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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: December 2024 Expires: December 2026

Gift of Life Marrow Registry

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
5
(800) 962-7769
5901 Broken Sound Parkway, NW, Suite 600
Boca Raton, FL, 33487
https://giftoflife.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Gift of Life Marrow Registry does not meet the following 1 Standards for Charity Accountability:

Standard 5 (Conflict of Interest)
No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. Factors that will be considered when concluding whether or not a related party transaction constitutes a conflict of interest and if such a conflict is material, include, but are not limited to: any arm's length procedures established by the charity; the size of the transaction relative to like expenses of the charity; whether the interested party participated in the board vote on the transaction; if competitive bids were sought and whether the transaction is one-time, recurring or ongoing.

GLMR does not meet this Standard because:

  • According to the organization's 2022 consolidated audited financial statements, "Biologics [a wholly owned subsidiary of GLMR] issued several convertible notes to various officers and board members of Biologics and the Registry. Convertible notes and accrued interest on the convertible notes as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $1,625,000 and $83,770, and $1,575,000 and $19,104, respectively." GLMR reports that in February 2025, the notes and accrued interest were converted into stock in Biologics.

It is the opinion of BBB WGA that GLMR does not meet this Standard because this circumstance constitutes a conflict of interest. Following the conversion of these notes, several board members, their family members and a staff member became part-owners in Biologics, which is still an affiliate of GLMR. In addition, the charity indicated that some board members purchased additional stock beyond their converted amount.

Gift of Life Marrow Registry meets the remaining 19 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to cure blood cancer through cellular therapy."

Year, State Incorporated:
1991, NJ

Also Known As:
Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation

Gift of Life Marrow Registry (GLMR) operates a national stem cell donor registry, a donor stem cell collection center, a cellular therapy laboratory and a donor recruitment program. GLMR performs an international service through its volunteers, unrelated donors, and collaborative relationships with transplant centers, domestic and international cooperative registries, and the global registry known as the World Marrow Donor Association. Services include donor recruitment, case management, procurement, processing, biobanking and distribution, patient advocacy, and community outreach. In 2022, GLMR reported that 3,330 donors were requested for confirmatory and extended typing, and 327 transplants were facilitated for patients with life-threatening illnesses. The organization also reported that 42,419 donors were tissue typed at 1,800 community registration drives.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, Gift of Life Marrow Registry's program expenses were:

Donor services $6,155,549
Biorepository $23,937
Search coordination $156,310
Information systems $1,225,896
Community engagement and recruitment $5,081,415
Cell therapy laboratory $2,233,667
Quality assurance/regulatory compliance $920,549
Collection center $2,125,254
Medical services $800,609
Biologics $934,883
Total Program Expenses $19,658,069

Chief Executive
Jay A. Feinberg, Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$505,387

Chair of the Board
Stephen B. Siegel

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Chairman of Global Brokerage, CBRE

Board Size
14

Paid Staff Size
130

*2022 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio, Special events, Telemarketing

Fundraising costs were 30% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $4,633,421, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Gift of Life Marrow Registry's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Source of Funds
Investment income, net $20,763
Donated services $727,489
Biologics - sales, net $842,743
Service fees-apheresis collection center $1,271,828
Contributions $3,905,932
Service fees-registries and transplant centers $13,993,628
Total Income $20,762,383

Programs: 89% Fundraising: 6% Administrative: 4%

Total Income $20,762,383
Total expenses: $22,084,838
  Program expenses $19,658,069
  Fundraising expenses $1,391,946
  Administrative expenses $805,607
  Other expenses $229,216
Income in Excess of Expenses $-1,322,455
Beginning Net Assets $9,141,729
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $7,819,274
Total Liabilities $19,513,374
Total Assets $27,362,398

Note 1: According to GLMR's 2022 consolidated audited financial statements, the organization received in-kind contributions totaling $727,489 in the form of drive coordinators ($699,000), professional fees ($15,989), and licenses ($12,500).

Note 2: In the financial section above, "other expense" refers to an interest expense - Biologics.

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance