Lifegift Organ Donation Center

What Lifegift Organ Donation Center does

LifeGift is a federally designated, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) founded in 1987 and headquartered in Houston, Texas. It is one of only 55 OPOs in the United States and holds exclusive authority to perform organ and tissue recovery across 109 counties in Southeast, North, and West Texas. LifeGift coordinates the full deceased donation lifecycle, from hospital referral and family authorization through organ matching, recovery, and placement at 10 transplant centers, in addition to facilitating living and neonatal donation programs. In 2025, the organization reported 456 organ donors, 619 tissue donors, 1,357 organs transplanted, and 1,239 lives saved, serving a population of more than 10 million Texans.

LifeGift's operational technology stack is built around clinical coordination systems, the LifeGift Institute for the Future of Transplantation (LIFT) training platform, and a high-fidelity SIM Center used to train clinical staff and hospital partners. The organization maintains continuous AATB accreditation since 2006 and operates a Multicultural Advisory Committee that informs community outreach across Texas's diverse populations. It supports a broad partner ecosystem including 275+ hospitals, 10 transplant centers, medical examiners, coroners, funeral homes, hospice providers, EMS referral programs, and seven named tissue processing partners (Axogen, CryoLife, LifeNet Health, Humacyte, Solvita, Bone Bank, Vivex).

LifeGift's revenue model combines three streams: CMS-regulated organ acquisition fees billed to transplant centers per organ provided (no charge to donor families), cost recovery from tissue processing partners for tissues processed into medical products, and tax-deductible public donations supporting outreach and education. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is governed by CMS rate-setting. The organization employs approximately 412 people across offices in Houston, Fort Worth, and Lubbock, and is led by President and CEO Kevin A. Myer, who has held the role since 2013.

Name

Lifegift Organ Donation Center

Legal name

LifeGift

Website

https://lifegift.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

LifeGift is a federally designated nonprofit Organ Procurement Organization serving 109 Texas counties, coordinating deceased and living organ and tissue donation between 275+ hospitals, 10 transplant centers, and donor families across a 10-million-person service area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organ Procurement Services

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Routine In-Home Hospice Care (HSABAFAA)

Keywords

• Organ procurement services
• Tissue donation coordination
• Transplant logistics
• Donor family support
• Donation education training

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Organ acquisition fees: As a nonprofit OPO, LifeGift is permitted to bill transplant centers a set acquisition fee for each organ provided for transplant. This fee covers medical expenses and transportation costs related to the donation process. There is no charge for the donated organ itself. The acquisition fee becomes part of the total amount the transplant center bills to the organ recipient or their insurance carrier. These fees are never charged to donor families.
2. Tissue donation cost recovery: LifeGift recovers costs related to the tissue donation process from the companies that process tissues into usable medical devices and products for surgery, such as bone, skin, and heart valves. Charges and expenses are regulated and audited by the U.S. Department of Health's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
3. Donor registration and public donations: LifeGift accepts tax-deductible contributions from the public to support donation awareness, education, and community outreach efforts. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

LifeGift operates as a federally designated Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) coordinating deceased organ and tissue donation across 109 counties in Southeast, North, and West Texas. It manages the end-to-end donation process from donor referral and family authorization through clinical evaluation, organ matching, recovery, and placement with 275+ hospital partners and 10 transplant centers. The organization also provides donor family support, professional training through the LIFT Institute and SIM Center, living donation facilitation, and neonatal donation programs.

Product overview

LifeGift operates as an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) providing a comprehensive suite of organ and tissue donation services across 109 Texas counties in Southeast, North, and West Texas. Core offerings include organ donation coordination, tissue donation services, living donation support, and neonatal donation programs. The organization supports these clinical services with family support programs including the Pathlight newsletter and Legacy of Hope Family Resource Guide, professional education through the LIFT Learning Management System and SIM Center simulation training, community engagement via the Ambassadors of Hope volunteer program and annual 2nd Chance Run event, and hospital partner recognition through The Dove Award and Heart of a Hero Award. LifeGift partners with over 275 hospitals and 10 transplant centers to facilitate donation and transplantation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organ Donation Services
• Tissue Donation Services
• Living Donation Coordination
• Neonatal Donation Program
• Transplant Recipient Support Services
• Donor Family Support Services
• LifeGift Institute for the Future of Transplantation (LIFT)
• SIM Center - Simulation Training
• Ambassadors of Hope Volunteer Program
• LifeGift 2nd Chance Run
• The Dove Award
• Heart of a Hero Award
• Organ & Tissue Donation 101 Course
• OR Readiness for Organ Recovery Course

