irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $13.83MPUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM - AROUND THE WORLD, MANY PEOPLE ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH CLEFT LIP AND PALATE. FOR MANY OF THE FAMILIES WE SUPPORT, THE FIRST TIME THEY SEE A CLEFT IS WHEN THEY FIRST LOOK AT THE FACE OF THEIR NEWBORN CHILD. THIS LACK OF AWARENESS, COUPLED WITH STIGMA AND MYTHS AROUND CLEFTS, OFTEN LEADS TO BABIES WITH CLEFTS BEING ABANDONED, ISOLATED, OR SIMPLY NEVER BROUGHT TO A HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT BECAUSE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES DON'T KNOW THAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE. NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EVERY FAMILY IS AWARE OF CLEFT LIP AND PALATE AND THE CARE THAT THEIR CHILD WILL NEED AS THEY GROW AND DEVELOP. (CONT'D ON SCH. O).
- #2 $7.75MTRAINING PROGRAMS - SMILE TRAIN PROVIDES FREE TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO CLEFT CARE PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD. ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IS CRITICAL TO SMILE TRAIN'S WORK EMPOWERING LOCAL MEDICAL TEAMS TO PROVIDE SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY COMPREHENSIVE CLEFT CARE. SMILE TRAIN IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING LOCAL CAPACITY BY INVESTING IN CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR CLEFT SURGEONS, ANESTHETISTS, NURSES, SPEECH THERAPISTS, NUTRITIONISTS, AND OTHER CLEFT CARE PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD. SINCE 1999, WE HAVE PROVIDED MORE THAN 100,000 TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE CLEFT TREATMENT IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. (CONT'D ON SCH. O).
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Comprehensive Cleft Care
Provides coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment including surgery, speech therapy, nutrition, dental care, hearing services, and psychosocial support for children with clefts from infancy through adulthood.
Public Education Program
Conducts awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and inform communities about cleft conditions and available treatments, improving early access to care.
Training Programs
Offers free clinical training and education to cleft care professionals worldwide, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, speech therapists, and nutritionists, to build local capacity.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Healthcare Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocating for integration of surgical care into global health policyEngages in advocacy efforts that contributed to the adoption of World Health Assembly Resolution 76.2, which integrates emergency, critical, and operative care into universal health coverage.
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Medical Professional Education & Training 1 activity
- Building medical capacity in cleft careProvides free clinical training, educational resources, and hands-on tools—including 3D virtual surgery simulators and 3D-printed surgical models—to cleft surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, speech therapists, nutritionists, and other professionals globally. Since 1999, has delivered over 100,000 training opportunities and 34,619 hours of training to more than 20,000 healthcare providers.
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Pediatric Medical Care and Research Support 1 activity
- Funding cleft treatment through local partnersProvides financial support to hundreds of partner medical programs worldwide to deliver free cleft surgery and comprehensive care to children in over 75 countries. Since 1999, has supported over 2 million cleft surgeries, more than all other global charities combined.
