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The Carter Center
The Carter Center reported $163.9 million in revenue and $154.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $79.15 went to program services, $11.92 to management and general costs and $8.93 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 68.5% of the total. Government grants made up 8.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $531,474 (CEO). 109 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 26% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $155MFor 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
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $164MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 79.1% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.9% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.9% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 68.5% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.4% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $531,474 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.34% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 109 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 99.5 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 22 of 22 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Carter Center Health Programs fight six preventable diseases - Guinea Worm, River Blindness, Lymphatic Filariasis, Schistosomiasis, Trachoma, and Malaria - by using education and simple, low-cost methods. The Center also strives to improve access to mental health care. These efforts have brought to resource limited countries better disease surveillance and health care delivery systems, many established as part of the center's historic campaign to eradicate guinea worm disease. Because communities are often burdened by several diseases, the center is pioneering new public health approaches…
The Carter Center Peace Programs strengthen freedom and democracy in nations worldwide, securing for the people the political and civil rights that are the foundation of just and peaceful societies. The Center has become a pioneer in election observation, monitoring more than 100 national elections to help ensure that the results reflect the will of the people. Beyond elections, the Center seeks to deepen democracy by nurturing full citizen participation in public policy-making and by helping to establish government institutions that bolster the rule of law, fair administration of justice…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $473,557 | $0 | $57,917 | $531,474 |
| Vice President - Overseas Operations Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $274,784 | $0 | $43,581 | $318,365 |
| Vice President - Health Programs Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $260,084 | $0 | $50,577 | $310,661 |
| Vice President - Finance Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $249,262 | $0 | $49,419 | $298,681 |
| Vice President - Development Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $252,105 | $0 | $42,095 | $294,200 |
| Vice President - Peace Programs Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $259,049 | $0 | $30,544 | $289,593 |
| Vice President - Communications Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $250,031 | $0 | $31,904 | $281,935 |
| Chief Development Officer Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $220,992 | $0 | $39,078 | $260,070 |
109 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Carter Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.1M (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
FY2025 · 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–1b22 · 22 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5378
- Volunteers Part I, line 6400,000
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ANSAR Inc Mailshop services | $2,935,955 |
| Northern Arizona University Disease research services | $1,270,259 |
| Texas A&M Agrilife Research Disease research services | $1,100,785 |
| Lighting and Production Equipment Inc Event production services | $852,221 |
| Adstra LLC Direct mail services | $634,018 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 53 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
207 private foundations reported grants to The Carter Center totaling $27M 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 The Carter Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Carter Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Carter Center spent in FY2025, $79.15 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in Georgia
Questions people ask
How much of The Carter Center's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, The Carter Center reported that 79.1% of its $154.8 million in expenses went to program services, 11.9% to management and general and 8.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Carter Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Carter Center reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $531,474, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Carter Center get its money?
Of $163.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 68.5% came from contributions and grants (including 8.4% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Carter Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 58-1454716 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202631959349300538 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202501959349300745 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202411979349302306 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202321959349301107 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241959349300529 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202121959349301982 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 58-1454716: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.