Children's Heart Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
364077528
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2009
Location
Northbrook, IL, USA
Phone
8476346474
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Public Foundations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,610,008
Expenses
$3,880,946
Assets
$3,173,238
Liabilities
$872,833

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ABIGAIL RODDIE-HAMLIN (PRESIDENT & CEO THROUGH 9/30/2024)
  • JEFF FRANCO (INTERIM CEO BEGAN 10/1/2024)

Highest reported compensation

  • ABIGAIL RODDIE-HAMLIN (PRESIDENT & CEO THROUGH 9/30/2024): $207,156 total reported compensation
  • JEFF FRANCO (INTERIM CEO BEGAN 10/1/2024): $60,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the children's heart foundation (chf) is to advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital heart defects (chds) by funding the most promising research.

What it reported doing in 2024

Researchthe children's heart foundation funds the most promising congenital heart defect (chd)research. Since 1996, chf has invested nearly $20 million into chd research and scientific collaborations.in 2024 chf funded nearly $1.8 million in chd research and scientific collaborations across four key initiatives: 1. Independent research funded by the foundation, 2. Collaborative research with the american heart association through joint congenital heart defect research awards, 3. Funding the american academy of pediatrics' pediatric cardiology research fellowship award, and 4. Funding cardiac networks united (cnu), a national pediatric and congenital cardiovascular research network. Chf provided funding for the following independent research: dr. Yuli kim, university of Pennsylvania 2 yr. Grant award funded by chf; mend a heart foundation fund restricted funds hepatic perfusion and liver health as assessed by dual cholate clearance assay in fald submitted by yuli kim, m.d., perelman school of medicine at the university of Pennsylvania.dr. Robert tranquillo, regents of the university of Minnesota - twin cities, 2 yr. Grant award funded by chf; approved by bod in 2024. Growing transcatheter pulmonary stent valve for congenital heart disease submitted by robert tranquillo, university of Minnesota twin cities.dr. Yun zhang, columbia university irving medical center 2 yr. Grant award funded by chf; approved by bod in 2024. Advancing neonatal tetralogy of fallot care with a comprehensive evaluation framework submitted by yun zhang, columbia university irving medical center.the children's heart foundation provides funding to cardiac networks united to improve outcomes for children with chds. One of cnu's current research efforts - the pac3 chest tube project - is now being implemented at nearly 20 u.s. Hospitals as researchers consider the optimal time for chest tube removal in young chd patients.the american academy of pediatrics pediatric cardiology research fellowship award was funded in 2024; however, the 2024 recipient will be awarded in 2025.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 62% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 26
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.9%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 74%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.4 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -7.5%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.82; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.28; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.9%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.8% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.9% of revenue deployed · 74% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $2.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $207K · 17 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 11 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 9 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 32/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 16/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: CEO compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 30/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 42/100.