Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	Catholic Relief Services
Address:	228 West Lexington Street
	Baltimore, MD 21201-3413
Phone:	888-277-7575
Web Address:	www.crs.org

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

CRS supports projects designed to help communities in countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America identify long-term solutions to poverty and build self-sufficiency. In most programs, CRS collaborates with one or more local partner agencies. The child survival, water and sanitation, and HIV/AIDS education and care projects give priority to the most vulnerable, typically women of reproductive age, infants, and the very young. Approaching farming as a family business, CRS is involved in furnishing assistance that includes processing, storage, and marketing of crops; weed, disease, and pest control; livestock production, fishing, and forestry; and irrigation and soil and water conservation. CRS also helps establish village banks to invest in loans to persons who have little or no access to other credit alternatives. As a means of achieving increased enrollment and regular attendance of children, especially girls, CRS supports school feeding programs. CRS also carries out humanitarian assistance operations in response to natural and man-made disasters, supplying aid in the form of food, medicines, shelter, and other relief supplies. CRS also conducts workshops; sponsors solidarity camps, prepares training manuals, stimulates inter-religious dialogue, and monitors early warning signs to promote the principles of tolerance, conflict resolution, and reconciliation. Furthermore, CRS operates programs in the United States that focus on parish outreach, fair trade, advocacy, and farmer-to-farmer support. These programs inform and engage American Catholics about poverty and injustice overseas, and provide them with the opportunity to get involved as individuals, with their families, and in their schools.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008, CRS's program expenses were:

HIV and AIDS	176,110,000
Emergency	159,753,000
Agriculture	94,725,000
Health	54,042,000
Education	45,336,000
Welfare	28,967,000
Peace and justice	27,660,000
Small enterprise	9,947,000
Total Program Expenses:	$596,540,000

Chief Executive : Kenneth F. Hackett, President

Compensation*:

$290,000

Chair of the Board: Most Rev. Timothy R. Dolan
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Archbishop, Archdiocese of New York

Board Size: 21

Paid Staff Size: 5211

*October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and parish appeals.

Fund raising costs were 4% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $599,258,000, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

CRS incurred joint costs of $1,295,000 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs $1,036,000 was allocated to program expenses and $259,000 was allocated to fund raising expenses.

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on CRS's audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2008.

Source of Funds
US government grants and agreements	257,981,000
Donated agricultural, other commodities and ocean freight	121,932,000
Private contributions	117,555,000
Other public grants and contributions	45,261,000
Bequests	17,707,000
Foundation and corporate grant revenue	13,821,000
Catholic Relief Services Collection	12,514,000
Investment and other income	12,242,000
Operation Rice Bowl appeal	7,346,000
Gain on sale of building	3,852,000
Public in-kind gifts	2,921,000
Private in-kind gifts	1,969,000
Net change in annuities, trusts and pooled income fund	1,361,000
Endowments	251,000
Realized and unrealized loss on investments and financial instruments	-26,104,000
Total Income	$590,609,000

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 93%  Fund Raising: 4%  Administrative: 3%

Total income				$590,609,000
	Program expenses			$596,540,000
	Fund raising expenses			24,883,000
	Administrative expenses			17,666,000
Total expenses				$639,089,000
Expenses in Excess of Income				(48,480,000)
Beginning net assets				164,979,000
Other Changes in Net Assets				1,749,000
Ending net assets				118,248,000
Total liabilities				261,610,000
Total assets				$379,858,000

Note 1: CPF's September 30, 2008 financial statements report in-kind donations in the amount $126,822,000. Included in the amount is $94,525,000 (agricultural commodities), $27,407,000 (ocean freight), $4,036,000 (medical supplies), $829,000 (donated services), and $25,000 (legal services).

Note 2. In the financial section Other Changes in Net Assets of $1,749,000 is for SFAS 158, defined benefit plan adjustment.