Water.org's goal is to bring safe Water and sanitation to the world through market-driven solutions.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
59¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.8M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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 $3.4M a year · 10% 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
59%
of spending
Worth a look: 59% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.8M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $10K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$8.3M
37% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 37% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$19.0M
Spent
$25.5M
To programs
59%
Net assets
$14.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$19.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$19.0M
FY2021$37.5M
FY2022$39.1M
FY2023$51.5M
FY2024$29.8M
FY2025$31.3M
Expenses
$25.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$25.5M
FY2021$23.7M
FY2022$28.8M
FY2023$35.8M
FY2024$36.9M
FY2025$37.1M
Net assets
$14.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$14.1M
FY2021$27.9M
FY2022$38.1M
FY2023$53.6M
FY2024$46.5M
FY2025$40.5M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending September 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1993.

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

Where the money goes

59 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 59% · $14.9M Management & general 28% · $7.0M Fundraising 14% · $3.5M

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

21 people listed on the 990; $1.8M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
CEO and Co-Founder
$334,065Pt VII · Sec A
$294,200Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director, India
$241,823Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Programs Officer
$212,171Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$208,160Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Strateic Alliance
$186,690Pt VII · Sec A
SR Strategist, Brand Partnerships
$182,035Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Technology
$178,997Pt VII · Sec A

Gary White’s $528K as Board Member, CEO & Co-Founder is at the 92nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 345 $10–100M international 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Gary White$528,014$584,376$348,538$408,978$278,104$334,065
Vedika Bhandarkar$340,202$392,830$253,059$212,602$204,914$241,823
Tzvetelina Bonova$301,605$279,898$274,604$232,763——
Jennifer Schorsch——$223,372$243,072$229,500$294,200
Jason Schwartz$287,152$65,831————
Janet Tinsley$257,057$247,999$217,127$154,493——
Richard Thorsten$246,999$244,329$230,914$221,730$173,833$212,171
Fernando Alandia—$180,134$203,532$239,327$37,799—

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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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

Provides safe water and sanitation to communities worldwide.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $14.9M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Water Programs

WATER.ORG works to catalyze new sources of capital to power water and sanitation solutions, drive down the philanthropic costs to provide water, and continually increase the number of people with access to safe water and sanitation. WATER.ORG works in 13 countries in asia, africa and latin america.

$14.9Mprogram expense
02

Outreach

WATER.ORG raises awareness of the global water crisis and its effort to break down the financial barriers between people living in poverty and access to safe water and sanitation. WATER.ORG communicates through a variety of channels, including the WATER.ORG website, social media, email, direct mail, digital media and media relations.

$8Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$10K
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 4 grants · $6.4M · 2020–2023
Waterequity INCMO · FY2023$1,600,000
Waterequity INCMO · FY2022$2,000,000
Waterequity INCMO · FY2021$2,060,204
Waterequity INCMO · FY2020$750,000

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$19.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$18.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$156K
Other incomeLn 4–11$132K
Money outPt IX
$25.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$14.9M
Managementcol C$7.0M
Fundraisingcol D$3.5M
Owns and owesPt X
$14.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$17.8M
Total assetsLn 16$22.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$18.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$604K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$677K
Investment incomeLn 3$156K
Other incomeLn 4–11$132K
Gains on assetsLn 7$5K
Total revenueLn 12$19.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3K
SavingsLn 2$17.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$17.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$321K
Total assetsLn 16$22.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.3M
Net assetsLn 32$14.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 583
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$17.4M$17.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.3M$2.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$424K$321K
Total assetsLn 16$24.0M$22.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.7M$8.3M
Net assetsLn 32$20.3M$14.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$4.7M$4.7M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$850K$100K$714K$36K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$9.3M$5.4M$3.0M$931K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$296K$164K$108K$24K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$665K$267K$323K$75K
Payroll taxesLn 10$661K$287K$293K$81K
Legal feesLn 11b$515K$210K$274K$31K
Accounting feesLn 11c$108K$34K$68K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5.3M$2.6M$1.0M$1.7M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$50K$1K$10K$40K
Office expensesLn 13$746K$184K$332K$231K
OccupancyLn 16$734K$328K$333K$72K
TravelLn 17$701K$445K$212K$45K
InterestLn 20$6K$3K$2K$582
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$185K$81K$84K$20K
InsuranceLn 23$106K$47K$47K$11K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$321K$21K$42K$259K
All other expensesLn 24e$184K$91K$92K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$25.5M$14.9M$7.0M$3.5M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $31.3M$37.1M−$5.9M$40.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $29.8M$36.9M−$7.1M$46.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $51.5M$35.8M$15.6M$53.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $39.1M$28.8M$10.2M$38.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $37.5M$23.7M$13.8M$27.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $19.0M$25.5M−$6.4M$14.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $19,027,906 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $23,960,491$18,740,107
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $456,055$155,635
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $139,442$132,164
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $24,555,988$19,027,906
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $7,446,359$4,727,396
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $12,073,960$11,787,212
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,597,759$8,954,249
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $28,118,078$25,468,857
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$3,562,090−$6,440,951
Part VI · Governance 13 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $19,027,906 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$6,818
VIII-1e Government grants$604,218
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$18,129,071
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$676,811
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$18,740,107
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $150,588$150,588
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $11,554$11,554
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $5,047$5,047
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $120,239 · Excluded from tax $371$120,610
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $11,554 · Unrelated business $120,239 · Excluded from tax $156,006$19,027,906
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $25,468,857 across 18 lines filed
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $4,727,396$4,727,396
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $99,721 · Management $713,617 · Fundraising $36,361$849,699
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,352,306 · Management $3,032,721 · Fundraising $930,715$9,315,742
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $163,547 · Management $108,081 · Fundraising $23,907$295,535
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $267,233 · Management $323,224 · Fundraising $74,586$665,043
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $287,079 · Management $292,811 · Fundraising $81,303$661,193
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $209,910 · Management $273,970 · Fundraising $30,798$514,678
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $34,081 · Management $67,873 · Fundraising $5,700$107,654
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,584,100 · Management $1,047,493 · Fundraising $1,666,603$5,298,196
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,148 · Management $9,500 · Fundraising $39,607$50,255
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $183,516 · Management $331,614 · Fundraising $231,192$746,322
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $328,318 · Management $332,831 · Fundraising $72,485$733,634
IX-17 TravelPrograms $444,593 · Management $212,060 · Fundraising $44,525$701,178
IX-20 InterestPrograms $3,035 · Management $2,322 · Fundraising $582$5,939
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $80,970 · Management $84,006 · Fundraising $20,411$185,387
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $47,482 · Management $47,135 · Fundraising $11,249$105,866
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $20,683 · Management $41,612 · Fundraising $259,093$321,388
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $90,536 · Management $91,904 · Fundraising $1,312$183,752
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $14,925,654 · Management $7,012,774 · Fundraising $3,530,429$25,468,857
Part X · Balance sheet $22,420,171 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,156$2,609
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $17,349,734$17,759,845
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,519,386$1,500,001
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $61,645$57,629
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $373,667$330,475
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $424,238$320,979
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,111,754$1,322,929
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $1,179,291$1,125,704
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $24,021,871$22,420,171
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,345,600$1,970,999
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $390,242$4,901,076
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$1,425,382
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,735,842$8,297,457
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $6,739,719$6,785,619
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $13,546,310$7,337,095
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $20,286,029$14,122,714
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $24,021,871$22,420,171
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,122,714 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$19,027,906
XI-2 Total expenses$25,468,857
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$6,440,951
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$20,286,029
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$277,636
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,122,714

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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