Mercy Ships International
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MERCY SHIPS OPERATES HOSPITAL SHIPS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THROUGH PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL CREW, PROVIDING FREE SURGICAL CARE TO PATIENTS AND TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR DOCTORS, NURSES, AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. MERCY SHIPS ALSO PARTNERS WITH THE COUNTRIES WE SERVE TO HELP CREATE MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FURTHERING OUR REACH OF HOPE AND HEALING.
- Income
- $287.1 million
- Spending
- $157.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 5.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 591
- Volunteers
- 3,168
- Highest pay
- $465,614, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (international, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 45% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 85% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (international, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 25 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.
Results it reports
- 3,313 specialty surgeries were performed at no cost.Work delivered
- 4,811 patients were evaluated during field consultation for surgery.Work delivered
- 953 healthcare professionals were trained and mentored.Work delivered
- Participants received a total of 159,983 training hours.Work delivered
- 13,829 dental procedures were provided.Work delivered
- 12 people were trained in nutritional agriculture.Work delivered
Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $118.1 million spent. MERCY SHIPS FOLLOWS THE 2,000-YEAR-OLD MODEL OF JESUS, BRINGING HOPE AND HEALING TO THE FORGOTTEN POOR. IN 2024, MERCY SHIPS CONTINUED PROVIDING MEDICAL SERVICES AT NO COST, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: - SPECIALTY SURGERIES PERFORMED 3,313 - PATIENTS EVALUATED DURING FIELD CONSULTATION FOR SURGERY 4,811 - HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TRAINED AND MENTORED 953 - TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANT TRAINING HOURS 159,983 - DENTAL PROCEDURES 13,829 - VOLUNTEER CREW 3,108 - CREW NATIONALITIES REPRESENTED 77 - TRAINED IN NUTRITIONAL AGRICULTURE 12
- Mercy Ships receives grants from its international affiliates which are used to pay for programmatic expenses. Non-programmatic expenses for Mercy Ships, including payroll, are covered by domestic donations.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 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 July 2008.
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.