Through our grant making program, Thousand Currents partners with organizations and movements in the global south that are creating lasting solutions to societal challenges. Our partners develop solutions that are innovative and impactful. They work to ensure their communities have access to healthy and locally grown food, are able to enjoy economic prosperity that generates wellbeing for all people, and live in a safe and healthy environment that supports abundant life.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$298K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2023 · 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 · 9% 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
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$298K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 11.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
41
named funders · $7.5M
Looks good: 41 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$714K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$23.8M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$23.9M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$28.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$23.8M
FY2023▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$86.9M
FY2021$15.2M
FY2022$25.2M
FY2023$23.8M
FY2024$63.6M
FY2025$20.0M
Expenses
$23.9M
FY2023▲ +74%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$10.8M
FY2021$80.5M
FY2022$13.7M
FY2023$23.9M
FY2024$30.8M
FY2025$54.5M
Net assets
$28.2M
FY2023+0.4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$82.4M
FY2021$17.2M
FY2022$28.1M
FY2023$28.2M
FY2024$61.2M
FY2025$27.1M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Nov 1985.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $21.6M Management & general 5% · $1.2M Fundraising 4% · $1.0M

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

10 people listed on the 990; $298K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$169,120Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Finance
$129,189Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Solome Lemma’s $268K as President & CEO is at the 52nd 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
Solome Lemma$267,780$191,182$169,120$162,552$143,072$128,761
Katherine Zavala$250,930$147,880————
Cindy Clark$187,938—————
Zanele Sibanda$187,938—————
Rajiv Khanna$187,597$152,522————
Jenesha De Rivera$180,121$141,127$129,189$114,864$108,662$94,631
Kailee Scales—————$170,000
Cindy Del Rosario Tappan$141,389$128,195————

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 Thousand Currents executive salaries →

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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

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $21.6M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

For nearly 40 years, thousand currents has invested more than $31 million in 1,000 grassroots and movement formations in the global south working to improve social, economic, and political conditions in their communities. Today, we make connections and facilitate relationships for collective power and collective change.

$21.6Mprogram 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 · FY2024
Novo FoundationFY2024$750K
Humanity UnitedFY2024$340K
Tides FoundationFY2024$275K
Total grants receivedfrom 41 funders$7.5M
See all 41 funders →
Grants paid · 45 grants · $98.2M · 2019–2024
Peace Development Fund INCMA · FY2024$4,000,000
Impact Assets INCMD · FY2024$1,200,000
Global Greengrants Fund INCCO · FY2024$700,000
Destiny Bridge BuildersTX · FY2024$80,000
Social Good Fund INCCA · FY2024$30,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$15,000
Inquiring Systems INCCA · FY2024$10,000
Global Greengrants Fund INCCO · FY2023$1,975,000
Grassroots International INCMA · FY2023$1,925,000
Global Fund for Women INCCA · FY2023$200,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$15,000
Social Good Fund INCCA · FY2023$15,000
US Right to KnowCA · FY2023$7,000
Grassroots International INCMA · FY2022$2,900,000
Global Greengrants Fund INCCO · FY2022$2,900,000
See all 45 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$23.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$281K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$50K
Money outPt IX
$23.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$21.6M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$1.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$28.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$23.1M
Total assetsLn 16$28.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$714K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$660K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$50K
Investment incomeLn 3$281K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7$13K
Total revenueLn 12$23.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$23.0M
SavingsLn 2$122K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$23.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.4M
Total assetsLn 16$28.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$714K
Net assetsLn 32$28.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 531
VolunteersI 68
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$24.5M$23.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.7M$3.4M
Total assetsLn 16$28.7M$28.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$672K$714K
Net assetsLn 32$28.1M$28.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$8.7M$8.7M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$9.6M$9.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$411K$236K$90K$85K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.8M$1.6M$611K$569K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$22K$12K$5K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$388K$226K$82K$81K
Payroll taxesLn 10$168K$101K$34K$34K
Legal feesLn 11b$273K$167K$92K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$86K$86K
Investment management feesLn 11f$25K$25K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$745K$558K$93K$94K
Office expensesLn 13$56K$41K$6K$10K
Information technologyLn 14$82K$48K$16K$19K
OccupancyLn 16$29K$17K$7K$6K
TravelLn 17$286K$209K$37K$40K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$179K$89K$41K$49K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$1K$467$460
InsuranceLn 23$26K$8K$15K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$56K$12K$6K$39K
Total functional expensesLn 25$23.9M$21.6M$1.2M$1.0M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $20.0M$54.5M−$34.5M$27.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $63.6M$30.8M$32.8M$61.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $23.8M$23.9M−$93K$28.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $25.2M$13.7M$11.5M$28.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $15.2M$80.5M−$65.3M$17.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $86.9M$10.8M$76.1M$82.4M 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $23,796,383 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $24,893,028$23,462,148
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $76,420$50,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $229,520$280,990
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,527$3,245
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $25,200,495$23,796,383
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $9,530,251$18,294,947
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,298,698$3,748,527
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,866,568$1,846,003
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $13,695,517$23,889,477
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $11,504,978−$93,094
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
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 $23,796,383 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$23,462,148
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$660,236
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$23,462,148
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $50,000$50,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $268,036$268,036
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $12,954$12,954
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $3,245$3,245
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $50,000 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $284,235$23,796,383
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $23,889,477 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $8,717,001$8,717,001
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $9,577,946$9,577,946
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $236,026 · Management $90,469 · Fundraising $85,003$411,498
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,578,810 · Management $611,387 · Fundraising $569,058$2,759,255
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $12,111 · Management $4,788 · Fundraising $4,705$21,604
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $225,697 · Management $81,594 · Fundraising $80,610$387,901
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $100,573 · Management $34,095 · Fundraising $33,601$168,269
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $166,909 · Management $91,606 · Fundraising $14,930$273,445
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $86,029$86,029
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $25,403$25,403
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $558,089 · Management $92,802 · Fundraising $93,783$744,674
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $40,679 · Management $5,521 · Fundraising $9,501$55,701
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $47,505 · Management $16,010 · Fundraising $18,816$82,331
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $16,536 · Management $6,586 · Fundraising $6,237$29,359
IX-17 TravelPrograms $209,046 · Management $37,022 · Fundraising $39,723$285,791
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $89,364 · Management $40,771 · Fundraising $48,659$178,794
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,242 · Management $467 · Fundraising $460$2,169
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,451 · Management $14,577 · Fundraising $3,043$26,071
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $11,753 · Management $5,947 · Fundraising $38,536$56,236
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $21,597,738 · Management $1,245,074 · Fundraising $1,046,665$23,889,477
Part X · Balance sheet $28,892,801 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $24,231,438$22,989,062
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $246,446$121,894
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,486,873$2,249,585
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $28,307$155,809
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $2,737,662$3,376,451
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $28,732,895$28,892,801
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $373,791$385,545
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $297,822$323,227
X-19 Deferred revenue$5,145
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $671,613$713,917
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $23,812,216$21,144,340
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,249,066$7,034,544
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $28,061,282$28,178,884
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $28,732,895$28,892,801
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $28,178,884 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$23,796,383
XI-2 Total expenses$23,889,477
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$93,094
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$28,061,282
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$195,696
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$15,000
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$28,178,884

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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