COTA- Children's Organ Transplant Association, Inc

COTA is a national 501(c)3 charity which helps children and young adults who need a life-saving organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. We also work with patients over the age of 21 who need a transplant due to a genetic disease disorder such as Polycystic Kidney disease, Cystic Fibrosis or Sickle Cell Anemia. \r\n \r\nCOTA helps remove the financial barriers families face going through transplant. COTA guides community volunteers through every step of the fundraising process, including organizing and training the campaign committee; planning successful events; working with the media; and finding multiple sources of funding. COTA serves as owner and administrator of funds raised. Because COTA is the owner of the money raised, these funds are not considered income for our families. We are responsible to the IRS, our Board of Directors and the public when any funds are disbursed and our Board-approved process of obtaining receipts before a disbursement is made assures those to whom we are responsible that funds are being used for transplant-related expenses.

The Children's Organ Transplant Association's nationwide success is based on the support and efforts of selfless volunteers who work to launch community campaigns that raise funds for COTA in honor of a local child or young adult. Each local COTA volunteer team is chaired by a Community Coordinator who is then assisted by many other volunteers, including a Public Relations Coordinator and a Webmaster. COTA provides assistance to these local community campaign teams including robust online campaign resources; proven strategies for fundraising events with step-by-step instructions for planning, hosting and evaluating activities; professionally designed fundraising templates; social networking tips; successful volunteer recruitment and retention assistance, and in-person, online and telephone access to COTAs team of professionals. Funds raised in honor of COTA patients are managed by COTA and then allocated to remove the family's financial burden before, during and after their child's life-saving transplant. Most COTA volunteer groups organize multiple special events (such as garage sales, golf outings, car washes, bake sales and dinners) as well as solicit contributions from businesses, foundations and individual members of their community with COTA's guidance. Each COTA community campaign team is provided with a website that raises an average of $10,000 via online contributions. Once a community volunteer group has actively started raising funds in honor of a local patient, COTA augments those funds with challenge and reallocation grants of up to $5,000 per community campaign. COTA staff members and volunteers not only help to raise funds to meet transplant-related expenses, but continue to support transplant families throughout a patient's lifetime. In many instances once a COTA community campaign has reached its fundraising goal, volunteers who were motivated to help a local family decide to become COTA Miracle Makers who continue their support of transplant families nationwide by making unrestricted gifts to COTA and/or by organizing fundraisers that benefit the organization. Two key tenets of COTA support are noteworthy, and set us apart from all other transplant fundraising organizations. First, transplant patients/families are not charged for COTA services, and second, every dollar contributed in honor of COTA patients is used for transplant-related expenses.

The Children's Organ Transplant Association helps organize community volunteers who raise funds to help families with transplant-related expenses. COTA serves as the recipient, owner and administrator of all funds raised. Gifts may be made in honor of a community campaign. COTA then allocates all funds raised by community campaigns to help transplant families. \n\nThe Children's Organ Transplant Association's national headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, serves as the central clearinghouse for training, advice and supplies for community fundraising campaigns. \n\nCOTA volunteer services include:\n1. Not-for-Profit Status. Because COTA is a 501(c)3 charity, gifts to COTA are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. \n2. Community Campaign Development. COTA staff members work closely with key volunteers in a community to schedule a personalized training for the volunteer group. Additionally, staff members and experienced 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. \n3. Community Campaign Website and Donation Page. Each fundraising campaign is provided a no-cost website to use for fundraising and for communications. A COTA staff member is available to assist with the establishment and ongoing maintenance of the website. In addition, new tools are added to the site frequently as new technology becomes available.\n4. Ongoing Support. Ongoing assistance is available to all volunteers. COTA's professional staff members assist volunteers in planning and implementing community campaign activities and events. Tools and templates are available at COTA.org in a password-protected section devoted to volunteers. \n5. Toll-Free Telephone Service. During regular business hours (8 am to 5 pm EST, Monday through Friday), a staff member quickly responds to volunteers' needs and requests. All requests receive a response within two business days.\n\nThese services, and many others, are provided by COTA and are customized to each individual community campaign's needs.

What started as a drive to save the life of one child 36 years ago has become a national organization that has helped thousands of children and young adults who required a life-saving transplant. The Children's Organ Transplant Association strives to expand our reach to an increasing number of transplant families who need financial assistance, guidance and support. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reports there are currently (as of June 2016) 1,932 children ages 17 and under waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. There are many more children waiting for bone marrow and stem cell transplants. It is COTA's goal to remove the financial barriers families face during the transplant journey.