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News publications and other organizations are encouraged to reuse Direct Relief-published content for free under a Creative Commons License (Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International), given the republisher complies with the requirements identified below.

When republishing:

  • Include a byline with the reporter’s name and Direct Relief in the following format: "Author Name, Direct Relief." If attribution in that format is not possible, include the following language at the top of the story: "This story was originally published by Direct Relief."
  • If publishing online, please link to the original URL of the story.
  • Maintain any tagline at the bottom of the story.
  • With Direct Relief's permission, news publications can make changes such as localizing the content for a particular area, using a different headline, or shortening story text. To confirm edits are acceptable, please check with Direct Relief by clicking this link.
  • If new content is added to the original story — for example, a comment from a local official — a note with language to the effect of the following must be included: "Additional reporting by [reporter and organization]."
  • If republished stories are shared on social media, Direct Relief appreciates being tagged in the posts:
    • Twitter (@DirectRelief)
    • Facebook (@DirectRelief)
    • Instagram (@DirectRelief)

Republishing Images:

Unless stated otherwise, images shot by Direct Relief may be republished for non-commercial purposes with proper attribution, given the republisher complies with the requirements identified below.

  • Maintain correct caption information.
  • Credit the photographer and Direct Relief in the caption. For example: "First and Last Name / Direct Relief."
  • Do not digitally alter images.

Direct Relief often contracts with freelance photographers who usually, but not always, allow their work to be published by Direct Relief’s media partners. Contact Direct Relief for permission to use images in which Direct Relief is not credited in the caption by clicking here.

Other Requirements:

  • Do not state or imply that donations to any third-party organization support Direct Relief's work.
  • Republishers may not sell Direct Relief's content.
  • Direct Relief's work is prohibited from populating web pages designed to improve rankings on search engines or solely to gain revenue from network-based advertisements.
  • Advance permission is required to translate Direct Relief's stories into a language different from the original language of publication. To inquire, contact us here.
  • If Direct Relief requests a change to or removal of republished Direct Relief content from a site or on-air, the republisher must comply.

For any additional questions about republishing Direct Relief content, please email the team here.

Timing of Revenue Recognition & Expenses

When taking an annual snapshot at the end of a fiscal year, several factors can distort a realistic picture of Direct Relief’s (or any nonprofit organization) financial health and activities. One is the timing of donations being received and the expenditure of those donations, whether in the form of cash or in-kind medical products.

Donations—including those received to conduct specific activities—are recorded as revenue when they are received or promised, even if the activities are to be conducted in a future year. The in-kind product donations are also recorded in inventory upon receipt. Direct Relief’s policy is to distribute products at the earliest practicable date, consistent with sound programmatic principles. While the distribution often occurs in the same fiscal year of receipt, it may occur in the following fiscal year. An expense is recorded and inventory is reduced when the products are shipped to partners.

In Fiscal Year 2016, Direct Relief received less value in product donations than it shipped out to its partner network. When the fiscal year ended, the product inventories that had been “spent” were reported as a decrease in net assets or a “deficit.” The opposite was true in Fiscal Year 2015, when the value of product donations exceeded the humanitarian aid distributed during the year. That resulted in an increase in net assets (or net operating “income”) for that year.

For Fiscal Year 2016, the organization reported a change in net assets of ($114.5) million. As described above, this was driven by a lower value of donated product received, $750 million, than value of product distributed, $760.3 million (and disposals of expired products valued at $110.2 million) and is purely a function of the timing of the receipts from donor companies and shipments sent out to Direct Relief’s healthcare partner network.