The Malala Fund

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 2016EducationEIN 81-1397590

Malala fund is working toward a world where all girls can learn for 12 years and lead without fear.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 7 volunteers and 45 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $5.2M a year · 19% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.6M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 71% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $6K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$11.6M
21% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 21% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$15.3M
-11% vs prior year
Spent
$23.0M
To programs
82%
Net assets
$43.0M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$15.3M
FY2025▼ -11%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$16.3M
FY2022$29.1M
FY2023$55.8M
FY2024$17.2M
FY2025$15.3M
Expenses
$23.0M
FY2025▼ -13%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$11.1M
FY2022$20.8M
FY2023$26.6M
FY2024$26.3M
FY2025$23.0M
Net assets
$43.0M
FY2025▼ -14%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$20.9M
FY2022$28.7M
FY2023$57.0M
FY2024$49.8M
FY2025$43.0M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2016.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $18.9M Management & general 10% · $2.2M Fundraising 8% · $1.9M

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $1.6M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Officer
$333,103Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Adviser
$295,603Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$223,887Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Growth Officer
$203,248Pt VII · Sec A
Communications Dir. (until 12/6/24)
$198,647Pt VII · Sec A
Mel Director (until 12/6/24)
$188,514Pt VII · Sec A
Mel Manager (until 12/6/24)
$172,640Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lena Alfi’s $333K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 71st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M education 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Suzanne Ehlers——$351,389$309,406$270,302
Lena Alfi$333,103$257,921$159,197$150,877$117,454
Erin Hohlfelder$295,603$178,788———
Humaira Wakili$223,887$139,500———
Anjali Singh-Code$203,248————
McKinley Tretler$198,647————
Julius Dasmarinas$188,514————
Maliha Khan See Schedule O———$182,706$188,384

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 The Malala Fund 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Advocates for girls' education and leadership globally.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until The Malala Fund claims this page.

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1 program service account for $18.9M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Founded by malala and ziauddin yousafzai in 2013, malala fund is working for a world where every girl can learn and choose her own future. Together with our board, grantee partners, young women advisory council, staff, leadership council and donor partners, we are creating a more equal, safer and healthier world by ensuring all girls can…

$18.9Mprogram expense

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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 2 funders$6K
Grants paid · 28 grants · $3.3M · 2020–2024
Defaw INCCA · FY2024$250,000
Wartists INCVA · FY2024$150,000
Players Philanthropy FundMD · FY2024$135,000
Too Young to WedNY · FY2023$150,000
Learn Afghan INCAZ · FY2023$130,000
AneraDC · FY2023$100,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$50,000
Afghans Empowered CorpCA · FY2023$20,000
See all 28 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$15.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$863K
Money outPt IX
$23.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$18.9M
Managementcol C$2.2M
Fundraisingcol D$1.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$43.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.1M
Total assetsLn 16$54.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$107K
Investment incomeLn 3$863K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$121K
Total revenueLn 12$15.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$5.9M
SavingsLn 2$2.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$8.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$28.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$95K
Other assetsLn 15$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$54.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.6M
Net assetsLn 32$43.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 545
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$13.8M$8.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$28.4M$28.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$120K$95K
Total assetsLn 16$64.2M$54.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$14.4M$11.6M
Net assetsLn 32$49.8M$43.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.5M$1.5M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$11.6M$11.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$629K$289K$290K$50K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.6M$2.7M$638K$1.2M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$117K$70K$16K$31K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$617K$363K$98K$156K
Payroll taxesLn 10$431K$251K$76K$104K
Legal feesLn 11b$235K$164K$65K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$135K$94K$37K$3K
Investment management feesLn 11f$39K$39K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.3M$894K$357K$32K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$66K$26K$11K$29K
Office expensesLn 13$340K$66K$190K$83K
Information technologyLn 14$125K$87K$35K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$377K$205K$95K$77K
TravelLn 17$594K$423K$122K$49K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$80K$57K$10K$13K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$25K$1K$17K$7K
InsuranceLn 23$59K$160$59K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$140K$39K$38K$63K
Total functional expensesLn 25$23.0M$18.9M$2.2M$1.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $15.3M$23.0M−$7.6M$43.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $17.2M$26.3M−$9.1M$49.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $55.8M$26.6M$29.2M$57.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $29.1M$20.8M$8.2M$28.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $16.3M$11.1M$5.3M$20.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $15,332,511 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$771 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$14,470,120
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$106,855
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$14,470,120
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $984,262$984,262
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$121,100−$121,100
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business −$771 · Excluded from tax $863,162$15,332,511
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $22,953,149 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,530,944$1,530,944
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $11,564,152$11,564,152
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $288,899 · Management $289,781 · Fundraising $50,128$628,808
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,728,194 · Management $638,322 · Fundraising $1,199,786$4,566,302
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $70,489 · Management $15,721 · Fundraising $31,265$117,475
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $363,292 · Management $98,013 · Fundraising $155,588$616,893
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $250,828 · Management $75,726 · Fundraising $104,432$430,986
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $163,923 · Management $65,354 · Fundraising $5,790$235,067
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $93,940 · Management $37,453 · Fundraising $3,318$134,711
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $39,173$39,173
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $894,369 · Management $356,573 · Fundraising $31,590$1,282,532
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $26,200 · Management $11,246 · Fundraising $28,750$66,196
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $66,168 · Management $189,984 · Fundraising $83,491$339,643
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $87,461 · Management $34,870 · Fundraising $3,089$125,420
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $205,006 · Management $94,521 · Fundraising $77,215$376,742
IX-17 TravelPrograms $423,084 · Management $121,740 · Fundraising $49,012$593,836
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $57,228 · Management $9,980 · Fundraising $12,816$80,024
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,367 · Management $16,720 · Fundraising $6,672$24,759
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $160 · Management $59,211$59,371
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $39,316 · Management $38,074 · Fundraising $62,725$140,115
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $18,855,020 · Management $2,192,462 · Fundraising $1,905,667$22,953,149
Part X · Balance sheet $54,521,948 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $9,747,606$5,894,531
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $4,042,666$2,188,942
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $20,342,186$16,830,242
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $189,970$86,605
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $119,537$94,778
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $28,421,681$28,293,756
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,370,099$1,133,094
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $64,233,745$54,521,948
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $898,647$900,623
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $12,022,432$9,412,641
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,474,315$1,250,309
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $14,395,394$11,563,573
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $30,020,810$27,022,972
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $19,817,541$15,935,403
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $49,838,351$42,958,375
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $64,233,745$54,521,948
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $42,958,375 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$15,332,511
XI-2 Total expenses$22,953,149
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$7,620,638
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$49,838,351
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$740,662
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$42,958,375

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

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