Grace Thompson
Compassion International is a Christian child development organization that works to release children from poverty in Jesus' name. It is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and aims to positively influence the long-term development of impoverished children worldwide. The organization was founded in 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson, who was moved by the plight of orphaned children during his visit to South Korea. Since then, Compassion International has expanded its reach to 27 countries as of 2022 and has consistently received high ratings from Charity Navigator and CharityWatch for its governance and transparency. However, its rating dropped in 2016 due to changes in Charity Navigator's rating system, and it is no longer rated by them due to its reclassification as a religious organization.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Organization | Compassion International is a Christian child development organization |
| Year of Founding | 1952 |
| Mission | Working to release children from poverty in Jesus' name |
| Location | Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA |
| Number of Countries | 27 as of 2022 |
| Number of Children Helped in India | 145,000 |
| Annual Transfers to India | $45 million |
| Annual Compensation of President and CEO Santiago Mellado | $419,184 as of 2019 |
| Charity Ratings | CharityWatch: A grade as of June 2025; Charity Navigator: 3 out of 4 stars for accountability and transparency |
| Donor Confidence Score | 73 on MinistryWatch |
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What You'll Learn
- Compassion International is a Christian child development organisation
- It is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado
- It has received high ratings from Charity Navigator and CharityWatch
- It was barred from transferring funds to India in 2017
- It is no longer rated by Charity Navigator due to lack of transparency
Compassion International is a Christian child development organisation
As of 2022, Compassion International was present in 27 countries. It is a child sponsorship and humanitarian aid organisation that takes a holistic approach to child development, going beyond simply providing food and medical aid. It empowers local churches to provide individual care to children in poverty, enabling them to learn, grow, play and dream. It also focuses on education and training so that those it helps can eventually contribute back to their communities.
An independent research report in the Journal of Political Economy in 2013 concluded that Compassion International had a large and statistically significant impact on participants' years of school completion, the likelihood of later employment, and the quality of that employment. This was partly attributed to improved self-esteem and expectations in the children. As of 2015, Compassion International had received Charity Navigator's highest rating for 15 consecutive years. However, in 2016, its rating dropped to three out of four stars, and it is no longer rated by Charity Navigator due to a lack of accountability and finance data. It is, however, top-rated by CharityWatch and meets its governance and transparency benchmarks.
In 2019, Compassion International reclassified itself as a religious organisation or "an association of churches". This move has been noted as a growing trend among large Christian ministries. As a result, its Donor Confidence Score on MinistryWatch fell from 97 to 73. In 2024, Forbes magazine ranked Compassion International as the 12th-largest charity organisation in the US, with $1.3 billion in private donations received.
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It is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Compassion International is a Christian humanitarian aid organisation that aims to positively influence the long-term development of impoverished children worldwide. It is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The charity was founded in 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson, who initially travelled to South Korea to preach the gospel to US Army troops. However, he was deeply affected by the plight of the many abandoned children he encountered. As a result, he established the Everett Swanson Evangelistic Association, which later became known as Compassion International.
The charity's mission is to release children from poverty in Jesus' name by empowering local churches to provide holistic care. This care includes not only food and medical aid but also education and training, enabling children to contribute to their communities. Compassion International's impact has been significant, with independent research highlighting its positive effects on participants' education, employment prospects, and self-esteem.
Compassion International's presence extends beyond Colorado Springs, with operations in 27 countries as of 2022. The organisation has received recognition for its work, including Charity Navigator's highest rating for 15 consecutive years until 2016. However, its rating system changed that year, and Compassion International's overall rating dropped to three out of four stars due to accountability and transparency concerns. Forbes magazine ranked Compassion International as the 12th-largest charity organisation in the US in 2024, highlighting the significant donations it has received.
Despite its achievements, Compassion International has faced challenges. In 2015, its offices were raided by tax investigators probing allegations of funding religious conversions. Subsequently, in 2017, the Indian government barred the organisation from transferring funds into India, forcing it to cease operations there. Additionally, Compassion International's decision to reclassify itself as a religious organisation in 2019 resulted in a decline in its Donor Confidence Score on MinistryWatch.
Overall, Compassion International, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has played a significant role in improving the lives of children in poverty worldwide. While it has faced some setbacks, it continues to be a prominent charity organisation, receiving recognition for its impact and commitment to transparency and governance.
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It has received high ratings from Charity Navigator and CharityWatch
Compassion International is a Christian humanitarian aid organisation that aims to positively influence the long-term development of impoverished children worldwide. It was founded in 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson, who initially travelled to South Korea to preach the gospel to US Army troops. However, he was deeply affected by the plight of the many orphaned children he encountered. As a result, he began fundraising in 1953 and developed sponsorship programs to support orphans for a few dollars a month.
The organisation has received high ratings from Charity Navigator and CharityWatch, two independent charity evaluation organisations. Charity Navigator, which evaluates nonprofits based on accountability, finance, leadership, strategic thinking, and planning, awarded Compassion International its highest rating for 15 consecutive years until 2016. This placed them on the "10 Charities with the Most Consecutive 4-Star Ratings" list. However, due to a change in Charity Navigator's rating system, Compassion International's overall rating dropped to three stars out of four in 2016. This change in rating was due to a lack of available data, as Compassion International had only submitted three years of electronically-filed IRS Form 990 data, which is used by Charity Navigator to analyse year-to-year consistency.
