Sponsorship donations are stewarded across three areas — grant dollars, administrative costs and fundraising — all in support of Compassion’s mission to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
Most of the sponsorship funds are sent to the local church caring for your sponsored child, allowing them to provide consistent care.
Your donation helps provide holistic care for your sponsored child, including the hope of the gospel, education, protection, medical care and support for healthy development.
At Compassion International, our mission is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. But we can’t do it alone. Your monthly child sponsorship donation of $43 enables us to equip a local church in a child’s community to care for their needs.
Below, we share how much of your donation goes to the child you sponsor and how your efforts are making a true difference in their life.
Administrative Costs
We use a portion of each dollar for staff salaries and the expenses of running the business side of our ministry. To make the greatest impact for the children we serve, we rely on trained staff, both locally and globally, who help ensure programs run effectively and safely.
Fundraising Costs
We use a portion of each dollar to advertise our program so we can reach new audiences. Through these efforts, we can find even more people, just like you, who want to join us in the ministry of releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
An estimated 412 million children live in extreme poverty. Through your support and the support of others, we can reach them.
Why Administration and Fundraising Are Parts of Sponsorship
Allocating portions of sponsorship donations to administration and fundraising areas of the ministry help us proactively live out our mission and advance the kingdom of God.
Administrative costs help us run the business side of our ministry more effectively. For example, with these funds, we can hire trusted staff who will steward our mission well. We aim to be one family, unified in the body of Christ.
The child you sponsor can feel the impact of these dollars through the encouragement and support from their child development center director, teachers, tutors and supporting staff that ensures every child is safe and protected.
Fundraising costs help us to find even more disciples of Christ who are willing to be powerful encouragers in a child’s life.
By utilizing a portion of each dollar to these areas, we are prioritizing good stewardship of the generous gifts given and ultimately can run our programs in the most effective, efficient and transparent way.
Our Financial Accountability Pledge
Transparency matters when you choose to sponsor a child, and we are committed to stewarding donations with integrity and care.
The total number of administrative and fundraising costs never exceeds 25 cents from each dollar.
For the past 20+ years, that cost has averaged around 20 cents from each dollar.
You can trust that every dollar we receive is prayerfully used to reach as many children as possible with life-changing care and the hope of the gospel.
Want to learn more about how your donation is carefully stewarded? Read our most recent Financial Accountability report.
Why Is the Money Sent to the Church and Not the Child?
Compassion sends the sponsorship funds we receive to the local church caring for the child you sponsor. This approach ensures the child consistently receives the critical care they need from loving church staff and volunteers in their community.
Sending donations directly to a child can create challenges that prevent them from receiving consistent, long-term support.
For example, a child’s family may misuse the funds, leaving the child without necessary care. Or a child may develop an unhealthy dependence on the money they receive.
Our approach ensures the child is cared for while they’re also being empowered to later support and care for themselves.
How Your Donation Impacts Your Sponsored Child
Once your child sponsorship donation is received by the local church, it covers the cost of the care the child receives. Some examples of what a child receives include:
The gospel: The child you sponsor hears the gospel and experiences Jesus’ love for them through the care of the local church.
Protection from abuse and exploitation: The child you sponsor is surrounded by loving adults trained in child protection who keep them safe and teach them how to advocate for themselves.
Care for their health: The child is monitored for malnutrition, gets a yearly checkup and receives critical medical care whenever they become sick or hurt.
Education: The child receives a quality education, tutoring and vocational training, enabling them to reach their dreams and become thriving adults.
Disaster response: The child you sponsor receives emergency aid, including clean water, shelter and trauma counseling when disaster strikes.
With their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs met, the child you sponsor will be empowered to overcome poverty and help others do the same.
Why Compassion International?
When it comes to choosing a child sponsorship organization, we know we’re far from the only choice you’ve got. Beyond our dedication to financial accountability, what sets us apart from other organizations? Why should you entrust your gifts to us?
Compassion International is:
Christ-centered: Jesus is at the center of everything we do, so every child in our program hears the gospel and sees it in action through local church pastors, volunteers and sponsors.
Church-driven: We empower local churches in impoverished communities to serve children in need. This enables churches to fulfill their role as sources of light and hope, representing Christ and making disciples in their communities.
Child-focused: We exist to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. As children grow into thriving followers of Jesus, they can transform their families, communities and nations.
Once homeless and filled with fear for her future, Alice now has a safe place to live and looks forward to a career as a physiologist. Photo by: Emily Turner
Whether you’re a current sponsor or considering becoming a sponsor, thank you. Know that through your yes to being the hands and feet of Jesus, you’re changing a child’s life for eternity. We’re so grateful for you!
