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Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation

CharityWatch report issued
October 2022

Top-Rated Charity
A+
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
93%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$2
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation
6100 Wallace Becknell Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93117

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

To improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations by mobilizing and providing essential medical resources needed for their care.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2021

Program Percentage: 93%

The percentage of Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$127,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $2

How many dollars Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$174,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Direct Relief IRS Form 990 95-1831116
Direct Relief Foundation IRS Form 990 20-5983698
Direct Relief & Affiliates Audited Consolidated Financial Statements multiple
Entity: Direct Relief
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 95-1831116
Entity: Direct Relief Foundation
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 20-5983698
Entity: Direct Relief & Affiliates
Document Type: Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Tax ID: multiple

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy No Sharing  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Thomas Tighe CEO $565,428
2 Bhupi Singh Executive VP/Senior Advisor $434,588
3 Dawn Long Senior VP/COO $314,051
1
Name: Thomas Tighe
Title: CEO
Compensation: $565,428
2
Name: Bhupi Singh
Title: Executive VP/Senior Advisor
Compensation: $434,588
3
Name: Dawn Long
Title: Senior VP/COO
Compensation: $314,051

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch's rating of Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation also includes the financial activities of Direct Relief International–South Africa and Direct Relief–Mexico, which are wholly owned subsidiaries of Direct Relief that are consolidated in the Direct Relief and Affiliates audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021. All significant balances and transactions among the entities have been eliminated in the audit consolidation.


According to the Direct Relief and Affiliates fiscal 2021 consolidated audit (Note 1, Organization), Direct Relief International–South Africa was registered in South Africa as a public benefit corporation in October 2007 and began operations in the Republic of South Africa on July 1, 2009. Direct Relief–Mexico was registered in Mexico as a public benefit corporation in July 2014 and began operations in Mexico on August 1, 2014.

According to the Direct Relief & Affiliates audited Consolidated Statement of Activities for the year ended June 30, 2021, Direct Relief received in-kind contributed goods and services on which it placed a total value of approximately $1,754,795,000. Of this amount, approximately $1,750,554,000 consisted of donated "Pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and equipment."

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to the Direct Relief (DR) tax filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, DR reports re: Grants or Assistance Benefiting Interested Persons, cash assistance for disaster relief in the amount of $65,000 provided to Thomas Tighe, CEO (IRS Form 990, Schedule L, Part III). Related to the transaction, DR reports as supplemental information (Schedule L, Part V):

"On December 22, 2020, the board of directors of Direct Relief approved disaster relief payments pursuant to IRC Section 139 to Thomas Tighe, the Organization's CEO, after Tighe's personal residence was destroyed in a mudslide resulting from a wildfire – all of which was a federally declared natural disaster. Payments to Tighe totalled [sic] $65,000 in FY2021, and only represented amounts that were not otherwise covered by insurance)."

According to the Direct Relief & Affiliates consolidated audit of June 30, 2021 (Note 11, Concentration of Credit Risk):

"...[T]he Organization's investments are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate fluctuations and market valuations. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the value of investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in risks in the near term could materially affect the Organization's [audited] consolidated statements of financial position and activities."

According to the Direct Relief & Affiliates consolidated audit of June 30, 2021 (Note 2 re: Risks and uncertainties):

"In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, a global pandemic. COVID-19 has caused significant volatility and disruption to the global economy. Management has been closely monitoring the effect of COVID-19 on the Organization's operations. Direct Relief does not foresee any increased risk related to the ability to collect outstanding receivables and holds sufficient cash reserves for its operations, which will help offset any investment or revenue volatility. The duration and impact of COVID-19 on the Organization is unknown."


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