Catholic Medical Mission Board

Author: Kaitlyn Short

Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) was founded in 1912 as an avenue to provide quality healthcare to those in need. Modeled after work in Haiti, the organization was founded in and is currently headquartered in New York City. CMMB works to bring healthcare to those at risk in 39 developing countries across Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean. The organization served over 447,000 people in 2014. 

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The Good

• Total income
• Fundraising expenses
• Program percentage
• Accessible financial information
• Donor communication
• Awards
• Negative press

Total Income

CMMB's annual contributions have experienced some fluctuation over the last several years. Percentages for program delivery, administrative expenses, and fundraising expenses have remained fairly constant in relation to revenue:

• 2014: $381,745,780
• 2013: $526,613,607
• 2012: $269,988,910
• 2011: $304,912,375

 Fundraising Expenses

As nearly all of CMMB's funds are received from soliciting donations, fundraising is important to the organization. However, with as much as the organization relies on fundraising, CMMB allocates a surprisingly small percentage of its budget towards actual fundraising activities. On average, the organization spends about 1.2 percent of its annual income for fundraising.

Program Percentage

Organizations that spend over 70 to 80 percent of their revenue on program delivery are considered to be fiscally responsible by charity watchdogs. CMMB averages an annual program delivery percentage of 99.8 percent, which is excellent.

Accessible Financial Information

CMMB publishes its financial information, including annual reports, IRS Form 990s, and audited financial statements, online. This information, which is available for 2009 to 2015, is comprehensive, transparent, and easily accessible.

Donor Communication

CMMB encourages its site visitors to register to receive organization updates through an emailed newsletter. In addition, CMMB regularly publishes on its blog and social media accounts.

Awards

In April 2016, Charity Navigator, a charity watchdog organization, complied its annual list of "Ten of the Best Charities Everyone's Heard Of." CMMB was ranked as the fifth most recognizable charitable organization on the list based upon financial performance, accountability, and transparency. In addition, Dr. Tom Catena, a CMMB physician from Amsterdam, New York, has been widely recognized by a number of sources for his work as a Catholic missionary surgeon in Sudan. Dr. Catena is the only surgeon on staff in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan at Mother of Mercy Hospital, a 435 bed facility. He has been interviewed by several news sources, including National Geographic magazine, and was named as one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People" in 2015.

Negative Press

For an organization as large as CMMB, there have surprisingly not been any major scandals or controversies involving the charity.

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The Bad

• Administrative expenses

Administrative Expenses

On average, CMMB spends about 1.2 percent of its total revenue on administrative and supporting expenses. The organization's CEO, Bruce Wilkinson, received an annual salary of $377,960 in 2014, which is on the higher end when compared to salaries paid by similar nonprofit organizations.

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The Bottom Line

CMBB is worth considering as an organization to which to give donations. The organization is fiscally responsible and maintains a high level of transparency. Additionally, CMBB has not received major negative press or been involved in controversies.