The Kidney Donation Crisis in America
America faces a quiet but devastating organ shortage. More than 100,000 people are currently waitlisted for a kidney transplant. Each day, over a dozen of them die while still waiting. Despite living donation being one of the most effective treatments available, the number of living kidney donors has stalled at fewer than 7,000 per year — a figure that has barely moved in two decades.
This stagnation is not due to a lack of need. Rather, it reflects a complex web of financial, logistical, and educational barriers. Potential donors are often deterred by surgical fears, long-term health concerns, and the absence of clear support structures. Consequently, thousands of patients never receive the kidney they need.
What Is the EMPOWER Prize Challenge?
To break this cycle, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched the 2026 KidneyX EMPOWER Prize Challenge — a $4 million national competition designed to accelerate innovations that support living kidney donors. Managed through the Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX), the challenge targets five specific barriers that currently limit donation rates across the country.
Furthermore, the competition is open to innovators, healthcare organizations, technologists, and community groups. Solutions must address real, measurable gaps in the living donor pipeline. Applicants can find more information and submit entries at kidneyxempowerchallenge.org.
Five Key Barriers the Challenge Targets
Public Awareness and Mentorship
Many eligible donors simply do not know how the process works or what long-term outcomes look like. Therefore, the challenge funds community-based models that identify potential donors early and provide mentorship throughout their decision-making journey. Building these local networks is essential to reaching populations that traditional outreach consistently misses.
Donor Interventions and Education
Fear of surgery and uncertainty about long-term health remain among the top reasons potential donors step back. As a result, this category funds educational tools and intervention programs that directly address these concerns. Clear, accessible information can shift hesitation into confidence for many would-be donors.
Donor Readiness and Eligibility
Some willing donors face clinical or lifestyle barriers to eligibility. BMI management, smoking cessation, and financial planning are common obstacles. Accordingly, this category supports programs that help donors navigate these hurdles before they reach the surgical evaluation stage.
Donor-Centered Outcomes and Monitoring
Long-term tracking of donor health is critical — yet it remains inconsistent across transplant centers. This barrier category funds solutions that implement robust monitoring strategies for donors after surgery. Better data on post-donation outcomes will also help future donors make more informed decisions.
Center Practices and Administrative Reform
Administrative delays at transplant centers slow the entire donation process. Moreover, best practices are rarely shared across institutions or geographic regions. This category encourages centers to adopt and disseminate proven process improvements that reduce wait times and increase throughput.
Modernizing Kidney Care Data Infrastructure
In parallel with the prize challenge, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is collaborating with the nephrology community on a separate but related effort. Together, they aim to improve data standardization across the kidney care ecosystem.
This work seeks to enable seamless, secure data exchange between providers, transplant centers, and researchers. Additionally, it will give clinicians and patients better tools for clinical coordination, decision support, and long-term research. Modernizing the national organ procurement system is also a priority — with a focus on ensuring more equitable access to life-saving transplants nationwide.
About KidneyX and Its Track Record
KidneyX is a public-private partnership between HHS and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Since its founding, KidneyX has awarded more than $25 million to over 70 winners working to transform kidney disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The EMPOWER Prize Challenge represents its largest and most targeted effort yet to address the living donor shortage directly.
How to Apply
Innovators interested in the $4 million challenge can visit kidneyxempowerchallenge.org for full eligibility details, submission guidelines, and deadlines. Both individual and organizational applicants are encouraged to apply.
