Kickstart-International Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENABLE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO CLIMB OUT OF POVERTY AND BUILD A FOOD SECURE AFRICA THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF IRRIGATION TOOLS THAT MAKE FARMING A PRODUCTIVE, PROFITABLE, AND CLIMATE RESILIENT ENTERPRISE.
- Income
- $6.1 million
- Spending
- $5.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $161,957, director of development
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $5.0 million spent. HEADQUARTERED IN NAIROBI, KENYA, KICKSTART INTERNATIONAL IS A NONPROFIT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WORKING ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA TO SUPPORT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN BUILDING PROFITABLE, YEAR-ROUND FARMING BUSINESSES THROUGH IRRIGATION. KICKSTART DESIGNS AND DISTRIBUTES AFFORDABLE IRRIGATION PUMPS THAT ENABLE FARMERS TO MOVE BEYOND RAINFED AGRICULTURE, INCREASE INCOMES, IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY, AND REDUCE VULNERABILITY TO DROUGHTS AND FLOODS. FARMERS USE KICKSTART'S PUMPS TO GROW HIGH-VALUE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THROUGH DRY SEASONS AND BETWEEN RAINS, WHEN PRICES ARE HIGHEST. YEAR-ROUND PRODUCTION ALLOWS HOUSEHOLDS TO STABILIZE INCOME, IMPROVE NUTRITION, AND INVEST IN SCHOOL FEES, HEALTHCARE, AND FARM IMPROVEMENTS. KICKSTART HAS 17+ PRIORITY COUNTRIES ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA AND OPERATES THROUGH A MARKET-DRIVEN MODEL THAT COMBINES RETAIL DISTRIBUTION WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH AGRO-DEALERS, COOPERATIVES, AGRIBUSINESSES, MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS, SAVINGS AND CREDIT COOPERATIVES, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT PARTNERS TO EXPAND ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY. OUTREACH INCLUDES PUMP DEMONSTRATIONS AND TRAINING IN IRRIGATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT, CROP PLANNING, POST-HARVEST HANDLING, AND FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING INTEGRATION INTO VALUE CHAINS SUCH AS COFFEE AND COCOA. AS OF JUNE 30, 2025, MORE THAN 424,000 PUMPS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE HANDS OF FARMERS. TO DATE, KICKSTART'S TECHNOLOGIES HAVE ENABLED MORE THAN 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE TO TAKE A MAJOR STEP OUT OF POVERTY, GENERATED MORE THAN $1.6 BILLION IN NEW PROFITS AND WAGES, AND SUPPORTED PRODUCTION OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR MORE THAN 16 MILLION PEOPLE. IN FY25 ALONE, MORE THAN 20,000 PUMPS WERE DISTRIBUTED, HELPING OVER 80,000 PEOPLE INCREASE THEIR INCOMES, GENERATING MORE THAN $11 MILLION IN NEW PROFITS AND WAGES, AND FEEDING OVER 800,000 PEOPLE WITH FRESH PRODUCE. DURING FY25, KICKSTART INITIATED A STRATEGIC PIVOT IN RESPONSE TO A CHANGING INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LANDSCAPE. SHARP REDUCTIONS IN INTERNATIONAL AID, DRIVEN BY MAJOR CUTS TO USAID AND OTHER MULTILATERAL AND BILATERAL DONORS, HAVE MADE IT HARDER FOR DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO OPERATE. AS PARTNERSHIP CAPACITY ACROSS THE SECTOR CONTRACTED, KICKSTART BEGAN SHIFTING TOWARD A MORE DIRECT-TO-FARMER AND MARKET-BASED DISTRIBUTION MODEL. THIS SHIFT INCLUDES EXPANDING RETAIL NETWORKS, STRENGTHENING COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS, AND DEEPENING COLLABORATION WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO INTEGRATE IRRIGATION INTO LOAN AND COOPERATIVE FINANCING PRODUCTS. KICKSTART ALSO STRENGTHENED COUNTRY-LEVEL ACTIVITIES. IN RWANDA, ADDITIONAL RURAL RETAIL OUTLETS IMPROVED LAST-MILE ACCESS TO PUMPS AND TRAINING. IN SENEGAL, OPERATIONS WERE FORMALLY LAUNCHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS AND THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. IN UGANDA, IRRIGATION FINANCING ADVANCED THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH COFFEE COOPERATIVES AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. IN NIGERIA, IRRIGATION WAS INTEGRATED INTO COCOA-SECTOR AND YOUTH-FOCUSED AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS. KICKSTART ALSO CONTINUED SUPPORTING FARMERS IN FRAGILE CONTEXTS, INCLUDING SOUTH SUDAN, AND SUSTAINED IRRIGATION PARTNERSHIPS IN ZAMBIA THAT ALIGN FARM INCOMES WITH COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION EFFORTS. AFFORDABILITY REMAINS CENTRAL TO KICKSTART'S MODEL. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED EXPANDING ITS RENT TO TRY & BUY MODEL, ALLOWING FARMERS TO RENT PUMPS BEFORE PURCHASING AND REDUCE UPFRONT RISK. LOCAL IRRIGATION AGENTS - OFTEN YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS - RENT PUMPS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND EARN INCOME THROUGH RENTAL FEES AND SALES COMMISSIONS, SUPPORTING YOUTH-LED ENTERPRISE AND LOCAL EMPLOYMENT. IN FY25, 36 ADDITIONAL AGENTS WERE RECRUITED IN KENYA, AND SYSTEMS FOR TRACKING RENTALS AND REPAYMENTS WERE STRENGTHENED, EXPANDING ACCESS TO IRRIGATION WHILE REINFORCING PATHWAYS TO OWNERSHIP. THROUGH THIS EVOLVING MARKET-BASED APPROACH, KICKSTART CONTINUES TO ADAPT TO CHANGING CONDITIONS WHILE REMAINING FOCUSED ON A SIMPLE OBJECTIVE: ENSURING THAT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS CAN ACCESS AFFORDABLE IRRIGATION CLOSE TO HOME AND BUILD MORE STABLE, YEAR-ROUND LIVELIHOODS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.