In coordination with international governments and ministries of health, the organization addresses systemic barriers within health systems that can prevent surgical care from being delivered or received. Operation smile provided surgical care to 16,548 patients via its short-term surgical programs and hospital partnerships in 36 countries across a footprint of over 200 hospitals. The organization conducted 203 short-term surgical programs, all of which were conducted by a majority of local medical volunteers. Dental care was provided to 26,976 patients through short-term programs. Operation…
Operation Smile
Operation Smile Inc: CEO salary, finances and where donations go
“Operation Smile's purpose includes providing life-changing surgery for people born with cleft lip and cleft palate and other surgical conditions. Operation Smile, inc.”
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
- Top pay
- $324K Kristie Porcaro, 0.3% of spending
- Revenue
- $100.2M 96.1% from donations and grants
- Spent
- $108.1M 63.5% on programs, as reported
- Net assets
- $110.0M end of FY ending Jun 2025
- Savings
- 12.2 months of spending, net assets ÷ spending
- People
- 212 employees, 9,133 volunteers
2 things to look at.
We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Professional fundraisers kept most of what they raised
Professional fundraisers raised $43,799,173 and kept $31,422,210 (71.7%). The charity received $12,376,963.
Schedule G Part I, line 2bBusiness transactions with insiders or their companies
Part IV line 28b answered yes.
Form 990 Part IV, lines 28a–28c; Schedule L Part IVOf each dollar it spent, 63.5¢ went to programs, as reported.
For each dollar donated, Operation Smile spent 28¢ on fundraising, or about 36¢ counting joint costs.
Fundraising ÷ $96.3M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IXWhat it told the IRS it spent on.
The charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.
Net assets: $30.9M to $110.0M in 11 years.
Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2013 to 2025.
The 8 highest-paid people.
Reportable pay in FY ending Jun 2025, from the charity and related organizations.
| Contractor | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| We Are Changemakers Inc Dba Full Hearts | Fundraising council | $18,640,750 |
| Moore a Series LLC | Fundraising council | $9,674,970 |
| Mds Communications Corporation | Telefundraising | $2,341,090 |
| 72andsunny Partners LLC | Fundraising council | $2,198,970 |
| Givebridge Inc | Donor acquisition | $765,400 |
The questions people ask about the Operation Smile.
Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.
How much does the Operation Smile CEO make?
Kristie Porcaro, Chief Strategy Officer, received $324,260 in reportable compensation in FY ending Jun 2025, 0.3% of Operation Smile's $108.1M in spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part VIIWhat percentage of Operation Smile donations go to programs?
Operation Smile reported 63.5% of FY ending Jun 2025 spending as programs, 25.3% as fundraising and 11.3% as management. That includes $7.2M of joint mail and ad costs counted as programs; without them, programs were 56.8%.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part IXHow much money does Operation Smile have?
Net assets were $110.0M at the end of FY ending Jun 2025, about 12.2 months of spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part XDoes Operation Smile have any red flags in its filing?
Its latest Form 990 triggered 2 of our twelve screening rules: professional fundraisers kept most of what they raised; business transactions with insiders or their companies. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025)Every number, traced.
- Operation Smile Form 990, FY ending Jun 2025 (IRS e-file)
- Operation Smile Form 990 history (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer)
Amir Arani, “Operation Smile: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/operation-smile/