Lifegift Organ Donation Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF LIFEGIFT IS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY BENEFIT BY ETHICALLY, EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY RECOVERING APPROPRIATELY TRANSPLANTABLE ORGANS AND TISSUE TO GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE. LIFEGIFT ALSO PROVIDES PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR DONOR ORGANS AND TISSUES.
- Income
- $104.1 million
- Spending
- $99.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 7.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 98%
- Employees
- 518
- Volunteers
- 620
- Highest pay
- $701,009, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2517 of 18 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, 2024, 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)
- $73.7 million spent. PROCUREMENT:AS AN ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION (OPO), LIFEGIFT STAFF ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY TO RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM HOSPITAL PERSONNEL WHO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL ORGAN AND/OR TISSUE DONORS. THE ORGANIZATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVICING A FEDERALLY DESIGNATED SERVICE AREA, WHICH INCLUDES 109 COUNTIES IN HOUSTON, FORT WORTH, LUBBOCK AND AMARILLO AND WORKS WITH APPROXIMATELY 200 HOSPITALS. DURING 2024, 1,570 ORGANS WERE RECOVERED FROM 471 DONORS FOR TRANSPLANT, A RATE OF RECOVERY THAT IS HIGHER THAN MOST OTHER OPOS IN THE COUNTRY. LIFEGIFT WORKS WITH TRANSPLANT CENTERS AND UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING (UNOS) TO FACILITATE THE MATCHING OF DONOR ORGANS TO RECIPIENTS. LIFEGIFT STAFF FOLLOW THE POLICIES DICTATED BY THE ORGAN PROCUREMENT TRANSPLANT NETWORK (OPTN) FOR THE ALLOCATION OF ORGANS. ADDITIONALLY, LIFEGIFT MAINTAINS A COMMUNICATIONS CALL CENTER, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THE CENTER SCREENS REFERRALS, APPROACHES FAMILIES FOR AUTHORIZATION AND MEDICAL HISTORY INFORMATION AND COORDINATES ORGAN AND TISSUE RECOVERY EFFORTS. LIFEGIFT RECEIVED MORE THAN 38,000 REFERRALS IN 2024. LIFEGIFT ALSO RECOVERS TISSUE AND WORKS WITH SEVEN LOCAL AND NATIONAL TISSUE PROCESSORS TO REFER TISSUE USED FOR TRANSPLANTATION. DURING 2024, THERE WERE MORE THAN 1,300 TISSUE DONATIONS OF BONE, SKIN, HEART VALVES AND VEINS. THESE DONATIONS SAVE THE LIVES OF BURN VICTIMS AND CHILDREN WITH HEART DEFECTS. LIFEGIFT'S FACILITIES INCLUDE FIVE ON-SITE OPERATING ROOMS FOR TISSUE RECOVERY. REFERRALS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO FOUR EYE BANKS TO RECOVER CORNEAS TO RESTORE SIGHT AND FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.
- $5.3 million spent. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION:LIFEGIFT FACILITATES ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AT OVER 200 HOSPITALS ACROSS TEXAS, WORKING WITH HOSPITAL PARTNERS TO EMPLOY DATA, EDUCATION, AND STRATEGIC PLANS TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL DONATION PROGRAMS AND OPTIMIZE DONATION AT EACH INSTITUTION. THE HOSPITAL'S UNDERSTANDING OF ITS ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN FACILITATING DONATION IS VITAL TO ENSURING THAT ALL POTENTIAL DONORS ARE IDENTIFIED, DONOR FAMILIES ARE SUPPORTED APPROPRIATELY, AND THAT THE DONATION PROCESS OCCURS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, ULTIMATELY INCREASING DONATION RATES. LIFEGIFT'S DONATION SYSTEMS TEAM SERVES AS LIAISONS BETWEEN LIFEGIFT AND THE HOSPITALS, ENSURING A CONSISTENT PRESENCE AT THE HOSPITALS TO DRIVE ENGAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DONATION OUTCOMES. THESE RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH HOSPITAL STAKEHOLDERS, COLLECTING AND SHARING KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS, COLLABORATING TO EMPLOY QUALITY IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS TO INCREASE DONATION, PERFORMING MEDICAL RECORD REVIEW TO DETERMINE DONOR POTENTIAL AND CONSISTENT EDUCATION OF HOSPITAL STAFF INVOLVED IN THE DONATION PROCESS. LIFEGIFT ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP TO BUILD A CULTURE THAT SUPPORTS DONATION, IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND ADDRESS ANY BARRIERS TO DONATION WITHIN THE INSTITUTION.
