Mercy Ships Foundation
The foundation supports the operations of mercy ships international, a qualified 501(c)(3) organization, in the furtherance of its mission.
Mercy Ships Foundation at a glance
- Total assets
- $278,926,358
- +11.3% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $5,157,408
- +24.3% vs 2023
- Net investment income (2024)
- $3,155,597
- +133.4% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $18,421
- -98.7% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Mercy Ships Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
4 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was $5M or more: 3 grants of 4 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Mercy Ships Foundation gives
- Giving fell 92% from 2020 to 2023. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2023) to $84.8M (2021). In 2023 it made 1 grant totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mercy Ships Lindale, TX | GLM Build | $1,391,794 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $278,926,358 | $5,157,408 | $18,421 | — | — | $3,155,597 |
| 2023 | $250,510,557 | $4,147,992 | $1,397,977 | $1,391,794 | 1 | $1,352,147 |
| 2022 | $231,178,366 | $58,837,465 | $9,481,714 | $9,462,646 | 1 | $2,168,352 |
| 2021 | $196,839,830 | $41,080,286 | $84,865,504 | $84,798,702 | 1 | $891,849 |
| 2020 | $100,019,661 | $12,520,932 | $17,053,295 | $16,953,467 | 1 | $157,855 |
| 2019 | $104,150,031 | $46,795,284 | $19,896,707 | $19,839,416 | 1 | $1,246,840 |
About Mercy Ships Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Mercy Ships Foundation is a public charity, based in Lindale, TX. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $278.9M in total assets. Net investment income was $3.2M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Mercy Ships Foundation is led by Mike Cowan, Chair & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2021); none of the 15 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mike Cowan
Chair & Director
Treasurer & Director → Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Bass
Director
Chairman → Chair & Director, 2021
Chair & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter B. Schulze
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann Brookshire
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gaylord Hughey
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Guy Wade
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Whatley
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Troy Griepp
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Boyd
Director
On filings since 2021
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Owen
Non-Director Board Secretary
Secretary & Non-Director → Non-Director Board Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry Clarke
Director
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ruben Martin
Director
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Pruett
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Schwab
General Counsel Start:
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicolas Adame
CFO of Mercy Ships Start:
New on the 2024 filing
0.7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Fred Grote (2019–2023) — CFO of Mercy Ships
- Former: Fred Grote Part-Year (2021) — CFO
- Former: Kerry Peterson Part-Year (2021) — Secretary
- Former: Thomas Stogner Part-Year (2021) — Former CEO
- Former: James Boyd (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Kerry Peterson (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Tom Stogner (2019–2020) — Director & President
- Former: Don Stephens Part Year (2020) — Director & President Emeritus
- Former: Michael Cowan (2020) — Director & Treasurer
- Former: Don Stephens (2019) — Director & President Emeritus
- Former: Donovan Palmer (2019) — Director & CEO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Mercy Ships Foundation
How large is Mercy Ships Foundation?
Mercy Ships Foundation reported $278.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.2M.
Where does Mercy Ships Foundation operate?
Mercy Ships Foundation has awarded grants in Texas.
What is Mercy Ships Foundation's EIN?
Mercy Ships Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2641151. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Mercy Ships Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Mercy Ships Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?