Samaritan's Purse declined $300 million U.S. government humanitarian contract
September 1, 2026 at 6:05 PM MT · via Deseret News · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting

Samaritan's Purse, the evangelical Christian humanitarian organization led by Franklin Graham, declined a $300 million U.S. government contract for humanitarian aid work, according to Deseret News. The organization chose to maintain its independence rather than accept government funding.
The decision reflects a longstanding tension for faith-based relief organizations between accessing large-scale government resources and maintaining religious mission autonomy. Government contracts typically come with restrictions on religious activities and messaging.
Samaritan's Purse operates major disaster response and international relief programs funded entirely through private donations. The organization has faced both praise for its rapid response capabilities and criticism for requiring aid recipients to participate in Christian evangelism activities.
More coverage of this story
- Deseret News →September 1, 2026 at 5:18 PM MT
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