The White Helmets Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
934720959
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2023
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
5149714081
Rating
61
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Relief

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$696,352
Expenses
$213,330
Assets
$1,092,041
Liabilities
$609,019

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • RAED ALSALEH (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • RAED ALSALEH (PRESIDENT)
  • ANNEMARIE SPARROW (SECRETARY)
  • AHMAD TARAKJI (TREASURER)

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 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Saving lives, promoting justice, and building community resilience through the efficient and effective delivery of humanitarian services, in collaboration with local and global partners.

What it reported doing in 2024

During 2024, the white helmets volunteers carried out more than 420,000 humanitarian and service operations, directly benefiting more than 557,000 people in 1,000 communities, to protect civilians and enhance community stability, despite ongoing risks and challenges. The most prominent achievements can be classified into four main programs: search & rescue program, health program, protection program and community resilience program. Search & rescue program reponsed to military attacks, fires, traffic accidents and evacuations and water rescue. Health program provided emergency and non-emergency medical services, including first aid, patient transfers and non-emergency transportation; health services for woman and family health centers; and pschological support and health awareness. Protection program included community safety awareness, community empowerment and performed awareness shows covering child protection, personal hygiene and safety. Community resilience progam provides humanitarian response projects in four main sectors: early recovery, localization, climate and environment and mine action.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 50% for direct work, and 50% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 27
  • Transparency & Controls: 87
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 14.3%; rating input score 14
  • Program expense ratio: 46.8%; rating input score 47
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.27 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Pass
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Pass
    • Conducts site visits: Pass
    • Requires grant agreements: Pass
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 69.4%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.12; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.56; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 14.3% of revenue deployed · 46.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $100K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 23 of 23 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 1 filing year from 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 14/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 47/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 32/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 14/100.