Resurge International
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BUILD, SCALE, AND SUSTAIN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGICAL CAPACITY TO PROVIDE LIFE-CHANGING CARE TO THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEED.
- Income
- $5.0 million
- Spending
- $5.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 85
- Highest pay
- $301,336, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $3.2 million spent. RESURGE INTERNATIONAL ("RESURGE OR THE ORGANIZATION") IS A NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION DEDICATED TO INCREASING ACCESS TO LIFE-CHANGING RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGICAL CARE IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES. BY TRAINING, FUNDING, AND SCALING LOCAL SURGICAL TEAMS, RESURGE HELPS CHILDREN AND ADULTS RECEIVE LIFE-CHANGING PROCEDURES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE REMAIN OUT OF REACH. MORE THAN FIVE BILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE LACK ACCESS TO SAFE, TIMELY, AND AFFORDABLE SURGICAL CARE, AND AN ESTIMATED 16.9 MILLION PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR FROM SURGICALLY TREATABLE CONDITIONS. BEHIND THESE STATISTICS ARE CHILDREN UNABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL BECAUSE OF UNTREATED CLEFT CONDITIONS, PARENTS UNABLE TO WORK AFTER BURNS OR TRAUMATIC INJURIES, AND INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH PAIN, STIGMA, AND ISOLATION SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ACCESS BASIC SURGICAL CARE. RESURGE WORKS ACROSS 17 COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA, AFRICA, AND ASIA, PARTNERING WITH HOSPITALS, UNIVERSITIES, GOVERNMENTS, AND LEADING MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING COSECSA AND CANECSA TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGICAL TEAMS. SINCE 1969, RESURGE HAS PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 200,000 RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERIES AND BUILT LASTING SURGICAL CAPACITY IN COMMUNITIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED. RESURGE EVOLVED FROM PRIMARILY FUNDING SURGICAL MISSION TRIPS TO INVESTING IN THE TRAINING OF LOCAL RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGICAL TEAMS SHIFTING FROM A MODEL OF EPISODIC CARE TO ONE FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM IMPACT. BY EQUIPPING SURGEONS, ANESTHESIOLOGISTS, NURSES, AND MEDICAL EDUCATORS WITH ADVANCED SKILLS THEY CAN USE AND TEACH FOR DECADES, RESURGE HAS DRAMATICALLY EXPANDED ITS REACH, CREATING A MULTIPLIER EFFECT THAT BRINGS LIFE-CHANGING CARE TO FAR MORE PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES OVER TIME. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, RESURGE PROGRAMS DIRECTLY IMPACTED MORE THAN 31,000 PATIENTS, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 1,700 SURGERIES PERFORMED BY RESURGE SURGICAL OUTREACH PARTNERS LOCAL SURGEONS TRAINED DIRECTLY THROUGH RESURGE'S HANDS-ON SURGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. RESURGE ALSO TRAINED MORE THAN 8,700 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THROUGH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION DURING THE YEAR. THESE PROGRAMS NOT ONLY RESTORE FUNCTION AND APPEARANCE, BUT ALSO HELP PATIENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL, WORK, AND FAMILY LIFE REDUCING SUFFERING, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES, AND HELPING BREAK CYCLES OF POVERTY. RESURGE SUPPORTS 20 PERMANENT MEDICAL PARTNER PROGRAMS ACROSS 13 COUNTRIES AND PROVIDES SURGICAL CARE AT NO COST TO PATIENTS. ITS WORK IS MADE POSSIBLE IN LARGE PART THROUGH THE DEDICATION OF VOLUNTEER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, WHO CONTRIBUTED NEARLY 4,500 HOURS OF SERVICE DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO ADVANCES SPECIALIZED INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS CRITICAL GAPS IN SURGICAL CARE AND EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE RESURGE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM IN AFRICA (RIPA) AND THE PIONEERING WOMEN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEONS (PWRS) PROGRAM. RESURGE MAINTAINS NO POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1973.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.