02 Jan 2012

Our finances

Tags: Info

Where our funding comes from

Médecins Sans Frontières raises most of its income from private sources, which helps to ensure operational independence and flexibility. More than five million individual donors around the world provide more than 90 per cent of our funding. The remaining funds come from governments and international organisations.

When MSF works in complex contexts, where there are many parties to a conflict and humanitarian assistance is not always clearly defined, the organisation ensures its independence by relying solely on private financial donations to fund its activities.

How our funds are spent

Every MSF national office is a non-profit organisation. More than 80 per cent of our resources are allocated to our humanitarian activities. The remaining 20 per cent is spent on management and administration, and reinvested in fundraising.

We hold reserves of a minimum of three months and a maximum of twelve months of total expenditure. This allows us to respond immediately to a crisis, without having to wait for further funds to be raised.

Financial control and transparency

The use of MSF funds is tightly controlled and each national office makes public its audited financial reports. The accounts clearly define the different categories of income and expenditure and openly show how funds are raised and spent.

The MSF International Financial Report is a means of transparency and accountability that provides a view of MSF’s work internationally.