Despite this, Compassion International has continued to demonstrate strong financial accountability and transparency, meeting the "20 Standards for Charity Accountability" from the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance as of February 2025. Additionally, as of June 2025, the organisation holds a grade of "A" from CharityWatch, indicating that it meets governance and transparency benchmarks. CharityWatch's evaluation process includes an in-depth analysis of audited financial statements, IRS tax filings, state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts.
The positive ratings from these independent organisations reflect Compassion International's effective use of donor resources and its commitment to releasing children from poverty through holistic care and education, empowering them to learn, grow, play, and dream.
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It was barred from transferring funds to India in 2017
Compassion International is an American child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization. It was founded in 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson to help children orphaned by the war in South Korea. The Everett Swanson Evangelistic Association changed its name to Compassion, Inc. in 1963, inspired by Jesus' words, "I have compassion on the multitude. I will not send them away hungry" (Matthew 15.32). The organization aims to positively influence the long-term development of children living in poverty. They provide food, clean water, medical care, education, life-skills training, and spiritual guidance through direct sponsorship.
In 2017, Compassion International was barred from transferring funds to India. This incident was a result of an investigation into possible tax evasion by its Indian affiliate, Caruna Bal Vikas (CBV). CBV was found to distribute funds to non-FCRA NGOs and numerous religious NGOs, contradicting its FCRA and tax applications. The Foreign Contributions Act of 2010 (FCRA) in India regulates the ability of Indian NGOs to accept foreign contributions. It requires periodic financial filings and stipulates that only NGOs registered under the FCRA can receive foreign funds. The FCRA also prohibits certain uses of funds, including those detrimental to the public interest or creating disharmony between diverse communities. Compassion International's activities in India, where they operated for 48 years with $45 million in transfers annually, fell under scrutiny due to potential violations of these regulations.
The Indian government's actions were part of a broader "crackdown" on NGOs, both secular and faith-based, to root out corruption and improve transparency in financial flows. Compassion International's refusal to comply with certain Indian government requirements, citing misuse of funds, led to the ban on fund transfers. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the ban was unrelated to the organization's ideology. This incident highlights the challenges faced by NGOs operating in India, navigating complex regulatory frameworks and cultural sensitivities.
As a result of being barred from transferring funds to India, Compassion International was forced to cease its operations in the country. This disruption to their work had a significant impact, considering their long-standing presence and substantial financial contributions to India. The organization's donor confidence score also took a hit, dropping from 97 to 73 on MinistryWatch. Additionally, Compassion International's rating on Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities, dropped from four stars to three in 2016 due to concerns about accountability and transparency.
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It is no longer rated by Charity Navigator due to lack of transparency
Compassion International is a Christian humanitarian aid organization that works to positively influence the long-term development of impoverished children worldwide. The charity was founded in 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson, who initially aimed to help children orphaned by the war in South Korea. It is currently present in 27 countries.
Compassion International received Charity Navigator's highest rating for 15 consecutive years and was recognized on their "10 Charities with the Most Consecutive 4-Star Ratings" list. However, in 2016, Charity Navigator changed its rating system, and Compassion International's overall rating dropped to three stars out of four due to concerns about its accountability and transparency. Since then, Compassion International has stopped releasing a public Form 990 after reclassifying itself as a religious organization or "an association of churches." This reclassification has been noted as a growing trend among large Christian ministries. As a result, Charity Navigator no longer rates Compassion International due to a lack of transparency and financial data.
According to Charity Navigator's website, they require either an "Accountability & Finance" beacon or an Impact assessment to be eligible for a rating. They mention that the absence of a rating does not indicate a positive or negative assessment but rather that they have not yet evaluated the organization. They further explain that their ratings are based on data from the Form 990, which is an annual document filed by nonprofit organizations with the IRS. This form provides information on a charity's accountability, finance, leadership, strategic thinking, and impact on the lives of those it serves.
While Compassion International is no longer rated by Charity Navigator, it is important to note that it is still recognized by other charity watchdogs. As of June 2025, Compassion International holds a grade of "A" from CharityWatch and meets the "20 Standards for Charity Accountability" from the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. Additionally, in 2024, Forbes magazine ranked Compassion International as the 12th-largest charity organization in the US, with $1.3 billion in private donations received.
In conclusion, while Compassion International is no longer rated by Charity Navigator due to a lack of transparency and financial data, it continues to receive recognition and positive ratings from other reputable sources. Donors can refer to these alternative sources and the charity's own public information to assess its accountability and effectiveness in achieving its mission.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Compassion International is a Christian child development organization.
Compassion International is a child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization. It aims to positively influence the long-term development of children living in poverty.
Compassion International empowers local churches to provide holistic care to children in poverty so they are free to learn, grow, play and dream.
Yes, Compassion International has received high ratings from Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, and the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.
