Compassion International, Inc. 
The information on this page was last updated 11/16/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
We are a child-advocacy ministry pairing compassionate people with children living in extreme poverty to release the children from spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty.
WE ARE "SUFFERING WITH" CHILDREN IN NEED
The etymology of the word compassion stems from the Latin com meaning "with, together" and the Latin pati "to suffer." Compassion literally means to suffer with.
Compassion, suffering with another person, combines sympathy with an active response or a desire to help. Because we have compassion, we want to act and lessen someone else's suffering. This desire to act is what differentiates compassion from empathy, understanding or sharing the feelings of others.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Compassion International, Inc.
12290 Voyager Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Website: www.compassion.com
Phone: (800) 336-7676
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 362423707
CEO/President: Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado
Chairman: Dr. Judy Briscoe Golz
Board size: 10
Founder: Rev. Everett Swanson
Ruling year: 2014
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1980
Purpose
We take a long-term approach to child development by investing in and for the life of each child. Through our holistic child development model, we blend physical, social, economic and spiritual care together to help children in poverty fully mature in every facet of life and transcend what is often a generational legacy of poverty. We deliver whole-life care, by way of our frontline church partners, that is personal, individualized, relational, and tailored to the child's age, gender, health, culture and family situation.
Mission statement
In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.
Statement of faith
WE BELIEVE
...in the Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy; and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct...
One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...
Our Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, His virgin birth, His sinless human life, His divine miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension, His mediatorial work, and His Personal return in power and glory...
The Salvation of lost and sinful man through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith apart from works, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit...
The Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the believer is enabled to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ...
The Unity of the Spirit of all true believers, the Church, the Body of Christ...
The Resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Relief and Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 703 of 1097 | 48 of 84 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 922 of 1099 | 65 of 84 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 797 of 1099 | 57 of 84 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 194 of 1097 | 21 of 84 |
Click here to read Compassion International, Inc.'s response to our ratings
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 5% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 11% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 9% | 11% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 99% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 11% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 86% | 82% | 82% | 81% | 82% | 82% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 94% | 98% | 97% | 99% | 98% | 101% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 80% | 80% | 79% | 80% | 81% | 83% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 6% | 2% | 3% | 1% | 2% | -1% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 12% | 8% | 12% | 3% | 6% | -4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 6% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.59 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.76 | 2.61 | 2.70 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.22 | 1.32 | 1.43 | 1.54 | 1.57 | 1.46 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.98 | 3.39 | 3.75 | 4.25 | 4.09 | 3.95 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 18.34 | 3.01 | 2.91 | 2.50 | 2.30 | 2.21 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.05 | 0.33 | 0.34 | 0.40 | 0.43 | 0.45 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.64 | 2.37 | 2.10 | 1.69 | 1.66 | 1.67 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 8% | 26% | 26% | 28% | 29% | 31% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 58% | 29% | 28% | 26% | 27% | 25% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $161,845,204 | $124,412,241 | $92,279,420 | $95,061,822 | $80,259,524 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $24,077,009 | $20,732,022 | $17,607,297 | $17,590,069 | $17,857,657 |
| Short-term investments | $89,423,440 | $84,874,107 | $82,443,594 | $79,542,948 | $98,331,628 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $275,345,653 | $230,018,370 | $192,330,311 | $192,194,839 | $196,448,809 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $90,696 |
