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World Central Kitchen
World Central Kitchen reported $327.8 million in revenue and $299.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $90.28 went to program services, $5.28 to management and general costs and $4.44 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $357,532 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 26 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 1025% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $299MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $328MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.3% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.3% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.4% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.3% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.1% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $357,532 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.12% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 26 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 7.7 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 7 of 7 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense2024 relief accomplishmentsdeploying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real-time, wck served more than 121 million meals in 2024, including in gaza, israel, lebanon, ukraine, mexico, greece, spain, bangladesh, haiti, poland, czech republic, mayotte, japan, and in the united states including north carolina, south carolina, louisiana, georgia, california, florida, and texas.wck knows that a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of foodit's hope, it's dignity, and it's a sign that someone cares
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $320,000 | $0 | $37,532 | $357,532 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER (THRU 10/24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $288,462 | $0 | $29,816 | $318,278 |
| CHIEF RELIEF OFFICER/VP RELIEF Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $220,000 | $0 | $35,941 | $255,941 |
| CHIEF GLOBAL SAFETY & SECURITY OFF. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $225,000 | $0 | $17,523 | $242,523 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $200,000 | $0 | $36,527 | $236,527 |
| DIRECTOR, EMERGENCY RESPONSE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $214,401 | $0 | $8,606 | $223,007 |
| CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $200,000 | $0 | $14,275 | $214,275 |
| VP, GT REWARDS & PEOPLE OPS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $168,654 | $0 | $27,752 | $196,406 |
26 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from World Central Kitchen (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.9M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b7 · 7 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5115
- Volunteers Part I, line 66,259
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| SOLACE GLOBAL RISK LTD Security consulting | $3,917,636 |
| META Advertising | $3,561,253 |
| COOLEY LLP Legal | $1,822,262 |
| RESOLVE MARINE Marine emergency reponse support | $1,074,073 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 32 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1,099 private foundations reported grants to World Central Kitchen totaling $31M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from World Central Kitchen's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for World Central Kitchen, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 World Central Kitchen spent in 2024, $90.28 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Catholic Medical Mission BoardNew York, NY · revenue $326M · programs 94.5% · FY2025
- Heart to Heart InternationalLenexa, KS · revenue $347M · programs 98.8% · 2025
- Project Orbis InternationalNew York, NY · revenue $323M · programs 93.4% · 2025
- United Israel AppealNew York, NY · revenue $350M · programs 99.9% · FY2025
- PathSeattle, WA · revenue $322M · programs 90.5% · 2025
All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of World Central Kitchen's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, World Central Kitchen reported that 90.3% of its $299.3 million in expenses went to program services, 5.3% to management and general and 4.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does World Central Kitchen pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation World Central Kitchen reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $357,532, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does World Central Kitchen get its money?
Of $327.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 98.3% came from contributions and grants (including 2.1% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is World Central Kitchen a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 27-3521132 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503119349304265 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433209349304068 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022 (amended), object 202411029349300146 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021 (amended), object 202213409349301021 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103199349313735 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033019349301953 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 27-3521132: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.