Compass to Care

Name

Compass to Care

Legal name

Compass to Care, The Mike & Sandy Ernsdorff Childhood Cancer Foundation

Website

https://compasstocare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Providers (TLAFAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) & Wheelchair/Stretcher Transport (HLAFANAJ), Special Needs & Senior Transportation Services (TLAFAKAI)

Keywords

• Non-emergency medical transportation
• Pediatric cancer support
• Patient transportation funding
• Medical travel assistance
• Childhood cancer nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or recurring donations (weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually) through the organization's website. Donors can contribute at various levels ($50 for Uber/Lyft, $100 for gas & parking, $250 for overnight hotel, $500 for long-distance airfare) or give custom amounts. The organization also accepts dedicated gifts in honor or memory of someone.
2. Planned Giving / Legacy Circle: Legacy giving through bequests in wills, retirement plan assets, bank/investment accounts (POD/TOD), life insurance, real estate, appreciated securities, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts. Members of the Tomorrow's Journey Legacy Circle receive recognition in the annual report, special impact updates, and the option to remain anonymous.
3. Foundation Grants: Compass to Care receives grants from foundations such as the SBB Research Group Foundation ($5,000 grant in 2023) and The Abra Prentice Foundation (two-year grant supporting the CARE & BACK program).
4. Event Fundraising: Major annual fundraising events including the Gold Ribbon Gala (Chicago), An Evening of Hope gala (Chicago), More Precious Than Gold cocktail party (Dubuque, Iowa), and Petals & Purpose breakfast benefit. Events include ticket sales, sponsorships, and silent auctions.
5. Associate Board Contributions: Associate Board members make an initial contribution of $100 and commit to raising an additional $1,000 annually, contributing to the organization's fundraising base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Compass to Care is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that funds and coordinates non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for children with cancer and their families. The organization operates three integrated programs — ACCESS LIFE (gasoline and parking via a branded debit card), CARE & BACK (Uber/Lyft rideshare through Kaizen Health for families within 20 miles of treatment), and FLIGHTS OF HOPE (airfare, lodging, and ground transport for distant clinical trials) — covering 100% of travel costs for eligible families at or below 250%-300% of the Federal Poverty Line.

Product overview

Compass to Care operates as a nonprofit organization providing Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services for children with cancer. The organization offers three integrated transportation programs: ACCESS LIFE (covering gasoline and parking via debit card for suburban/rural families), CARE & BACK (coordinating Uber/Lyft rides through Kaizen Health for families within 20 miles), and FLIGHTS OF HOPE (funding airfare, lodging, and ground transportation for distant clinical trials). These programs work together to ensure children can access life-saving cancer treatment regardless of distance or financial barriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACCESS LIFE

Quantifiable outcome

• SBB Research Group Foundation $5,000 grant awarded in August 2023 specifically to support transportation services for children undergoing cancer treatment, with goal of improving survival rates
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Chicago BlackhawkssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025The Chicago Blackhawks invited Compass to Care beneficiary Ricky to stand with the team during the national anthem at their annual 'Hockey Fights Cancer' night (January 2026). The Blackhawks host this event annually; Compass to Care has been invited to participate, generating visibility and community engagement. The Blackhawks previously donated to Compass to Care as noted in the April 2022 newsletter.
• Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Northwestern University Dance Marathon selected Compass to Care as its 2021 primary beneficiary. NUDM is a major student-run philanthropy event; as beneficiary, Compass to Care receives the proceeds from a year of fundraising efforts by hundreds of Northwestern students, generating both funds and awareness among young professionals.
• Kaizen HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationKaizen Health is the technology partner enabling Compass to Care's CARE & BACK rideshare program. Through this partnership, parents can request customized on-demand Uber and Lyft rides from home to the hospital and back. Kaizen Health coordinates the logistics, allowing Compass to Care to offer safe, reliable, readily-available transportation for families without vehicle access, with children receiving up to three round-trip (six one-way) rides per week.
• University of Chicago Global Health AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompass to Care partnered with the University of Chicago Global Health Alliance to focus on health equity for children with cancer. The collaboration includes educational components aimed at addressing disparities in childhood cancer outcomes.
• Lurie Children's HospitalcoreOthersLurie Children's Hospital (Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago) is a key referral partner. Multiple Compass to Care families receive treatment at Lurie, and the hospital's social workers serve as referral gatekeepers. The hospital hosts community events (e.g., oncology picnic) that include Compass to Care families.
• Advocate Lutheran General OncologysupportingOthersAdvocate Lutheran General Oncology hosts community events including a picnic for child cancer patients and families, where Compass to Care families are invited. Serves as a community connection point.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Modivcare: Largest commercial NEMT broker and provider in the US, serving Medicaid managed care plans and health systems. Comparable as a scaled NEMT operator but operates as a for-profit incumbent serving broader populations.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Major nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses, including cancer. Comparable as a high-visibility pediatric illness nonprofit with strong donor base and hospital referral networks, though operating a different core service.
• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer nonprofit offering patient navigation, transportation assistance (Road to Recovery), and lodging programs. Overlaps with Compass to Care's mission but operates at much greater scale across all cancer types and ages.

Direct peers

• Chai Lifeline: Nonprofit providing non-medical services to families facing pediatric illness, including transportation coordination and case management. Comparable in service model, beneficiary focus, and healthcare-embedded delivery.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Pediatric cancer-focused nonprofit funding research and supporting families, with some overlap in mission to improve outcomes for children with cancer. Comparable donor and beneficiary base, though heavier emphasis on research.
• Patient AirLift Services (PALS): Nonprofit providing free air transportation for medical patients, including children, who cannot afford or access commercial travel. Comparable as a charity-funded medical transport provider serving patients facing financial hardship.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Pediatric cancer-focused nonprofit funding research, treatment, and family support. Comparable as a childhood cancer mission-driven organization with fundraising events, donor cultivation, and family-services programs.
• National Children's Cancer Society: Direct peer providing financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families, including transportation-related assistance. Operates as a 501(c)(3) with a similar mission to remove non-medical barriers to pediatric cancer care.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Major nonprofit addressing the lodging and travel burden for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment away from home. Highly comparable in mission, beneficiary population, and hospital-embedded referral model, though larger in scale.
• Kaizen Health: Technology platform and Compass to Care's rideshare integration partner, providing NEMT logistics coordination to health systems, payers, and nonprofits. Comparable as a healthcare transportation platform serving pediatric and adult patient populations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CompassToCare
• Xx.com/CompassToCare

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Compass to Care