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Pediatric Surgical Interventions 1 activity
- Providing comprehensive cleft care servicesSupports delivery of free, multidisciplinary cleft care including reconstructive surgery, speech therapy, psychological support, nutritional services, orthodontics, and hearing care through a global network of local medical providers. Includes patient outreach, travel stipends, and digital tools for speech therapy and record management.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conducting cleft care researchCommissions and co-authors peer-reviewed research on cleft-related health outcomes and surgical systems, including a study estimating over 45,000 under-five cleft-related malnutrition deaths between 2000 and 2020, and research identifying age at cleft surgery as a bellwether for pediatric surgical system strength.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$121.69M
Contributions & grants$103.53M85%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$18.07M15%
Other revenue$86K
expenses
Total expenses$97.52M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead2%
Fundraising19%
Salaries & benefits$14.39M
Grants paid out$52.63M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$423.87M
Cash$13.12M
Investments$382.47M
Liabilities$5.84M
Net assets$418.03M
Liquid reserves48.7 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +22.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 10
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSANNAH SCHAEFER | PRESIDENT/CEO/EXEC VICE CHAIR | 40 | $569K |
| ASHLEY OCHS | COO, SECRETARY & GENERAL COUNSEL | 40 | $349K |
| PREMALI SHAH | CFO | 40 | $326K |
| ELYSE TAUB | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $300K |
| ERIN STIEBER | CHIEF PROGRAMS STRATEGY OFF. | 40 | $299K |
| TROY REINHART | SVP, COMTY. & AMBASSADOR DEV. | 40 | $276K |
| PHILIP CARROLL | SENIOR VP, COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $260K |
| VIVIAN LEWIS | VP, HUMAN RESOURCES | 40 | $244K |
| R JAMES MADIGAN | IN-HOUSE COUNSEL | 40 | $229K |
| WENDELL THOMAS | VP, INFORMATION SYSTEMS & TECH. | 40 | $223K |
board members · 9
- ARTHUR J MCCARTHY — TREASURER
- CRYSTLE STEWART — BOARD MEMBER
- JENNIFER JACOBS — BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 10/2024)
- MATHIAS KIWANUKA — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHAEL H GOLDBERG — BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 10/2024)
- PAULA SHUGART — BOARD MEMBER
- RICHARD RUDERMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- ROY E REICHBACH — CHAIRPERSON
- TIM ALAVATHIL — BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 02/2025)
relationships · 14
Who they work with
- 20,000+ medical professionals Partner — Network of empowered medical professionals delivering cleft care through Smile Train support.
- American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association Partner — Partner organization through which families can find ACPA-approved cleft care teams.
- American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association Partner — Provides US cleft team contact information updated annually on Smile Train's website.
- BioDigital Partner — Collaborated to create the 3D Virtual Surgery Simulator for cleft surgery training.
- Cleft Community Advisory Council Partner — Advises on communication strategies and public education initiatives.
- Grady Health System Partner — Collaborates with Smile Train to provide cleft care services.
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Partner — Collaborated on a 2022 peer-reviewed study about cleft-related malnutrition.
- Medical Advisory Board Partner — Provides expert guidance and participates in training and public education efforts.
- Simulare Medical Partner — Division of Smile Train that develops hyper-realistic 3D-printed cleft surgery simulators.
- World Health Assembly Government — Engaged in advocacy leading to WHA Resolution 68.15 and WHA Resolution 76.2 on essential surgery and universal health coverage
- local hospitals Partner — Delivers cleft care services in partnership with Smile Train
- local hospitals Partner — Direct partners in delivering cleft surgery and strengthening regional health systems.
- local medical professionals Partner — Provides cleft care services in local communities
- local medical professionals Partner — Trains and funds local medical professionals to provide cleft care in their own communities.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Barrier-Free Access Modelmethodology: barrier_free_accessBy eliminating financial and logistical obstacles—providing free surgery and transportation support—Smile Train increases care utilization because affordability and accessibility are critical determinants of treatment uptake among underserved populations.
- Bellwether Indicator Modelmethodology: bellwether_indicator_modelBy using access to and timing of cleft surgery as a measurable indicator, Smile Train assesses and advocates for broader surgical system strength in low- and middle-income countries because reliable cleft care reflects functional infrastructure, workforce, and health policy.
- Comprehensive Cleft Care Modelmethodology: comprehensive_cleft_careBy addressing medical, emotional, developmental, and psychosocial needs beyond surgery—such as nutrition, speech therapy, orthodontics, and mental health—Smile Train supports long-term rehabilitation and well-being because cleft treatment requires multidisciplinary intervention across the lifespan.
- Local Capacity Building Modelmethodology: local_capacity_buildingBy training, funding, and resourcing in-country medical professionals, Smile Train produces sustainable, high-quality cleft care because locally based providers ensure continuity, cultural relevance, and long-term system strengthening over reliance on short-term missions.