Mercy Ships Foundation

Analysis

Mercy Ships Foundation is a registered charity in United States, based in Lindale, TX. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in October 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations, which this site groups under grant-making and general purposes. The IRS classifies it as a supporting organisation (type i) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Mercy Ships Foundation reported income of $4.1m and spending of $1.4m, leaving 66% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $46.8m to $4.1m (-91%), an average of -45% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 228%. Over the whole period it spent 81% of the income it received.

Among 19,413 United States charities whose main cause is grant-making and general purposes and that reported income, Mercy Ships Foundation sits at the 92nd percentile: it is larger than about 92% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile, and in the 93rd percentile within TX. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include United Way of West Florida Inc ($4.1m), Community Foundation of South Puget Sound ($4.2m) and Myvtzer Hayeshivos ($4.1m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 71% of the total. At year end it held assets of $250.5m against liabilities of $5.3m, net assets of $245.2m.