Quantifiable outcome

• 456 organ donors and 619 tissue donors in 2025, resulting in 1,357 organs transplanted and 1,239 lives saved
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Donate Life TexascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonate Life Texas is the official state organ, eye, and tissue donor registry for Texas, part of the national Donate Life America registry network. Texas OPOs, including LifeGift, use the registry to confirm donor registration status when a person passes away. LifeGift directs Texans to register through Donate Life Texas and supports its mission.
• 275+ Hospital PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift partners with more than 275 hospitals across 109 counties in Southeast, North, and West Texas to facilitate donor referrals, family authorization, clinical coordination, and organ/tissue recovery. Hospitals are essential to identifying potential donors and supporting the donation process.
• 10 Transplant CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift partners with 10 transplant centers to match donated organs with waiting recipients and coordinate organ recovery and transport for transplantation surgery.
• Southwest Transplant AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two other nonprofit OPOs in Texas, designated by federal law to perform organ recovery in their respective service areas. LifeGift shares the statewide mission with this partner OPO.
• Texas Organ Sharing AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two other nonprofit OPOs in Texas, designated by federal law to perform organ recovery in their respective service areas. LifeGift shares the statewide mission with this partner OPO.
• Academic Medical Centers, Universities, and Biotechnology CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift partners with leading academic medical centers, universities, and biotech companies for research initiatives. Researchers submit study proposals through a research portal; approved studies involve coordination of organ and tissue offers for research purposes.
• Medical Examiners and CoronersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift works with medical examiners and coroners throughout its coverage area to ensure successful outcomes for organ and tissue donation while fulfilling medical-legal responsibilities. Because all unexpected deaths require ME/coroner review, their cooperation is essential for donation cases.
• Funeral HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift coordinates with funeral homes to ensure donation does not delay or affect family funeral/memorial service plans. LifeGift reimburses funeral homes for any donation-related costs above standard fees.
• Hospice and Long-Term Care OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift partners with hospice and long-term care facilities to identify potential tissue and eye donors and honor donation decisions as part of end-of-life care planning.
• EMS Referral Program PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMS providers participate in LifeGift's referral program, notifying LifeGift of potential donors to preserve donation opportunities.
• The Living BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift refers individuals seeking information about living donation to The Living Bank, a resource for living organ donation education and coordination.
• Living Donor CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeGift is spearheading the Living Donor Collaborative — a collective effort among transplant centers to facilitate more living donor chains and kidney paired donations. This extends LifeGift's reach into living donation coordination.
• 2nd Chance Run Event SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors (CareDx, Community Tissue Services, Durotech Foundation, Eurofins Transplant Genomic, Houston Methodist, Organ Recovery Systems, Baylor Scott & White, LifeNet Health, Medical City Healthcare, Texas Health, Cigna, Children's Transplant Initiative, Nora's Home, Smilin Rylen Foundation, Kendra Scott, and others) support LifeGift's annual 2nd Chance Run events.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Donor Alliance: Nonprofit OPO serving Colorado and Wyoming with tissue recovery; shares LifeGift's structure (designated OPO, tissue recovery, donor family services, community education).
• Mid-America Transplant: Nonprofit OPO serving parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas; comparable mid-to-large OPO with similar hospital network model, tissue services, and community outreach programs.
• Donor Network West: Federally designated OPO serving northern California and Nevada; comparable in regional scale, tissue services, and community education mission to LifeGift.
• Texas Organ Sharing Alliance: Federally designated OPO covering South and West Texas counties outside LifeGift's territory; direct peer performing the same deceased organ and tissue recovery mission under the same CMS framework.
• Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network: Nonprofit OPO serving Illinois and northwest Indiana; comparable in scale and structure to LifeGift with similar hospital partnership, donor family support, and multicultural outreach programs.
• Midwest Transplant Network: Nonprofit OPO serving Kansas and western Missouri; comparable to LifeGift as an organ and tissue recovery organization with hospital partnership and family support programs (LifeGift's VP of Donation Communication Services previously worked there).
• Southwest Transplant Alliance: Federally designated OPO serving other regions of Texas; shares the same CMS-regulated organ recovery mandate as LifeGift and competes for hospital partnerships within the state.

Emerging players

• LifeNet Health: Nonprofit tissue processor and OPO-adjacent organization; LifeGift's HR VP previously led HR there, and LifeNet Health is one of LifeGift's tissue processing partners, making it a closely-linked peer in the donation ecosystem.
• MTF Biologics: Nonprofit tissue procurement and processing organization; operates its own donor services network but also intersects with LifeGift's recovery ecosystem through tissue recovery and processing partnerships.

Others

• Donate Life America: National umbrella organization managing the Donate Life brand and registry network that includes Donate Life Texas (LifeGift's core public registration partner); ecosystem-level counterpart rather than direct OPO competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LifeGift.org?ref=br_tf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifegift
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifegift
• Xx.com/LifeGift

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Lifegift Organ Donation Center