Where to learn more if you are interested in donating

Talk to your transplant center about financial support to lower donation costs

There are programs that can help with the costs of donating a kidney:

Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program, administered through the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) can help eligible donors with travel expenses, lost wages, and dependent care costs. Talk to your transplant center about this program.

American Transplant Foundation (ATF): A patient assistance program to help with lost wages.
- americantransplantfoundation.org/programs/pap/
National Kidney Registry Donor Shield: A program that can offer reimbursement for certain costs such as lost wages, lodging, meals, and even pet care.
- donorshield.com/kidney-donors/
Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD): Donor Protect provides protection for every living kidney donor who donates a kidney through the APKD. This includes priority for a living donor transplant, should a living kidney donor ever need one, and financial support.
- paireddonation.org/donorprotect/
American Kidney Fund (AKF): Offers financial support for living kidney donors in Illinois, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C.
- kidneyfund.org/get-assistance/living-donor-assistance-program

Talk to your living donor social worker about other financial resources that may be available to you. These are not all the possible resources that may be available to you, and their inclusion on this website is not an endorsement of these services.

Learn more about living kidney donation

Helpful resources to learn more about kidney donation

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Provides trusted federal information and resources about organ donation and transplantation, including living donation, the donation process, and what to expect as a donor. HRSA is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- organdonor.gov/
National Kidney Foundation (NKF): Nonprofit organization with The Big Ask, The Big Give project, which helps begin the conversation about living kidney donation.
American Kidney Fund (AKF): Nonprofit organization that provides information on kidney disease and becoming a kidney donor.
- kidneyfund.org/kidney-donation-and-transplant/preparing-your-living-kidney-donation
American Society of Transplantation (AST): The Living Kidney Donor Medical Toolkit offers a series of chapters about specific aspects of living kidney donor evaluation and experience.
- livingdonortoolkit.com/medical-toolkit
National Kidney Registry (NKR): Registry that outlines the process of donating through NKR and provides tools for finding a living kidney donor.
- kidneyregistry.com/

Watch stories of living donors

The Living Donation Storytelling Project
- Hear real life stories on our website

Talk to others about living kidney donation

Ask your questions through the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) CARES Help Line

If you have questions about living kidney donation or transplants, are looking for educational material, or need help finding a transplant center, you can contact NKF CARES:

Call: 855-653-2273, Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm ET
Or send a message: NKF CARES

Talk to a peer mentor through NKF PEERS

If you'd like to talk to someone who has donated, had a transplant, or is a care partner for someone living with kidney disease to hear their experience and ask questions, you can contact NKF PEERS:

Visit: NKF PEERS
Or call: 855-653-2273, Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm ET

Ready to get started with living kidney donation?

Find a transplant center near you

This online tool from The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients allows you to search for a transplant center in the U.S. based on organ type and location:

Find a transplant center in the U.S.

Note: This website states it is for recipients, but donors can search for transplant centers too.

Progress through living kidney donor education