Charity Navigator, America’s top independent nonprofit evaluator, has awarded Direct Relief an overall 100% charity rating for 2024. This achievement marks Direct Relief’s 14th consecutive Four-Star rating, underscoring its commitment to excellence, accountability, and measurable impact in delivering on its humanitarian mission.

In addition to its perfect score, Direct Relief was also named one of Charity Navigator’s Best Humanitarian Relief Charities in 2024. The organization also earned top rankings for its responses to Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and the humanitarian crises in Sudan and Ukraine These lists, according to Charity Navigator, recognize charities that are “extraordinarily effective at what they do, giving you the chance to support a cause where you’ll have an impact.”

Direct Relief’s Charity Ratings

Direct Relief achieved top scores across Charity Navigator’s evaluation criteria:

Within the charity watchdog’s evaluation “beacons,” Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in Accountability & Finance, Leadership & Adaptability, and Culture & Community. Within the Impact & Measurement Beacon, Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in Impact and 97% in Measurement.

Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, recognized Direct Relief for its performance, stating:

“We are delighted to provide Direct Relief with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence. The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that Direct Relief can accomplish in the years ahead.”

Humanitarian Impact in 2024

In 2024, Direct Relief made significant strides in advancing its global humanitarian mission, including:

• Delivering Lifesaving Medicines: Distributed 377 million defined daily doses of medicine to more than 2,300 healthcare facilities across 90 countries and all 50 U.S. states.
• Hurricane Responses: Mobilized disaster responses to Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton, providing financial support and essential medicines to over 90 healthcare providers across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
• Middle East Humanitarian Aid: Provided $299 million (wholesale value) in medical aid to regions including Gaza, Egypt, Israel, and Syria, among others. This included nearly 150 tons of medical supplies valued at $32 million to Gaza, addressing cancer treatment, diabetes care, cardiac conditions, and water purification needs.
• Support for Ukraine: Delivered $322 million in medical aid in 2024 alone to Ukraine for the benefit of people affected by war, bringing the total to 2,600 tons of aid valued at $1.4 billion since the war began in 2022. Current efforts focus on rehabilitation, mental health, mobile care, and resilient energy solutions for healthcare facilities.

Stewardship and Financial Transparency

Direct Relief is committed to maximizing the impact of every donation, ensuring funds are used responsibly and effectively to support those in need:

• 100% Allocation of Donor-Designated Funds: Every contribution earmarked for specific programs or emergencies is applied exclusively to those purposes, giving donors full assurance that their intent is honored.
• Independently Funded Operations: Direct Relief operates solely on private charitable contributions, declining government funding to maintain independence and focus on its mission.
• No Fundraising Costs Paid by Donors: Fundraising expenses, which average just 2% of total cash revenue, are entirely covered by a private bequest. This means 0% of donor contributions are used for fundraising and instead support Direct Relief’s humanitarian mission.
• Operational Efficiency: Approximately 99.5 cents of every dollar (including in-kind donations) go directly to program services, with 0.3 cents allocated to administrative costs and 0.1 cents to fundraising.
• Leveraging In-Kind Contributions: Strategic partnerships with businesses and organizations amplify the impact of donations. Contributions of medicine and medical supplies—valued at their wholesale cost—constitute the majority of Direct Relief’s revenue, allowing cash donations to stretch even further.

For a detailed overview of how Direct Relief uses its resources to advance its humanitarian mission, visit Direct Relief’s donation policies.