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Mercy Ships

Operates hospital ships staffed by volunteer medical and non-medical crew to bring free surgeries and medical training to developing countries.

Mercy Ships International

International Lindale, TX EIN: 262414132 (IRS) Reg: 26-2414132 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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77
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
77/100 · methodology

About Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to bring hope and healing through free surgery and medical training in regions where resources are scarce.

Founded
Headquarters
Lindale, TX
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
Q33
IRS subsection
501(c)(c3)
Ruling date
Size
major

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2008

Mission

Operates hospital ships staffed by volunteer medical and non-medical crew to bring free surgeries and medical training to developing countries.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar international in United States
Program spending This charity: 75%
Peer average: 75%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.10%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 77
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.75
Program$0.75
75% to programs beats the peer average (75%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Mercy Ships has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 99% of the 12,755 international charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 81% of comparable charities. See the sources
  • Its integrity score of 77 places it in the top 10% of the 25,023 international charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a contact email
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Mercy Ships is a registered international nonprofit based in Lindale, TX, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2008 and has been operating for 18 years. Its EIN is 262414132. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 77/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $287M in annual revenue. 122 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Mercy Ships's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 262414132. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Mercy Ships has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 77/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 77 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 75% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for international charities in United States is 90/100.

Mercy Ships is located in Lindale, TX, United States. The organization was established in 2008 and has been active for 18 years.

Based on official tax filings, Mercy Ships has $287M in annual revenue. It allocates 75% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 75% for international charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $5M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Mercy Ships is classified as an International organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has $287M in annual revenue. The organization has 122 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Mercy Ships. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Mercy Ships holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 75% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 75%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to bring hope and healing through free surgery and medical training in regions where resources are scarce. Mercy Ships is classified as an international organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2008.

Among international charities registered in United States: It allocates 75% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 75%. Its annual revenue of $287M is well above the peer average of $5M.

Yes, donations to Mercy Ships are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 262414132, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100M-$1B
75% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
591

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

NI
Nick A••••
CFO

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Mercy Ships completes three years of life-transforming impact in Sierra Leone - Marine Business News
Jun 2026
www.marinebusinessnews.com.au
Mercy Ships completes three years of life-transforming impact in Sierra Leone - joynews.co.za
Jun 2026
joynews.co.za
As football fever takes hold, Mercy Ships transforms one 6-year-old’s life — SMI DIGITAL - shipmanagementinternational.c
Jun 2026
www.shipmanagementinternational.com
Sight Restored in Madagascar for the First Patient of the Next Mercy Ships Field Service - Africa24 TV
Jun 2026
africa24tv.com
cruisePAL partners with Mercy Ships for hospital vessel operations - Seatrade Cruise News
May 2026
www.seatrade-cruise.com
A three day journey by canoe to receive life-saving treatment from Mercy Ships - www.christiantoday.com
May 2026
www.christiantoday.com
On International Nurses Day, Mercy Ships Nurses Are Honored for Mentoring African Nurses - Business Wire
May 2026
www.businesswire.com
Mercy Ships’ Yachting Day Gala Returns to Cannes - Megayacht News
Apr 2026
megayachtnews.com
Wilson Connectivity Partners with Mercy Ships to Bring Seamless Cellular Connectivity to Hospital Ship Fleet - GlobeNews
Apr 2026
www.globenewswire.com
Nursing alumni provide lifesaving care as Mercy Ships volunteers - Liberty University
Apr 2026
www.liberty.edu
Form filed
$287.1M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$155.1M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$133.9M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$212.7M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$110.7M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
International this charity 25,023
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 122 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 122 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2008
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Mercy Ships

What is Mercy Ships?
Mercy Ships is a international publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Lindale, United States. Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to bring hope and healing through free surgery and medical training in regions where resources are scarce.
When was Mercy Ships founded?
Mercy Ships was founded in 2008.
Who leads Mercy Ships?
Nick Adame serves as CFO.
Where is Mercy Ships located?
Headquartered in Lindale, TX, United States.
What is Mercy Ships's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100M-$1B. 75% of expenses go to program services.
Is Mercy Ships trustworthy?
Mercy Ships has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 77 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Mercy Ships's registration number?
IRS EIN: 262414132. Registration: 26-2414132 (United States).
What is Mercy Ships's website?
http://www.mercyships.org