Compassion International
Child sponsorship linking donors with children in poverty for long-term development
Our editorial assessment
Compassion International runs one of the largest child-sponsorship programmes in the world, pairing donors with individual children and delivering health, education, and development support through local partners. Charity Navigator does not currently score it because it withholds some public data, but two other watchdogs speak well of it: CharityWatch rates it "Top-Rated" and it is accredited by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, indicating strong efficiency and accountability. Independent research by an academic economist found measurable long-term gains in schooling and adult employment for sponsored children. It suits donors drawn to a personal, long-term sponsorship model.
The problem they're solving
Children who grow up in poverty face compounding disadvantages in health and education that shape their entire lives. Compassion's model funds sustained, individualised support through a child's development, and independent research has linked its sponsorship to better adult education and employment outcomes.
About Compassion International
Compassion International is a child-sponsorship organisation that connects individual donors with children living in poverty, funding health, education, and development support through local church partners in dozens of countries.
Where your dollar goes
What your donation could do
Your $100 ≈ 2 months of child sponsorship support
Illustrative estimate based on figures this organisation publishes about its own programs — not a statement from the charity itself. Actual impact varies by program and year.
What donors say about Compassion International
Donors signed in with Google can rate Compassion International from one to five stars and share a short review of their experience — whether as a donor, volunteer, or beneficiary. Community ratings are displayed as their own criterion alongside our editorial metrics; they never alter the editorial 0–100 score.
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How this score was produced
The Charity Ranking score is our own editorial assessment, produced with a weighted rubric covering program spending, transparency and governance, evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and leadership. It draws on publicly available reports from independent evaluators such as GiveWell, Charity Navigator, and CharityWatch, but it is not a rating issued or endorsed by any of those organisations. The community rating shown above is a separate signal contributed by signed-in donors; it is displayed alongside our criteria but never feeds into the editorial score. Read the full methodology →