Heifer Project International: CEO salary, finances and where donations go
“Since 1944, heifer project international has helped more than 52 million families in more than 125 countries move toward greater self-reliance through the gifts of livestock, plants and training in environmentally-sound agriculture.”
Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.
Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated
We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
No reported asset diversions, no insider transactions, no fundraisers keeping most of the money, and the governance policies we check for are in place.
For each dollar donated, Heifer International spent 23¢ on fundraising, or about 26¢ counting joint costs.
Fundraising ÷ $166.5M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IXThe charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.
International development: education and awareness: heifer project international works to educate people of all ages in the United States and globally about the root causes of hunger and poverty, and how they can be part of the solution. Its programs inspire people to take action and raise awareness of the importance of healthy, nutritious, sustainably produced local food.
International development: agro-ecology: heifer project international (heifer) provides gifts of seeds, grains and trees and teaches farmers and families geographically appropriate and resource-sound agricultural practices that enhance and increase crop productivity and are good for the environment. Heifer works with local organizations to increase farmer's access to markets to improve economic benefit and increase personal gain from what they grow. This allows farmers to enhance food security and sovereignty, increase local food options and availability and provide safe and affordable…
Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2014 to 2025.
Reportable pay in FY ending Jun 2025, from the charity and related organizations.
| Contractor | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Givebridge Inc | Fundraising services | $8,533,728 |
| The Teaching Source LLC | Fundraising services | $5,799,169 |
| Ascenta Group US Inc | Fundraising services | $2,044,884 |
| Ascenta Solutions US Inc | Fundraising services | $1,363,256 |
| Mds Communications Corporation | Telemarketing services | $1,344,754 |
Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.
Surita Sandosham, President & Chief Executive Officer, received $468,822 in reportable compensation in FY ending Jun 2025, 0.3% of Heifer International's $178.9M in spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part VIIHeifer International reported 72.9% of FY ending Jun 2025 spending as programs, 21.6% as fundraising and 5.4% as management. That includes $4.9M of joint mail and ad costs counted as programs; without them, programs were 70.2%.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part IXNet assets were $259.6M at the end of FY ending Jun 2025, about 17.4 months of spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part XIts latest Form 990 triggered none of our twelve screening rules, which cover reported asset diversions, insider transactions, fundraiser costs, governance policies and spending patterns.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025)Amir Arani, “Heifer International: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/heifer-international/