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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: July 2026 Expires: July 2028

Heifer International

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(855) 948-6437
One World Avenue
Little Rock, AR, 72202
https://heifer.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

Heifer International meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Complaints

Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 36 months: 1.

Mailing List Removal

The organization addressed the complaint issues brought to its attention: 1.

(The complaint involved an individual seeking to have his or her name and contact information removed from the organization's mailing list)

Stated Purpose:
"to end hunger and poverty in partnership with the communities we serve."

Year, State Incorporated:
1953, AR

Also Known As:
Heifer Project International

Heifer International (Heifer) reports that it supports farmers sustainably address hunger and poverty in their communities with a focus on transforming food systems while caring for the Earth. Heifer states that its programs provide farmers with technical assistance and opportunities to strengthen skills, including finance and business management. Farmers receive inputs including livestock and seeds, support to improve the quality and quantity of the goods they produce, and connections to local and international markets to increase sales and incomes. Heifer works across a range of value chains, including food crops, livestock, spices, and textiles. Some ($4,904,854 or 4%) of Heifer's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fundraising appeals.

For the year ended June 30, 2025, Heifer International's program expenses were:

Program Services $137,383,400
Total Program Expenses $137,383,400

Chief Executive
Surita Sandosham, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$506,044

Chair of the Board
Esther Cohen

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
(Retired) Chief Operating Officer, Episcopal Relief and Development

Board Size
18

Paid Staff Size
972

*2024 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.), Television, Radio, Grant proposals, Internet, Door-to-door appeals, Planned giving arrangements, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Cryptocurrency and Workplace Giving

Heifer incurred joint costs of $12,539,142 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $7,634,288 was allocated to fundraising expenses and $4,904,854 was allocated to program expenses.

Fundraising costs were 23% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $168,215,574, 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 Heifer International's audited financial statements - consolidated for the year ended June 30, 2025.

Source of Funds
Contributions $137,975,890
Other grants $20,342,576
In-kind contributions $7,032,735
Other income $3,090,042
Federal government grants $2,864,373
Promotional events and material sales, net $85,100
Educational programs $50,591
Total Income $171,356,307

Programs: 74% Fundraising: 21% Administrative: 5%

Total Income $171,356,307
Total expenses: $185,836,936
  Program expenses $137,383,400
  Fundraising expenses $38,721,817
  Administrative expenses $9,731,719
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-14,480,629
Beginning Net Assets $268,249,675
Other Changes In Net Assets $5,718,357
Ending Net Assets $259,572,403
Total Liabilities $53,725,451
Total Assets $313,297,854

Note 1: According to Heifer's audited financial statements - consolidated - for the year ended June 30, 2025, the organization received in-kind contributions totaling $7,032,735 in the form of public service announcements for fundraising and public information ($6,934,453) and supplies and equipment ($98,282).

Note 2: In the financial section above, "other changes in assets" refers to change in interest in net assets of Heifer International Foundation ($13,529,209), loss on sale of property and equipment (-$7,783,996), and foreign currency translation adjustment (-$26,856).

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