COTA

GIVE HOPE

MAKE A MIRACLE

COTA Advantages

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association is pleased to speak to you about your fundraising options.  The best time to explore fundraising options is immediately after your initial diagnosis or evaluation at the transplant center.  In fact, you may receive information about COTA from transplant professionals at your transplant center.  Most families are overwhelmed with all of the transplant details.  However, addressing the financial part of the transplant early will be to your benefit.  You will be better able to get through the transplant process if you don’t have to worry about finances.

Even though it’s to your advantage to start exploring fundraising options early in the transplant process, many families wait until they are well into the transplant process before realizing that they are going to experience (or are experiencing) financial issues.  This is another good time to call COTA.  Remember, COTA can work with families before being listed, after listing but before the transplant and after the transplant.

When a family calls COTA, our professional staff will ask for preliminary information about the family and the transplant patient.  We will then send a packet of information to the family.  Two weeks later, a COTA staff member will call the family to answer questions about the COTA program.

When a family chooses to sign a patient agreement, COTA works with the family to identify fundraising campaign volunteers.  When volunteers are named, COTA begins to orientate and train the volunteer group immediately.  A financial goal is set for every patient campaign based on the family’s situation.  A website is provided to each campaign, and is used for communications and fundraising purposes.  Meanwhile, we continue working with the family to identify their specific financial and support needs.

Should a family not be able to identify volunteers, COTA will work on the family’s behalf to recruit volunteers and to find funding sources.

Children’s Organ Transplant Association has been in existence since 1986.  Over the past 20-plus years, COTA has constantly and consistently updated and upgraded services to ensure that our families’ needs are being met.  Key services for transplant families include:

No Cost Services

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association does not charge for its services or take a percentage of funds raised.  100% of funds raised in honor of patients are used for patients’ transplant-related expenses.

Not-for-Profit Status

Because the Children’s Organ Transplant Association is a 501(c)3 charity, gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.  And, because COTA serves as the trustee of the funds, these funds are not considered income for the family and do not jeopardize any assistance program the family has or may qualify for.

Integrated Communications and Support

During regular business hours, a Children’s Organ Transplant Association staff member will immediately respond to your needs and requests.  Calls from families needing urgent or emergency after-hours and weekend assistance are returned within an hour after leaving a message with the COTA message service.  All requests receive a response within one business day, with faster response available upon request.  In addition, COTA offers extensive telephone and online support of families and campaign volunteers.

Fundraising Campaign Development

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association staff works closely with key volunteers to schedule an on-site training for the volunteer group.  Additionally, COTA staff members and experienced COTA volunteers are available to assist campaign volunteers before, during and after a fundraising campaign.  Start-up supplies and campaign manuals are provided at no charge.   Extensive and comprehensive online resources are available to the entire campaign team.

Campaign/Family Website

Each patient campaign is provided with a no-cost website to use for fundraising and for communications purposes.  A Children’s Organ Transplant Association staff member is available to assist with the establishment and ongoing maintenance of the site.  In addition, new tools are added to the site frequently as new technology becomes available.

Ongoing Campaign Support

Ongoing assistance is available to all patient campaign volunteers.  The Children’s Organ Transplant Association’s professional staff members will assist campaign volunteers in planning and implementing campaign activities and events.  Tools and templates are available on the COTA website in a special section devoted to campaign volunteers.  These materials are updated regularly and new resources are added every month.

Negotiating Services

Children’s Organ Transplant Association staff members can work directly with transplant centers, hotels, airlines, etc. to ensure the lowest cost services are extended to the patient and their family.

COTA offers:

• Free services…no fee charged or percentage taken from funds raised.
• Challenge Grant program with up to $10,000 available to each patient campaign.
• Comprehensive orientation and training program including professional staff visit to the family’s location when a volunteer group is recruited.
• No cost, customizable Website for fundraising and communications purposes.
• On-going fundraising advice before, during and after the fundraising campaign.
• Reimbursement and expense payments processed weekly.
• Trustee of the funds – funds are not taxable income and won’t jeopardize any assistance program.
• Funds available for patients’ lifetime for almost any transplant-related expense.

Other COTA services include:

• Credit card and online donations accepted – no merchant fees charged
• Web based communications and fundraising resources available
• Experienced volunteers available for support and advice
• Liaison between transplant center and patient.
• Participation in the United Way and Combined Federal Campaigns
• 501(c)(3) status, so tax deductions are available to contributors
• Acknowledgement of contributions
• Detailed information about contributions and disbursements
• Fiscal accountability to families and contributors
• Referrals to other support resources
• Patient account statement sent semi-annually and balance information available upon request.
• List of contributors sent upon request
• Monitoring of all financial contributions by a staff certified public accountant