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Accion International

EIN 13-2535763 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE A FAIR AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY WHERE UNDERSERVED PEOPLE HAVE QUALITY FINANCIAL CHOICES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. WE FIND AND HELP BUILD INNOVATIVE COMPANIES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO REACH LARGE NUMBERS OF UNDERSERVED PEOPLE AND ACCELERATE THEIR GROWTH. WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO DESIGN, TEST, AND DEPLOY AFFORDABLE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS THAT STRENGTHEN CLIENTS' FINANCIAL HEALTH AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. WE CONDUCT IN-DEPTH RESEARCH AND SHARE OUR LEARNINGS TO ADVANCE RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS AND SYSTEMS.

Income
$23.8 million
Spending
$33.1 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
103.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 48%
Employees
106
Volunteers
3
Highest pay
$755,344, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 103.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 39% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (4)
  1. $11.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OGLOBAL PROGRAMS: TODAY, 1.6 BILLION PEOPLE ARE LEFT OUT OF OR POORLY SERVED BY THE WORLD'S FORMAL FINANCIAL SECTOR AND LACK THE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS THEY NEED TO END POVERTY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. ACCION IS A GLOBAL NONPROFIT COMMITTED TO CREATING A FAIR AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY, HELPING FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES REACH THEIR ECONOMIC POTENTIAL AND BUILD BETTER LIVES. OUR GLOBAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE ACCION ADVISORY, A TEAM OF EXPERTS THAT HELPS COMPANIES PROVIDE INNOVATIVE AND AFFORDABLE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND HARD-TO-REACH CUSTOMERS IN EMERGING MARKETS. IT CONNECTS LOCAL ECOSYSTEM ACTORS, HARNESSING PHILANTHROPIC CAPITAL AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES TO TEST, IMPROVE, AND SCALE RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS THAT ENABLE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO IMPROVE THEIR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. IN 2024, ACCION ADVISORY USED ITS DEEP TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, LOCAL INSIGHTS, AND INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS TO DEVELOP MARKET-LED SOLUTIONS FOR HARD-TO-REACH CUSTOMERS, FOCUSING ON AREAS WHERE IT CAN ADD MAXIMUM VALUE TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF UNDERSERVED PEOPLE GLOBALLY: DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, EMBEDDED FINANCE, WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, AGRI-FINANCE, AND ALTERNATIVE DATA.
  2. $4.5 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OINVESTMENT STRATEGIES: AT ACCION, WE KNOW FINANCIAL SERVICES ARE POWERFUL TOOLS TO HELP REDUCE POVERTY AND CREATE OPPORTUNITY. WE FIND AND HELP BUILD INNOVATIVE COMPANIES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO REACH LARGE NUMBERS OF UNDERSERVED PEOPLE AND ACCELERATE THEIR GROWTH BY INVESTING CAPITAL AND PROVIDING STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE AND ADVICE. WE FOCUS ON SOCIAL IMPACT, DRIVING SYSTEMS-LEVEL CHANGE. WE MAKE EQUITY AND QUASI-EQUITY INVESTMENTS FROM PRE-SEED TO GROWTH-STAGE AND PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, LATIN AMERICA, SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, AND THE UNITED STATES. IN 2024, ACCION CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ITS PARTNERS TO DIGITIZE AND SCALE OPERATIONS SO THEY CAN SERVE VULNERABLE CLIENTS IN A RAPIDLY DIGITIZING WORLD.
  3. $3.3 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OCENTER FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION: LAUNCHED IN 2008, THE CENTER FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION (CFI) IS AN INDEPENDENT GLOBAL THINK TANK HOUSED AT ACCION THAT USES RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY TO ADVANCE INCLUSIVE FINANCIAL SYSTEMS FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. IT LEVERAGES PARTNERSHIPS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH, TEST PROMISING SOLUTIONS, AND THEN ADVOCATE FOR EVIDENCE-BASED CHANGE. CFI CONDUCTS RESEARCH RELATED TO ITS FOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: CONSUMER PROTECTION, DATA RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES, WOMEN'S FINANCIAL INCLUSION, AND FINANCIAL SERVICES TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE. CFI HOSTS FINANCIAL INCLUSION WEEK, AN ANNUAL VIRTUAL EVENT THAT IN 2024 CONVENED MORE THAN 3,000 POLICY EXPERTS, FINANCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, ANALYSTS, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS TO DISCUSS THE MOST PRESSING TOPICS IN THE INCLUSIVE FINANCE SECTOR. IN 2024, CFI CONVENED THE RESPONSIBLE FINANCE FORUM (RFF) IN FORTALEZA, BRAZIL, BRINGING TOGETHER GLOBAL STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE IDEAS, RESEARCH, AND SOLUTIONS ON EMERGING CONSUMER RISKS IN INCLUSIVE FINANCE.
  4. $2.6 million spent. EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION: ACCION'S COMMUNICATIONS FOCUS ON THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION TO ACCELERATE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD. IN 2024, ACCION SHOWCASED THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATION THROUGH CLIENT-FOCUSED STORYTELLING, ALONG WITH PAPERS, TOOLKITS, AND CASE STUDIES PROMOTING WAYS OF BETTER MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE 1.6 BILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT OUT OR POORLY SERVED BY THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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 November 6, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1965.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 November 4, 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.