Samaritan's Purse

Samaritan's Purse is funded almost entirely through private donations, including cash gifts, planned giving, and in-kind contributions. The organization does not disclose an endowment corpus; its $1.0B estimated balance sheet (Altss estimate) largely reflects physical operating assets — aircraft, real estate, and ministry supplies — rather than a traditional invested endowment. It accepts cryptocurrency donations and maintains a gift catalog that allows donors to fund specific items such as Bibles, livestock, or medical supplies.

Franklin Graham serves as president and CEO of both Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). The two organizations share leadership, back-office infrastructure, and evangelical mission, but they remain legally separate 501(c)(3) entities. The BGEA focuses on large-scale evangelistic festivals and media outreach, while Samaritan's Purse handles humanitarian relief and development programs.

Samaritan's Purse functions primarily as a direct-execution operator rather than a grantmaking foundation. It deploys its own staff, equipment, and in-kind resources into field programs. While it may occasionally support partner churches or ministries, the organization does not run a traditional institutional grant cycle or a donor-advised fund platform. Its model centers on maintaining direct operational control over aid delivery.

Operation Christmas Child is the organization's highest-volume annual campaign. In 2023, it distributed gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 100 countries. Each shoebox requires a suggested $10 donation for shipping, processing, and follow-up discipleship materials called The Greatest Journey. The program is supported by a dedicated industrial processing center in Windsor Mill, Maryland, and seasonal volunteer teams across the United States.

The organization maintains an air fleet that includes a Boeing 767-300 freighter, a Boeing 757-200 freighter, a Gulfstream G550, a Dassault Falcon 900EX, and smaller turboprop aircraft and a helicopter. The fleet operates from an Airlift Response Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Samaritan's Purse also owns a mobile field hospital and maintains disaster response warehouses, vehicle depots, and a training center in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Samaritan's Purse reports effectiveness through operational metrics such as number of shoeboxes distributed, homes rebuilt, medical patients treated, and gospel presentations made. Its Statement of Faith establishes that proclamation of the gospel is a core objective alongside physical aid, making spiritual outputs a component of its self-assessment. Financial accountability disclosures focus on program-spending ratios and independent audit results rather than impact-per-dollar metrics common in secular humanitarian sectors.

Edward Graham, Franklin Graham's son, serves as Chief Operating Officer and is the most visible family member in day-to-day operations. He regularly deploys to disaster sites and represents the organization in field communications. While Samaritan's Purse has not publicly outlined a formal succession plan, Edward's operational role and public-facing deployment posture position him as the most likely successor within the Graham family.