Donor-Advised Fund
Mercy Ships Programs Advancement Fund
A flexible way to advance Mercy Ships Canada’s highest priorities
The Programs Advancement Fund supports the whole of Mercy Ships Canada's work: free surgical care, training for local medical teams, and the volunteer crew who make it possible. It's the broadest of three Mercy Ships Canada charitable funds held with the Canadian National Christian Foundation (CNCF).
Why donors choose this fund
Some donors want the confidence of knowing their giving can support the opportunities and priorities that will create the greatest impact over time.
The Programs Advancement Fund offers that flexibility. It allows you to invest in the areas of Mercy Ships Canada's mission that need support today, whether that's life-changing surgery, healthcare training, volunteer crewing, medical capacity building, or other strategic priorities.
As needs and opportunities evolve, your generosity helps advance the work that transforms lives and strengthens healthcare systems, ensuring your philanthropy continues to make a meaningful difference.
What your gift supports
- Free surgical care — life-changing operations at no cost to the patient.
- Medical capacity building — training that strengthens local healthcare.
- The volunteer crew — the surgeons, nurses, and specialists who serve on board.
- Wherever it’s needed most — giving you the flexibility to support emerging priorities and new opportunities.
Marion, age 3, had surgery for an umbilical hernia on board the Global Mercy. | Sierra Leone
Marion’s Story
Marion, who is three, was born with an umbilical hernia that grew larger and more painful as she got older. In Sierra Leone — a country with only one pediatric surgeon — that kind of operation is hard to reach. When the Global Mercy returned to Freetown, her aunt registered her, and a volunteer surgeon repaired the hernia in a little over an hour. A day later she was back to her playful self. A flexible fund is what lets Mercy Ships meet a need like Marion's, wherever it's greatest.
Why donors give through this fund
This fund offers a flexible way to align your charitable giving with your financial goals and your vision for long-term impact.
By contributing, you can:
- Invest in lasting surgical healthcare impact across Africa
- Support Mercy Ships Canada’s mission advancement priorities
- Make the most of significant giving opportunities
- Receive immediate tax benefits
- Contribute directly or through an existing donor-advised fund
- Donate cash, securities, and other eligible assets
How the fund works
You can contribute to the Programs Advancement Fund directly — receiving your charitable receipt from CNCF when you give — or recommend a grant from a donor-advised fund you already hold. The fund is designed to support Mercy Ships Canada over time, directed where needs and opportunities are greatest.
How to Give
See how giving works on the Donor-Advised Funds page or by clicking the button below
Advising a client? Reach Darryl Anderson at darryl.anderson@mercyships.ca
Why You are Needed
Each year as many as 1,550 volunteers from 60 nations serve on board our fleet doing humanitarian work.