Mercy Corps
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
- Income
- $376.3 million
- Spending
- $387.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 59%
- Employees
- 568
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $601,632, chief executive officer
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
Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (international, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 76% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (international, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 13 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
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 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 (7)
- $154.1 million spent. Economic Opportunities: Mercy Corps helps increase economic opportunities and ensures people can grow and sustain their assets and income, making markets more efficient, profitable and accessible for systemically marginalized groups and those living in poverty. To increase economic opportunity, Mercy Corps strengthens financial ecosystems, develops tech-enabled solutions, facilitates the creation of and access to jobs that are profitable, dignified, and safe, and foster opportunities for sustainable and productive economic growth that mitigates the impact of climate change. This year, Mercy Corps reached over 19 million people through over 130 programs across 38 countries working to increase economic opportunity.
- $40.0 million spent. Humanitarian Assistance - relief: Mercy Corps helps people most impacted by conflict and climate change cope, adapt and thrive, supporting millions facing natural and man-made disasters by providing support such as food, clean water, shelter and basic hygiene to help them cope in the midst of conflict, natural disasters and weather-related incidents. Mercy Corps helps communities prepare for and respond to humanitarian needs as they arise, while supporting recovery and laying the foundations for resilience even in the most extreme humanitarian situations. This year, Mercy Corps provided humanitarian assistance to millions facing acute and protracted emergencies around the world, including in Sudan, Gaza, Haiti - reaching 37.6 million people across programs.
- $39.5 million spent. Peace and good governance (Civil society and education): Mercy Corps supports people and communities to reduce and prevent violence, contribute to advancing sustainable peace, and participating meaningfully in civil society and inclusive and responsive governance systems. By sequencing, layering, and integrating our peace, humanitarian, and development assistance, we help advance peace and promote inclusive, responsive governance processes, that enable communities - and the most marginalized within them - to cope, adapt, and thrive. This year, Mercy Corps reached over 14 million people with peace and good governance programs across 29 countries.
- $30.4 million spent. Humanitarian Assistance - Recovery: Mercy Corps supports communities - and the most marginalized within them - to emerge from crisis and build towards a more inclusive, resilient future. During and in the aftermath of conflict and climate-driven crises, Mercy Corps works to help people recover, thrive and build resilience, enhancing the capacities of people, markets, and institutions to handle shocks, reduce risk, build more equitable and responsive systems, and improve wellbeing. In the context of post-crisis recovery, we focus on systems-level change aimed at strengthening local governance, economic, ecological, and social systems that communities rely on.
- $28.2 million spent. Health - Water and Food Security: In the midst of conflict and climate change, both of which pose significant risks to health, Mercy Corps works to improve health outcomes by ensuring access to safe and nutritious food and clean and safe water. Mercy Corps meets urgent food needs while also building more inclusive and resilient food systems, minimizing the impacts of food crises on households, preventing the destabilization of food systems during conflict and natural disasters, and increasing the resilience of food systems to climate change. This year, Mercy Corps reached nearly 17 million people across over 100 programs working to improve food security in 37 countries. Mercy Corps works to ensure people have equitable and sustained access to clean and safe water as climate change, poor water governance, inadequate water management and inequitable control of resources deepen water insecurity. Whether responding to immediate water and sanitation needs in an emergency by providing access to lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene services, or overseeing large-scale water infrastructure projects and fostering equitable and inclusive water governance processes, Mercy Corps strengthens the capacity of communities and the water systems they rely on. This year, Mercy Corps reached over 8 million people across 71 programs advancing water security in 29 countries.
- (Expenses $ 30,389,913 including grants of $ 15,895,784)(Revenue $ 29,250) Humanitarian Assistance - Recovery: Mercy Corps supports communities - and the most marginalized within them - to emerge from crisis and build towards a more inclusive, resilient future. During and in the aftermath of conflict and climate-driven crises, Mercy Corps works to help people recover, thrive and build resilience, enhancing the capacities of people, markets, and institutions to handle shocks, reduce risk, build more equitable and responsive systems, and improve wellbeing. In the context of post-crisis recovery, we focus on systems-level change aimed at strengthening local governance, economic, ecological, and social systems that communities rely on.
- (Expenses $ 28,154,687 including grants of $ 14,726,624)(Revenue $ 27,099) Health - Water and Food Security: In the midst of conflict and climate change, both of which pose significant risks to health, Mercy Corps works to improve health outcomes by ensuring access to safe and nutritious food and clean and safe water. Mercy Corps meets urgent food needs while also building more inclusive and resilient food systems, minimizing the impacts of food crises on households, preventing the destabilization of food systems during conflict and natural disasters, and increasing the resilience of food systems to climate change. This year, Mercy Corps reached nearly 17 million people across over 100 programs working to improve food security in 37 countries. Mercy Corps works to ensure people have equitable and sustained access to clean and safe water as climate change, poor water governance, inadequate water management and inequitable control of resources deepen water insecurity. Whether responding to immediate water and sanitation needs in an emergency by providing access to lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene services, or overseeing large-scale water infrastructure projects and fostering equitable and inclusive water governance processes, Mercy Corps strengthens the capacity of communities and the water systems they rely on. This year, Mercy Corps reached over 8 million people across 71 programs advancing water security in 29 countries.
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 September 1981.
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.