Strong donor fit, low risk profile, and credible supporting evidence for outcomes.
Islamic Relief USA provides comprehensive humanitarian aid and poverty alleviation programs both domestically and internationally while maintaining a perfect financial health rating.
Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) stands as a major humanitarian institution, having operated since its founding in 1993 to alleviate poverty and respond to global disasters. The organization manages a massive scale of operations, reporting $165,235,589 in total revenue for the 2023 fiscal year. IRUSA maintains an exceptional reputation for transparency, evidenced by a perfect overall score of 100.0/100 from Charity Navigator. Their work spans over 40 countries, providing a bridge between Muslim donors and vulnerable populations in regions like Gaza, Yemen, and Syria. The charity demonstrates high operational efficiency, directing 80.3% of its total revenue toward program expenses. This ensures that the vast majority of contributions reach those in need rather than being absorbed by administrative costs. Beyond international relief, IRUSA maintains a significant domestic presence, distributing $28,324,876 in domestic grants to hundreds of local recipients across the United States. Their financial health is further bolstered by 18.0 months of working capital, providing a stable cushion to sustain long-term development projects even during economic fluctuations.
The organization earns a high overall GMG score of 81/100 due to its perfect financial transparency rating and strong alignment with humanitarian causes.
Exceptional Transparency and Accountability: The organization holds a perfect 100/100 rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid.
High Fundraising Efficiency: IRUSA spends only $0.17 to raise every $1, which is significantly better than the standard industry benchmark.
Verified Zakat Compliance: The charity maintains a dedicated zakat policy ensuring funds reach eligible categories like the poor and needy.
Impact assesses organizational indicators associated with effective programs. Alignment reflects fit with Muslim donor priorities.
Operations are highly efficient with a 80.3% program ratio and a low fundraising cost of $0.19 per $1 raised.
No beneficiary data available for cost-per-beneficiary scoring; good program ratio (≥75%) suggests reasonable delivery
Publish beneficiary counts consistently so cost-effectiveness can be assessed.
Delivers services directly to beneficiaries
What good looks like: reserve policy matched to mission risk. Typical range is 3-12 months for most nonprofits (often higher for volatile emergency response or designated endowment models).
Current reserves: 18.0 months (high but potentially reasonable).
18.0 months of operating reserves (high)
If reserves are above policy target, document why and publish triggers for planned deployment.
80% of spending goes directly to programs
Tracks and verifies program outcomes
Has a well-articulated path from activities to impact
IRUSA uses a multi-sector approach focusing on emergency response, orphan care, and sustainable development to break the cycle of poverty.
Adequate board oversight with 5 members
Impact measurement would benefit from publishing consistent beneficiary counts to calculate cost-effectiveness for every major program.
The charity is a premier fit for Muslim donors, offering a public zakat claim on its website and serving asnaf categories including the poor and wayfarers.
Explicit zakat program; Muslim-focused organization; Islamic identity; Asnaf: fuqara; Operates in Muslim-majority regions; Strong humanitarian service
Works in Humanitarian — a comparatively stronger evidence base
Serves underserved populations
Expand services to underserved populations or geographies with limited nonprofit coverage.
Established 1993 (33 years of track record)
Annual revenue of $147.2M — large organization with established funding
Beneficiary Data Standardization: While impact is broad, publishing consistent cost-per-beneficiary metrics across all programs would allow for better comparative analysis.
BBB Accreditation: The charity currently meets 0 out of 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance standards, suggesting a need for formal review by this specific watchdog.
The primary limitation is the lack of current BBB accreditation and the absence of standardized cost-per-beneficiary reporting.
IRUSA uses a multi-sector approach focusing on emergency response, orphan care, and sustainable development to break the cycle of poverty.
Best for donors who want to fulfill zakat through an established, large-scale humanitarian institution with a perfect transparency record.
Currently does not meet BBB standards according to the latest review cycle.
This evaluation is based on public data. We haven’t heard from Islamic Relief USA yet.
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