Twende Solar

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
473795108
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2017
Location
Portland, OR, USA
Phone
5039222863
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Development

Reported finances

Revenue
$198,695
Expenses
$173,727
Assets
$219,135
Liabilities
$421

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • BETSY KAUFFMAN (President)
  • CATHERINE KLEBL (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • ROBIN SWANHUYSER (Executive Dir.): $86,182 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Twende solar empowers marginalized communities with electricity independence through solar to achieve a world with sustainable energy for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024, twende solar completed a solar installation for a school in ethiopia, bringing reliable electricity to over 5,000 students, teachers, and community members. This project enhanced access to lighting for evening study, enabled digital learning, and supported local economic development. Additionally, twende solar completed a solar installation in portland, or, providing electricity to improve heating, cooling, and living conditions for 100 individuals experiencing homelessness.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 68% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 62
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 79
  • Sustainability: 51
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 63.6%; rating input score 64
  • Program expense ratio: 70.7%; rating input score 71
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.49 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • 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: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 12.6%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.26; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 49.6%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -0.3% per year; rating input score 0; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 63.6% of revenue deployed · 70.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 16 of 16 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $123K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $86K · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 28/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 47/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 4/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 54/100.