- $1.5 million spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION:PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ARE VITAL COMPONENTS OF LIFEGIFT'S MISSION. IN ITS WORK TO INCREASE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION, LIFEGIFT EDUCATES THE COMMUNITY ABOUT DONATION AND ENCOURAGES TEXANS TO JOIN THE DONATE LIFE TEXAS REGISTRY TO DESIGNATE THEMSELVES AN ORGAN AND TISSUE DONOR. LIFEGIFT SEEKS TO CREATE A CULTURE OF DONATION WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON BUILDING TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITIES TO DISPEL MYTHS ABOUT DONATION AND CREATE STRONG CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LIFEGIFT AND THE PEOPLE IT SERVES. WITH THE SUPPORT OF AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, LIFEGIFT HOSTS PUBLIC EVENTS, PARTNERS WITH ASSOCIATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, PARTICIPATES IN NUMEROUS COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE DONATION AND THE DONOR REGISTRY, AND WORKS WITH THE MEDIA AND WITHIN THE SOCIAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND ENCOURAGE TEXANS TO JOIN THE DONOR REGISTRY. SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORK OF LIFEGIFT'S COMMUNICATIONS TEAM INCLUDES EVENTS CENTERED AROUND NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH IN APRIL, MULTICULTURAL AWARENESS MONTH IN AUGUST, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN SEPTEMBER, TWO COMMUNITY RACES (SECOND CHANCE RUNS) HOSTED BY LIFEGIFT IN FORT WORTH AND HOUSTON, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF WEEKLY AND QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS GEARED TOWARDS OUR HOSPITAL PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS. LIFEGIFT'S GOAL IN INTERACTING WITH FAMILIES GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DONATE THEIR LOVED ONE'S ORGANS AND TISSUE IS TO PROVIDE A SENSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES GENEROSITY AND ENSURES THE FAMILY FEELS HEARD AND SUPPORTED. THIS SUPPORT EXTENDS BEYOND THE TIME OF THE DONATION THROUGH LIFEGIFT'S FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM. ALL TISSUE AND ORGAN DONOR FAMILIES ARE ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES A SERIES OF MAILINGS, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT HONORS THE DONOR AND PROVIDES SUPPORT AND SOLACE TO DONOR FAMILIES. DONOR FAMILIES RECEIVE A SERIES OF MAILINGS THROUGHOUT THE FIRST YEAR OF LOSS, BEGINNING WITH AN FAMILY SUPPORT PACKET PROVIDED AFTER THEIR LOVED ONE'S PASSING. FAMILIES MAY CHOOSE TO CORRESPOND OR CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH THEIR LOVED ONE'S RECIPIENTS, WHICH LIFEGIFT FACILITATES. LIFEGIFT ALSO PROVIDES GENERAL RECIPIENT HEALTH UPDATES UPON REQUEST AND CAN ASSIST FAMILIES WITH FINDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN THEIR COMMUNITY IF THEY NEED IT. LIFEGIFT ALSO PROVIDES DONOR FAMILY-FOCUSED WEBINARS, A QUARTERLY E-NEWSLETTER AND HOSTS AN ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY FOR FAMILIES TO HONOR THEIR LOVED ONES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 1998.
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.