Rainbow Railroad USA INC

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Rainbow Railroad provides humanitarian assistance and protection to individuals facing persecution or violence based on their sexual orientation and gender. The organization supports people seeking safety from state-enabled violence and murder in countries all over the world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 7 volunteers and 11 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $404K a year · 11% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $170K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$564K
17% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 17% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.7M
+23% vs prior year
Spent
$3.9M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$2.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.7M
FY2025▲ +23%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$7.9M
FY2023$3.2M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2025$3.7M
Expenses
$3.9M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$3.6M
FY2023$4.5M
FY2024$3.7M
FY2025$3.9M
Net assets
$2.8M
FY2025▼ -9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$442K
FY2021$834K
FY2022$5.1M
FY2023$3.7M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2025$2.8M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 2015.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $2.9M Management & general 5% · $184K Fundraising 22% · $861K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chair Eff. 6/2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair Thru 6/2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair Eff. 6/2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer Eff. 6/2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer Thru 6/2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director Eff. 2/2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Interim CEO, Head of Operations
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kathryn Hampton’s $130K as Head of Impact is at the 54th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1691 $1–10M philanthropy & grantmaking nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023
Kathryn Hampton$129,864$123,600

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Rainbow Railroad USA INC executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Rescues LGBT individuals fleeing persecution and violence worldwide.

Questions for Rainbow Railroad USA INC

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Your first name shows with your question. Rainbow Railroad USA INC answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $2.9M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Emergency and Humanitarian Support Programs

In 2025, we focused on our emergency travel support (ets) and FIVE(5) complimentary pathway programs, where we supported a total of 25,376 individuals. Ets provides life saving advice and resources, in 2025 we evacuated 85 individuals through this program.

$2.9Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$170K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$82K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$3.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.9M
Managementcol C$184K
Fundraisingcol D$861K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.2M
Total assetsLn 16$3.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$564K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.6M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$14K
Investment incomeLn 3$82K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$3.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$739K
SavingsLn 2$2.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$3.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$564K
Net assetsLn 32$2.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Grants to other countriesSch F Pt II–III$1.2M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.8M$3.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9K$6K
Total assetsLn 16$3.1M$3.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$65K$564K
Net assetsLn 32$3.0M$2.8M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$1.2M$1.2M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$753K$517K$237K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$137K$118K$19K
Payroll taxesLn 10$57K$40K$16K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$38K$38K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$310K$310K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$130K$383$37K$92K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$11K$11K
Office expensesLn 13$79K$24K$55K
Information technologyLn 14$80K$547$79K
OccupancyLn 16$21K$15K$6K
TravelLn 17$390K$310K$19K$62K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$2K$400$1K$684
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$784K$728K$27K$28K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.9M$2.9M$184K$861K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 12, 2026 $3.7M$3.9M−$257K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Oct 2, 2025 $3.0M$3.7M−$728K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Sep 26, 2024 $3.2M$4.5M−$1.4M$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 22, 2023 $7.9M$3.6M$4.3M$5.1M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2022 $2.2M$1.9M$387K$834K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Feb 15, 2022 $1.3M$1.2M$107K$442K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,691,209 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,912,544$3,607,330
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $102,605$81,651
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$5,791$2,228
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,009,358$3,691,209
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,085,611$1,151,533
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $863,831$946,553
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $168,096$309,628
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,619,762$1,540,960
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,737,300$3,948,674
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$727,942−$257,465
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,691,209 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,607,330
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$13,896
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,607,330
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $81,651$81,651
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,228$2,228
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $83,879$3,691,209
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,948,674 across 16 lines filed
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $1,151,533$1,151,533
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $516,527 · Fundraising $236,634$753,161
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $117,576 · Fundraising $19,140$136,716
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $40,483 · Fundraising $16,193$56,676
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,054$2,054
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $38,010$38,010
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $309,628$309,628
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $383 · Management $37,294 · Fundraising $92,234$129,911
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $11,086$11,086
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $24,451 · Management $54,553$79,004
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $547 · Fundraising $79,347$79,894
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $14,686 · Fundraising $5,874$20,560
IX-17 TravelPrograms $309,836 · Management $18,542 · Fundraising $61,514$389,892
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $4,131$4,131
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $400 · Management $1,352 · Fundraising $684$2,436
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $728,309 · Management $27,373 · Fundraising $28,300$783,982
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,904,184 · Management $183,856 · Fundraising $860,634$3,948,674
Part X · Balance sheet $3,320,210 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $660,108$739,164
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,108,019$2,426,530
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $149,381$121,062
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $49,589$27,685
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $9,126$5,769
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $102,428$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,078,651$3,320,210
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $65,041$41,865
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$522,200
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $65,041$564,065
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,013,610$2,756,145
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,013,610$2,756,145
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,078,651$3,320,210
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,756,145 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,691,209
XI-2 Total expenses$3,948,674
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$257,465
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,013,610
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,756,145

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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