| Fixed assets | $79,556,390 | $89,983,700 | $98,211,357 | $100,720,785 | $89,142,194 |
| Other long-term assets | $9,109,864 | $8,614,598 | $5,889,488 | $8,774,764 | $1,790,567 |
| Total long-term assets | $88,666,254 | $98,598,298 | $104,100,845 | $109,495,549 | $91,023,457 |
| Total assets | $364,011,907 | $328,616,668 | $296,431,156 | $301,690,388 | $287,472,266 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $91,529,597 | $78,913,723 | $77,039,497 | $83,525,338 | $88,726,164 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $91,529,597 | $78,913,723 | $77,039,497 | $83,525,338 | $88,726,164 |
| Debt | $388,496 | $363,137 | $341,978 | $316,163 | $325,997 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $3,501,272 | $7,328,458 | $5,524,537 | $4,788,262 | $1,347,872 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $3,889,768 | $7,691,595 | $5,866,515 | $5,104,425 | $1,673,869 |
| Total liabilities | $95,419,365 | $86,605,318 | $82,906,012 | $88,629,763 | $90,400,033 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Without donor restrictions | $242,412,669 | $114,836,417 | $92,345,575 | $100,955,301 | $91,265,524 |
| With donor restrictions | $26,179,873 | $127,174,933 | $121,179,569 | $112,105,324 | $105,806,709 |
| Net assets | $268,592,542 | $242,011,350 | $213,525,144 | $213,060,625 | $197,072,233 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $947,571,184 | $886,588,666 | $819,523,349 | $798,345,212 | $765,156,592 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $4,315,448 | $2,760,637 | $3,220,985 | $1,427,928 | $3,106,872 |
| Other revenue | $1,336,763 | $950,427 | $689,778 | $396,792 | $46,274 |
| Total other revenue | $5,652,211 | $3,711,064 | $3,910,763 | $1,824,720 | $3,153,146 |
| Total revenue | $953,223,395 | $890,299,730 | $823,434,112 | $800,169,932 | $768,309,738 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $764,417,139 | $703,381,064 | $659,634,962 | $648,769,731 | $635,139,116 |
| Management and general | $75,522,480 | $68,412,162 | $67,917,901 | $62,269,907 | $57,323,669 |
| Fundraising | $92,680,415 | $89,940,091 | $89,374,451 | $75,995,785 | $83,914,290 |
| Total expenses | $932,620,034 | $861,733,317 | $816,927,314 | $787,035,423 | $776,377,075 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $20,603,361 | $28,566,413 | $6,506,798 | $13,134,509 | ($8,067,337) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $20,603,361 | $28,566,413 | $6,506,798 | $13,134,509 | ($8,067,337) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Santiago H Mellado | President & CEO | $476,818 |
| Ken Calwell | Senior VP/CMO | $404,566 |
| Ed Anderson | Former SVP/CFO | $375,701 |
| Cassandra Shepard until 42018 | Senior VP | $369,371 |
| Paul Ackerman | Senior VP/CFO | $321,469 |
| Mark Hanlon | Senior VP | $314,625 |
| Mark Yeadon | Senior VP | $302,461 |
| Stephen Oakley until 12312018 | SVP/General Counsel/ Corp Secretary | $293,555 |
| Thomas Beck | Senior VP | $282,742 |
| James R Davis | Vice President - USA | $281,824 |
| Ronald Orrick | VP IT | $274,796 |
| Mark Fugleberg | VP GME Leadership Office | $263,032 |
| Michael L Johnson | Director Marketing USA | $250,225 |
| Raphael Louis-Edouard Lassegue | Regional VP | $247,590 |
| Silas Balraj | Regional VP | $245,188 |
| Sidney Mwavu | Regional VP | $243,610 |
| James Hansen - interim | Senior VP/ Corp Secretary | $237,299 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2019
Response from ministry
Response to Wall Watchers Three-Star Rating
posted on 2/17/2004
Compassion International is grateful to be included in Wall Watchers' ministry rating and to see both our organization's heart for ministry and programmatic distinctives so accurately articulated.
While our ministry has been rated by a number of ratings agencies, we recognize that methodologies can vary greatly. We also recognize that, as a result of those variances, an organization cannot in every case receive the highest ratings. Although Compassion rates "average" in Wall Watchers' analysis, our financial priorities have been affirmed by the findings of leading rating agencies.
Since 1995, Compassion has consistently received an "A" rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 11/16/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Rev. Everett Swanson flew to South Korea to minister to American troops fighting in the Korean War. During his time there, he grew increasingly troubled by the sight of hundreds of war orphans living on the streets, abandoned by society.
One morning he saw city workers scoop up what looked like piles of rags and toss them into the back of a truck. He walked up to the truck for a closer look - and was horrified to see that the "piles" were not rags, but the frozen bodies of orphans who had died overnight in the streets.
Appalled, Rev. Swanson began including this experience into his revival meetings, and Christians responded by donating funds to purchase rice and fuel for the orphans. Within 10 years, 108 orphanages and homes in South Korea were receiving support.