Why does the Hope Fund ask for donations from employees? Is it a private foundation or a public charity?
The Hope Fund is a 501(c)(3) public charity. We have chosen to be a public charity rather than a private foundation because there are federal tax laws in place that would prevent us from giving grants to employees, other than in times of a declared natural disaster. As a public charity, a significant amount of donations must come from sources outside of the corporation, like employees. HCA employees can make tax-deductible donations to the Hope Fund, and the Hope Fund can subsequently make tax-free grants to qualifying employees.
