Transformers Foundation is the unified voice representing the denim industry and its ideas for positive change. It was founded to provide a thus-far missing platform to the jeans and denim supply chain, and a central point of contact for consumers, brands NGOs, and media who want to learn more about ethics and sustainable innovation in the industry. We represent the denim supply chain: from farmers and chemical suppliers to denim mill

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2K a year · under 1% 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
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$71K
to officers and key staff · 26% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 26% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.5 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$129K
92% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 92% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 5 voting members
Concern: none of 5 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$247K
-24% vs prior year
Spent
$274K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$11K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$247K
FY2024▼ -24%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$221K
FY2021$306K
FY2022$299K
FY2023$325K
FY2024$247K
Expenses
$274K
FY2024▼ -38%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$149K
FY2021$234K
FY2022$292K
FY2023$439K
FY2024$274K
Net assets
$11K
FY2024▼ -68%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$72K
FY2021$145K
FY2022$152K
FY2023$34K
FY2024$11K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Dec 2019.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $212K Management & general 14% · $37K Fundraising 9% · $24K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $71K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$51,388Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$20,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kim Van Der Weerd’s $51K as Director is at the 32nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1989 $100K–1M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023
Kim Van Der Weerd$51,388$42,261
Emily Olah$20,000$44,000
Miguel Sanchez—$32,564

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 Transformers Foundation 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Advocates for positive change and sustainability within the global denim industry.

Questions for Transformers Foundation INC

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2 programs · $212K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Education

Transformers foundation works with educational institutions and industry to bring together a conference series, where we teach students the denim supply chain, focusing on each area from fiber through to finish garment processing.

$106Kprogram expense
02

Research & Writing

The transformers foundation selects one subject for a deep dive research paper on one subject. 2020 research paper was focused on the ethical purchasing practices in the denim supply chain through COVID-19. This paper also highlighted the power unbalance between BRANDS/BUYERS and their suppliers.

$106Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$247K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$214K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$34K
Money outPt IX
$274K
Ln 25
Programscol B$212K
Managementcol C$37K
Fundraisingcol D$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$11K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$11K
Total assetsLn 16$140K
LiabilitiesLn 26$129K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$214K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$34K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$1K
Total revenueLn 12$247K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$11K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$11K
Total assetsLn 16$140K
LiabilitiesLn 26$129K
Net assetsLn 32$11K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$17K$11K
Total assetsLn 16$132K$140K
LiabilitiesLn 26$98K$129K
Net assetsLn 32$34K$11K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Legal feesLn 11b$8K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$20K$20K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$165K$144K$8K$12K
InsuranceLn 23$1K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$80K$68K$371$12K
Total functional expensesLn 25$274K$212K$37K$24K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 1, 2025 $247K$274K−$27K$11K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $325K$439K−$114K$34K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2023 $299K$292K$7K$152K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2022 $306K$234K$73K$145K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $221K$149K$72K$72K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $246,889 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $324,475$214,500
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$33,813
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $314−$1,424
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $324,789$246,889
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $438,625$273,729
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $438,625$273,729
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$113,836−$26,840
Part VI · Governance 0 of 5 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $246,889 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$214,500
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$214,500
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $33,813$33,813
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$1,424−$1,424
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $33,813 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$1,424$246,889
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $273,729 across 5 lines filed
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $7,703$7,703
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,608$19,608
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $143,778 · Management $8,309 · Fundraising $12,463$164,550
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,446$1,446
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $68,043 · Management $371 · Fundraising $12,008$80,422
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $211,821 · Management $37,437 · Fundraising $24,471$273,729
Part X · Balance sheet $140,242 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $17,239$11,242
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $115,000$129,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $132,239$140,242
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $97,978$96,321
X-19 Deferred revenue$33,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $97,978$129,321
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $34,261$10,921
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $34,261$10,921
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $132,239$140,242
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $10,921 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$246,889
XI-2 Total expenses$273,729
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$26,840
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$34,261
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$3,500
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$10,921

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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