Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Technoserve Inc

EIN 13-2626135 · Arlington, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TECHNOSERVE'S MISSION IS TO FIGHT POVERTY BY HELPING PEOPLE BUILD REGENERATIVE FARMS, BUSINESSES, AND MARKETS THAT INCREASE INCOMES.

Income
$122.1 million
Spending
$124.2 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 66%
Employees
159
Volunteers
26
Highest pay
$557,471, president & 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

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (international, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 89% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 20% of charities in its peer group (international, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 27 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 (1)
  1. $103.0 million spent. FOUNDED IN 1968, TECHNOSERVE INC IS A LEADER IN HARNESSING THE POWER OF BUSINESS TO HELP PEOPLE LIFT THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY FOR GOOD. A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WORKING IN ABOUT 30 COUNTRIES, WE HELP PEOPLE BUILD BETTER FUTURES THROUGH REGENERATIVE FARMS, BUSINESSES, AND MARKETS THAT INCREASE INCOMES. OUR VISION IS A SUSTAINABLE WORLD WHERE ALL PEOPLE IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROSPER. IN 2024, TECHNOSERVE INC'S WORK SUPPORTED 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE AND ENTERPRISES ACROSS LATIN AMERICA, AFRICA, AND ASIA TO GENERATE $491 MILLION IN INCREASED REVENUE. OF THOSE BENEFITING FROM IMPROVED REVENUES, 42% WERE WOMEN OR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES. 73,000 JOBS WERE CREATED, STRENGTHENED, OR FILLED AS A RESULT OF TECHNOSERVE INC'S WORK IN 2024. OUR PROGRAMS IMPROVED THE LIVES OF AN ESTIMATED 3.1 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING FARMERS, ENTREPRENEURS, EMPLOYEES, AND THEIR FAMILIES. EACH DOLLAR INVESTED IN OUR PROGRAMS HELPED CLIENTS INCREASE THEIR REVENUE BY AN AVERAGE OF $7.60. MEANWHILE, AN ESTIMATED 126,000 TONS OF CO2E EMISSIONS WERE AVOIDED, REDUCED, OR SEQUESTERED THROUGH TECHNOSERVE INC PROJECTS PROMOTING REGENERATIVE PRACTICES. BELOW, WE PROVIDE UPDATES FROM SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT ILLUSTRATE TECHNOSERVE INC'S DIVERSE EFFORTS TO HELP PEOPLE BUILD SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS. SUPPORTING AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS AND REGENERATIVE FOOD SYSTEMS TECHNOSERVE INC SUPPORTS INCLUSIVE, REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS THAT DELIVER BETTER LIVELIHOODS FOR COMMUNITIES AND FARMING FAMILIES, IMPROVE NUTRITION, AND PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES. THESE PROGRAMS HELPED MORE THAN HALF A MILLION PEOPLE EARN $235 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL INCOME. IN MEXICO, THE PEQUENO PRODUCTOR PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE WALMART MEXICO FOUNDATION AND IMPLEMENTED BY TECHNOSERVE INC, HAS TRAINED OVER 32,000 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN AGRONOMY PRACTICES AND HELPED FARMERS TRANSITION MORE THAN 68,000 HECTARES OF LAND INTO REGENERATIVE PRODUCTION. THE PROGRAM HELPS IMPROVE MARKET ACCESS FOR LOCAL AGRIBUSINESSES LIKE UTELINI TONATIUTEOTL, WHICH INCREASED ITS SALES BY 1,400% OVER FOUR YEARS AND GENERATED 256 JOBS. CATALYZING ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT TECHNOSERVE INC'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORK SUPPORTS MICRO, SMALL, AND GROWING BUSINESSES (SGBS) THAT DRIVE JOB CREATION AND LOCAL ECONOMIC GROWTH. IN 2024, THESE PROGRAMS HELPED 311,000 PEOPLE EARN MORE THAN $212 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE GREENR PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE IKEA FOUNDATION AND VISA FOUNDATION IS HELPING TO SCALE THE GROWTH OF SUSTAINABLE SMALL BUSINESSES IN INDIA'S CIRCULAR ECONOMY. GREENR CLIENT BRISIL TECHNOLOGIES TRANSFORMS RICE HUSK ASH INTO SILICA, REDUCING POLLUTION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SILICA PRODUCTION. WITH TECHNOSERVE INC'S SUPPORT, BRISIL'S MONTHLY REVENUE INCREASED TENFOLD BETWEEN APRIL 2023 AND AUGUST 2024, AND THE COMPANY HAS ADDED 30 FULL-TIME JOBS AND 35 CONTRACT POSITIONS.

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 April 1969.

    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.