Womens Global Empowerment Fund

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
208822616
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Denver, CO, USA
Phone
3035207656
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Economic Development

Reported finances

Revenue
$221,979
Expenses
$237,704
Assets
$17,340
Liabilities
$15,080

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

People named in this filing

  • Michael Powl (Board Chair)
  • Louise Martorano (Board Treasurer)
  • Charlotte Seymour (Board Secretary)

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

The mission of Women's Global Empowerment Fund is to empower women through economic, social and political programs; creating opportunities while addressing inequality, strengthening families and communities. Our strategy is to provide women with the framework necessary to create viable opportunities for themselves and their families. Through grassroots strategies, marginalized women are given the tools necessary to alleviate poverty thus facilitating sustainable development and empowerment. Our goal is to work for social justice, increased human security and women's empowerment.

What it reported doing in 2024

As of December 2024, our Credit Plus program has given over 43,562 microcredit loans, 2,800 + new loans in 2024, (298 borrowing groups), basic business training and opportunities to participants in development programs. We made our first loan in October, 2007 and since April, 2008, have experienced rapid growth. We continue to add funds to our loan portfolio, creating and building capacity in our programs. Our reputation in the community is positive; we have a good, solid, fair program, resulting in new groups applying weekly. Several indicators highlight the success of this program and where we are at this point in time. One, we have had no defaults; two, groups continue to expand and grow their businesses, many women are hiring assistants and employees from their villages; three, we have created a complete and vibrant local food economy by supporting women farmers; also, Gulu Women's Resource Centre (GWRC) and Leadership Development continued in 2024, providing support and resources for women and girls experiencing gender based violence, forced marriage and other challenges. Program Highlights: * Peer Counseling ongoing training and support - 198 women leaders * Access to Justice for Women - This Program is fully functioning in the community providing women support and information about the justice system, navigating breakages in the justice chain and referrals. We have 22 trained counselors who have helped navigate support women in over 700 cases in 2024 and a toll-free nationwide number has been secured and is fully operational. * GWRC supported over 468 women facing gender-based violence by providing support and resources. * 87 girls prevented from forced/early marriage through the Access to Justice Family Mediation Initiative. * The Healthy Periods Initiative has distributed nearly 8.5M sanitary products to women and schoolgirls, including monthly deliveries and education to women, girls across the regions. In 2023, 150,000 sanitary products were delivered to 27 schools across the region. * Agro Loan Program - in 2024 500+ women were given ag loans to support/create small/medium scale farm projects: including ongoing trainings and support. * 572+ serving in leadership positions across the region. 17 Women are running for political office in 2026.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 83% 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.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 95
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 23
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 97.6%; rating input score 98
  • Program expense ratio: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $143.3 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 89; 89th 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: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th 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: 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: -7.1%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.07; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.87; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.9% per year; rating input score 0; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 97.6% of revenue deployed · 91.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $217K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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 — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 7 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 26/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 5/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 6/100.