Doctors Without Borders USA does not meet the following 4 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 1 (Oversight of Operations and Staff)
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.
DWB USA does not meet this Standard because its board of directors did not:
- Receive information about the financial arrangements made with outside fund raising firms and consultants hired in 2019.
Standard 4 (Compensated Board Members)
Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.
DWB USA does not meet this Standard because:
- Two members out of the 13 member board of directors (15%), including the chair, are compensated directly.
Standard 6 (Board Policy on Effectiveness)
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
DWB USA does not meet this Standard because:
- The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
DWB USA does not meet this Standard because the organization's 2019 annual report does not:
- Include total expenses for each program in the same categories that appear in the organization's financial statements (communications, emergency and medical programs, field staff, and program support and development).
Doctors Without Borders USA meets the remaining 16 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Year, State Incorporated
1987, NY
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Also Known As
Medecins Sans Frontieres USA
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Stated Purpose
"to provide independent medical humanitarian emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, natural disasters, and exclusion from health care."
Doctors Without Borders USA (DWB USA) provides assistance when catastrophic events - such as armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, or natural disasters - overwhelm local health systems, and operates comprehensive, and in some cases, long standing, treatment programs for people living with a host of neglected diseases. The organization also assists people who face discrimination, neglect, or are otherwise excluded from local health systems or when populations are otherwise excluded from health care. DWB USA reports that, in 2019, 216 aid workers were dispatched on a total of 372 field missions in 58 countries.
For the year ended December 31, 2019, Doctors Without Borders USA's program expenses were:
| Emergency and medical programs |
$358,966,660 |
| Program support and development |
$15,065,885 |
| Field staff |
$9,306,330 |
| Communications |
$4,174,580 |
| Total Program Expenses: |
$387,513,455 |
*2019 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Note: Ms. Avril Benoit was hired in June 2019. The highest compensated staff member was Mr. Thomas Kurmann, Development Director. Mr. Kurmann's compensation was $234,043 in 2019.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Door-to-door appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Invitations to fund raising events, Membership appeals, Planned giving arrangements, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Telephone appeals, Radio, Cause- related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Other
Fundraising costs were 14% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $432,255,878, 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 Doctors Without Borders USA's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019.
| Source of Funds |
| Individual donors/marketing |
$139,205,830 |
| Major gifts |
$105,632,274 |
| Planned giving |
$97,967,599 |
| Sustainer giving |
$38,962,826 |
| Corporations |
$18,733,063 |
| Foundations |
$14,130,713 |
| Seconded field staff grants |
$9,656,875 |
| Investment income |
$9,175,615 |
| MSF network grants |
$4,616,027 |
| Multi-year grants and contributions pledged |
$2,255,000 |
| In-kind services |
$1,095,671 |
| Rental income, net |
$60,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
($210,731) |
| Total Income |
$439,817,788 |
- Programs: 86%
- Fundraising: 13%
- Administrative: Less than 1%
- Other: Less than 1%
| Total Income |
$439,817,788 |
| Program expenses |
$387,513,455 |
| Fundraising expenses |
$62,169,411 |
| Administrative expenses |
$4,579,652 |
| Other expenses |
$1,095,671 |
| Total expenses: |
$455,358,189 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses |
$-15,540,401 |
| Beginning Net Assets |
$237,779,952 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets |
$-731,487 |
| Ending Net Assets |
$222,971,038 |
| Total Liabilities |
$46,337,527 |
| Total Assets |
$269,308,565 |
Note 1: According to DWB USA's 2019 audited financial statements, the organization received in-kind contributions totaling $1,095,671 in the form of legal and miscellaneous services.
Note 2: In the financial section above, "other changes in net assets" refers to an actuarial loss on annuity and trust obligations.