Safe Water Network EIN 51-0570455 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Safe Water Network FY2020 filing

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Provides safe, sustainable water solutions to underserved communities. For fiscal year 2020 it reported $4.2M in revenue, $5.2M in expenses, and $6.2M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
2005
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Environment
Location
New York, NY
Website
www.safewaternetwork.org
Filings
5 on file (2020–2020)
Revenue
$4.2MFY2020
Expenses
$5.2M
Net assets
$6.2M
People
16
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  51-0570455 Public charity (501(c)(3)) New York, NY Founded 2005
Form 990 (PDF)
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 8/14/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$1–10M
What they do
Provides safe, sustainable water solutions to underserved communities.
Leadership
Kurt Soderlund · CEO/Secretary · $247K
Money in and out
$4.2M revenue, $5.2M expenses
Bottom line
81% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2020
Total revenue
$4.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$5.2M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$6.2M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$1.0M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.81 Management & general $0.10 Fundraising $0.10
Program efficiency
81%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
6.6mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
-25%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2020 · Form 990
Revenue
$4.2M
FY2020
Expenses
$5.2M
FY2020
Total assets
$7.1M
FY2020
Total liabilities
$874K
FY2020
Total revenue
$4.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$5.2M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$6.2M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$1.0M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$7.1M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B81%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 311
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 410
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $4.2M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

Ghanawith a focus on reaching small towns and peri-urban areas on the fringes of big cities and dense urban settlements, safe water network is advancing decentralized solutions that target these fast growing AREAS.SINCE launching our program in ghana in 2009 access to safe water increased for 442,000 people via 96 H2OME!

$2.7Mprogram expense
02

Indiasafe water network's (SWN'S) safe water initiative in india works with social entrepreneurs to establish decentralized small water enterprises (swes) that sell safe drinking water to underserved consumers for affordable prices.

$893Kprogram expense
03

Globalsince its founding in 2006, safe water network has worked to apply an enterprise approach to achieve sustainable water services for these low-income communities. Our portfolio of 450 small water enterprises (swes) in ghana and india provide access to safe water for over 1.6 million people, and in a sector with over 30% failure…

$615Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CSafe Water Network
EINHdr · item D51-0570455
Principal addressHdr · item CNew York, NY
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.safewaternetwork.org
Year of formationHdr · item L2005
State of legal domicileHdr · item MNY
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFEnvironment (C32)
Ruling yearIRS BMFMay 2006

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a11
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b10
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO/Secretary
$247,010Pt VII · Sec A
SVP of Strategic Initiatives
$188,004Pt VII · Sec A
SVP Advancement
$180,000Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Strategic Partnerships
$163,119Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Vice President
$146,461Pt VII · Sec A
Country Director
$133,813Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Christopher W Williams PHD’s $324K as CEO, Secretary & Treasurer is at the 98th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1845 $1–10M environment 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Christopher W Williams PHD$324,150
Kurt Soderlund$145,833$244,927$247,537$248,882$247,010
Nisha Chakravarty$143,750$220,004$146,461
Merrill Allen$188,004
Venkatesh Raghavendra$180,000
Ravindra Sewak$179,024$122,342$128,264$125,468
Charles B Nimako$164,834$140,752$151,535$134,446$133,813
Nathaniel C Paynter$163,119

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.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$3.6M · 85%
Program service revenue$572K · 14%
Other revenue$36K · 1%
Contributions & grants85%$3.6M
Program service revenue14%$572K
Other revenue1%$36K
Investment income$8K
Total revenueLn 12$4.2M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.81 Management & general $0.10 Fundraising $0.10
Program services81%$4.2M
Management & general10%$511K
Fundraising10%$502K
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.2M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$2.8M
Total assetsLn 16$7.1M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$874K
Total net assetsLn 32$6.2M
Months of cash on handcomputed6.5

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2020 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $2.8M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $5.2M · Less non-cash grants $22K · Cash operating expenses/yr $5.2M
6.6 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $4.2M · Total expenses $5.2M
81%
Management & General
Management & general $511K · Total expenses $5.2M
10%
Fundraising
Fundraising $502K · Total expenses $5.2M
10%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense $502K · Solicited contributions $3.6M
$0.14 to raise $1
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $3.6M · Total revenue $4.2M
85%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $4.2M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $572K · Total revenue $4.2M
14%
Investment reliance
Investment income $8K · Total revenue $4.2M
+0.2%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $572K · Total expenses $5.2M
11%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $4.2M · Prior year —
No prior year on file
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $6.2M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $4.2M · Expenses $5.2M
-25%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $7.1M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $6.2M · Total assets $7.1M
88%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $7.1M
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Kurt Soderlund · Reported title CEO/SECRETARY · Highest reported compensation $247K · Total expenses $5.2M
5%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $2.6M · Total expenses $5.2M
50%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 81%
Overhead ratio 10%
Fundraising cost ratio 14%
Accounting fee ratio 3%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$6K

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$9.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$5.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$10.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$8.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$4.2M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2020IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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