANGUAGE INTAKE SERVICES, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS. IF A CHILD HAS A CHRONIC ILLNESS, THE NHC PROVIDES A MEDICAL HOME THAT WILL COORDINATE COMPLEX CARE AMONG OTHER COOK CHILDREN'S PROVIDERS. IF NOT FOR THE NHCS, MANY OF THESE FAMILIES WOULD TURN TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) FOR PRIMARY CARE AT A COST MUCH HIGHER THAN A TYPICAL CLINIC VISIT. NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTERS ARE HELPING KIDS ALL ACROSS COOK CHILDREN'S SERVICE AREA LEAD HEALTHIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE LIVES. EACH YEAR THE CLINICS LOSE A COMBINED $11.5 MILLION DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES. PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS THROUGH THE HEALTH FOUNDATION HELP FILL THESE FINANCIAL GAPS SO THAT COOK CHILDREN'S CAN DELIVER ON ITS PROMISE TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF EVERY CHILD REGARDLESS OF THEIR FAMILY'S ABILITY TO PAY. THE GENEROSITY OF HEALTH FOUNDATION DONORS HELPS SUSTAIN NHC SERVICES AND GIVES ALL CHILDREN THE HEALTH CARE THEY DESERVE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 October 13, 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 September 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 October 1985.
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 October 21, 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.