Avaaz Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule oglobal community engagementin 2024, avaaz mobilized its global membership of nearly 70 million individuals to engage in advocacy on matters of public interest. Activities included the organization of global campaigns addressing critical social and political issues, facilitated by actions such as petition signatures and deliveries, direct communications with political leaders and policymakers, and financial contributions in support of campaign efforts.european union elections civic engagement campaignin the context of the 2024 european union elections, avaaz conducted a continent-wide civic engagement and advocacy initiative. The campaign involved targeted voter outreach communications reaching millions of individuals, the coordination of public awareness activities in strategic urban centers, including madrid and brussels, and advocacy efforts incorporating testimony and participation from survivors of anti-democratic political violence.community mobilization for peace and justice in middle east this initiative aimed to support peace efforts related to conflict in the middle east. The project focused on mobilization citizens voices to push for lasting peace in palestine and israel. Activities included large-scale community mobilization and advocacy actions aimed at ending violence, addressing the humanitarian crisis and creating the conditions for lasting peaceclimate accountability and legal advocacy campaignavaaz pursued accountability from governments and corporations for their contributions to climate change through a multi-faceted environmental justice campaign. Key actions included the submission of an amicus brief to the inter-american court of human rights on state responsibilities in climate matters, campaigning for a multinational oil company (bp) to stop harmful gas flaring and pay reparations to victims, and continued engagement with strategic climate litigation before the european court of human rights.advancing indigenous land rights and biodiversity advocacyin collaboration with leading indigenous peoples organizations such as opiac in colombia, avaaz supported efforts to advance the recognition of indigenous peoples' land rights globally. The work focused on influencing policy outcomes related to the un convention on biological diversity (cop16), with activities aimed at securing further legal recognition of indigenous territories and advocating for direct access to international biodiversity financing mechanisms.break the blackout in sudanavaaz contributed to efforts aimed at increasing international media coverage of the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in sudan, where over 12 million people have been displaced, and conditions suggest the emergence of the world's most severe hunger crisis. Avaaz undertook strategic advocacy initiatives to encourage major media outlets to expand their reporting on the crisis. Additionally, the organization facilitated high-level briefings that succeeded in drawing the attention of members of the united nations security council.global advocacy for safe and rights-based artificial intelligence governancein 2024, avaaz led an advocacy initiative aimed at redirecting the global governance debate on artificial intelligence (ai) to prioritize human rights and societal well-being over the theoretical risks of loss of control of ai. Key activities included commissioning a unique database of ai harms, producing publications based on this and using them alongside legal argument in support of advocacy efforts for a un-endorsed "ipcc for ai" expert panel, modelled on climate governance structures, to build scientific consensus and drive the formation of a global treaty framework. Avaaz participated as an invited speaker to the first un dialogue on ai governance to promote these ideas. Avaaz was also a lead contributor to the drafting of european union's code of practice on general purpose ai as a member of two working groups drafting the code. Avaaz also co-led the d

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 67.4%; rating input score 67
• Program expense ratio: 72.8%; rating input score 73
• Fundraising efficiency: $13.43 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.7%; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 7.9%; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.12; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.2%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.7% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.9% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.2% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings