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Children & Youth

Save the Children

Works to improve the lives of children through education, health care, emergency relief, and protection from harm.

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Founded 1919 107 years of work
Focus Global
Rating 92/100 Charity Navigator

Charity Navigator rates Save the Children 92/100 — reflecting strong financial discipline, transparency, and program delivery against industry benchmarks.

What this charity does

Children and youth-focused nonprofits work across health, education, nutrition, protection, and family support. Strong organizations combine direct services (food programs, mentoring, after-school care) with policy advocacy on child welfare. Many operate through field offices in low-income countries, partnering with schools, clinics, and local family-support networks. Funding supports staff salaries, school construction, nutrition programs, child-protection services, and emergency response when crises affect children disproportionately.

Why it matters

Look for outcome data on children served: graduation rates, growth indicators, mental-health outcomes, longitudinal tracking. Be cautious of organizations that emphasize child photos and emotional storytelling without backing data. The best child-welfare nonprofits report on long-term outcomes (one, five, ten years out), not just immediate services delivered.

Common programs in this space

Save the Children works within children & youth. These are the kinds of programs typically run in this space — visit their site for current specifics.

  • ✓ Childhood nutrition and food-security programs, including school meals
  • ✓ Immunization and basic-healthcare access for children under five
  • ✓ Mentoring and after-school programs in underserved communities
  • ✓ Child protection: anti-trafficking, foster-care advocacy, family preservation
  • ✓ Education access: school construction, scholarships, learning materials

How to support beyond a one-time gift

  • + Recurring monthly gifts are particularly valuable for child-focused charities — programs span school years and require predictability
  • + Sponsor a school, classroom, or specific program rather than an individual child for cleaner accountability
  • + Volunteer locally — mentoring, tutoring, and youth-sports coaching all need adults
  • + Advocate for child-protection and family-support policies in your state
  • + Donate professional skills (legal, medical, technical) through pro-bono platforms

Verify before you give

A few minutes of independent verification pays off — especially for larger gifts. These resources let you confirm the details on Save the Children:

IRS Tax Exempt Search Confirm 501(c)(3) status ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer Read Form 990 filings Charity Navigator profile Ratings methodology savethechildren.org Annual reports and updates

Frequently asked

Is Save the Children a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit?
Save the Children operates as a registered nonprofit organization. You can verify their current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. We recommend confirming directly on the IRS website before making any large donation.
What percentage of donations to Save the Children goes to programs?
Program-expense ratios change year to year and are published in Save the Children's annual Form 990 filing. You can read the most recent filings on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer or Candid (formerly GuideStar). Charity Navigator has rated Save the Children at 92/100, reflecting its overall financial health and accountability.
How does Save the Children measure its impact?
Save the Children publishes impact reporting through its annual report, program-specific updates on its website, and the rating analysis from Charity Navigator. Look for outcome data on children served: graduation rates, growth indicators, mental-health outcomes, longitudinal tracking. Be cautious of organizations that emphasize child photos and emotional storytelling without backing data. The best child-welfare nonprofits report on long-term outcomes (one, five, ten years out), not just immediate services delivered.
What's the most effective way to donate to Save the Children?
Most charities — including Save the Children — get the most use out of unrestricted, recurring monthly donations. Recurring gifts let the organization plan staffing and program commitments. You can also donate appreciated stock to avoid capital-gains tax, leave a planned gift in your will, or take advantage of employer-matching programs.
How can I support Save the Children without donating money?
Recurring monthly gifts are particularly valuable for child-focused charities — programs span school years and require predictability Sponsor a school, classroom, or specific program rather than an individual child for cleaner accountability Volunteer locally — mentoring, tutoring, and youth-sports coaching all need adults Visit the official website at savethechildren.org for current volunteer and advocacy opportunities.

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