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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: January 2026 Expires: January 2028

Catholic Relief Services

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(877) 435-7277
228 West Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD, 21201
https://crs.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Catholic Relief Services meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to carry out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas; to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

Year, State Incorporated:
1943, DC

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) aims to promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies. The organization serves Catholics in the United States and assists people on the basis of need, not creed, race, or nationality. CRS’s programs focus on improving lives through integrated, community-based solutions around emergency response to natural disasters and conflicts; health; agriculture; water, sanitation, and hygiene; education; justice and peacebuilding; and microfinance and capacity strengthening. The organization partners with nearly 2,000 local organizations in 134 countries. Some ($562,030 or less than 1%) of CRS's program activities were carried out in conjunction with fundraising appeals.

For the year ended September 30, 2024, Catholic Relief Services's program expenses were:

Emergency $616,185,000
Health and social services $289,812,000
Education $126,987,000
Agriculture and livelihoods $124,196,000
Justice, peacebuilding, and youth $37,010,000
Partner capacity strengthening $27,603,000
Water security $17,122,000
Small enterprise $3,319,000
Total Program Expenses $1,242,234,000

Chief Executive
Sean Callahan, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$639,791

Chair of the Board
Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Archbishop of Philadelphia

Board Size
25

Paid Staff Size
5114

*2023 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Telephone appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Membership appeals, Workplace Giving

CRS incurred joint costs of $1,147,000 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $584,970 was allocated to fundraising expenses, and $562,030 was allocated to program expenses.

Fundraising costs were 2% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $1,287,740,000, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Catholic Relief Services's audited financial statements - consolidated for the year ended September 30, 2024.

Source of Funds
United States government grants and agreements $547,865,000
In-kind contributions $285,897,000
Other public grants and contributions $158,386,000
Private contributions $149,455,000
Foundation and other private revenue $83,400,000
Bequests $54,483,000
Realized and unrealized loss on investments and financial instruments $27,182,000
Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl $8,254,000
Catholic Relief Services collection receivable $7,939,000
Miscellaneous income $4,745,000
Total Income $1,335,545,000

Programs: 93% Fundraising: 2% Administrative: 4%

Total Income $1,335,545,000
Total expenses: $1,331,109,000
  Program expenses $1,242,234,000
  Fundraising expenses $30,873,000
  Administrative expenses $48,293,000
  Other expenses $9,709,000
Income in Excess of Expenses $4,436,000
Beginning Net Assets $298,972,000
Other Changes In Net Assets $6,188,000
Ending Net Assets $301,657,000
Total Liabilities $411,621,000
Total Assets $713,278,000

Note 1: In the above financial statement, "other expenses" refers to public awareness.

Note 2: In the above financial statement, "other changes in net assets" refers to defined benefit plan adjustments ($3,888,000) and net change in annuities, trusts and pooled income fund ($2,300,000).

Note 3: According to the organization's consolidated audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2024, CRS received in-kind contributions totaling $285,897,000 in the form of agricultural commodities from USAID and USDA ($147,467,000), bed nets ($69,010,000), pharmaceuticals ($35,452,000), agricultural commodities from UN and other donors ($16,543,000), ocean frieght ($14,558,000), and other items ($2,867,000).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance