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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: October 2025 Expires: October 2027

Mercy Medical Angels

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(757) 318-9174
101 West Main Street, Suite 1000
Norfolk, VA, 23510
https://mercymedical.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

Mercy Medical Angels meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Complaints


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

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

(This complaint involved order fulfillment).

Stated Purpose:
"to remove the barrier to medical care with transportation on the ground and in the air."

Year, State Incorporated:
1984, VA

Also Known As:
Mercy Medical Airlift

Mercy Medical Angels (MMA) provides free transportation to individuals in need of medical care. Ground transportation is provided with gas cards, bus, and train tickets. Air transportation is flown by volunteer pilots or commercial airlines. Mercy Medical Angels reports that it runs programs for children, terminally ill patients, seniors, veterans and more.

For the year ended June 30, 2024, Mercy Medical Angels's program expenses were:

Airline patient travel $2,674,155
Volunteer pilot patient travel $1,133,675
Ground patient travel $766,558
Total Program Expenses $4,574,388

Chief Executive
James B. Godwin, III, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$194,278

Chair of the Board
John Venable

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies, Mitchell Institute

Board Size
13

Paid Staff Size
17

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

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Membership appeals, Planned giving arrangements, Telephone appeals, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.)

Fundraising costs were 7% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $4,622,888, 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 Mercy Medical Angels's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024.

Source of Funds
In-kind contributions $2,827,830
Contributions and grants $1,795,058
MOA partnership income $404,800
Unrealized and realized gain on investments $51,832
Reimbursed airline booking fees $44,929
Interest income, net $34,226
Other income $31,001
Change in allowance of uncollectible promises to give $-5,039
Total Income $5,184,637

Programs: 86% Fundraising: 6% Administrative: 8%

Total Income $5,184,637
Total expenses: $5,340,823
  Program expenses $4,574,388
  Fundraising expenses $317,405
  Administrative expenses $449,030
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-156,186
Beginning Net Assets $3,648,226
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $3,492,040
Total Liabilities $142,921
Total Assets $3,634,961

Note: According to the organization’s audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024, MMA received in-kind gifts totaling $2,827,830 in the form of airfare ($1,666,582), volunteer pilot ($940,572), office lease ($188,676), legal services ($20,000), and technology services ($12,000).

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