Ek Kadam Aur
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 475250637
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2021–2025
- Official website data refreshed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2019, Form 990-N 2017
- Location
- Highland Park, IL, USA
- Phone
- 6467322090
- Rating
- 87
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- International Academic Exchange
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $519,240
- Expenses
- $573,868
- Assets
- $243,623
- Liabilities
- $36,182
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
4 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- SATISH TRIPATHI PHD MPH (PRESIDENT)
People named in this filing
- NAVEEN JHA (DIRECTOR)
- FERNANDO QUEZADA MA (DIRECTOR)
- SATISH TRIPATHI PHD MPH (PRESIDENT)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Transforming lives of underprivileged children through education, technology, healthcare programs, and connection with a global network of qualified volunteers and mentors.
What it reported doing in 2025
Arunodaya (sunrise) for children with blindness program: the arunodaya program remained our flagship initiative in 2025, focusing on identifying, mentoring, and integrating blind children from underprivileged backgrounds into mainstream education across multiple states. Number of blind children in the program: 835 children admitted to schools: 706 teachers and educators: 83 visually impaired team members: 21 key achievements: transitioned to a digital accessibilityled learning model, integrating smartphones, screen readers, and assistive technologies to support independent learning. Strengthened orientation and mobility training, enabling children to move confidently in schools and community spaces. Implemented parent training and sensitization sessions to support home- based learning and independence. Trained educators and mentors in inclusive education practices and assistive technology tools. Encouraged participation of children in academic, cultural, and sports activities, strengthening confidence and independence. Impact: benefited children and families across 9 states, including uttar pradesh, andhra pradesh, madhya pradesh, chhattisgarh, west bengal, maharashtra, rajasthan, telangana, karnataka, and himachal pradesh.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 93% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 63% of its reported program spending out as grants.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 87
- Transparency & Controls: 94
- Accountability: 88
- Sustainability: 25
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 95.5%; rating input score 95
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -10.5%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.42; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 51.1% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 26.3% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 18.7% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 10 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 95.5% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $548K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
- Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
- Filing history: 5 filing years from 2021 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 13/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 21/100.
- High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 29/100.