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Students for a Free Tibet Inc

EIN 13-4008917 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood84 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$978,294
Spending
$569,390
Spent on programs
54%
Reserves
9.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
8

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 42% of income.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    54% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 (4)
  1. $226,523 spent. GENERAL AWARENESS: SFT CAMPAIGNED TO RAISE GLOBAL PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE CHINESE GOVRENMNTS SYSTEMATIC REPRESSION OF TIBETAN RELIGION AND CULTURE. SFT COORDINATED GRASSROOTS EVENTS AROUND THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1959 TIBETAN NATIONAL UPRISING AND THE ESCAPE OF THE DALAI LAMA INTO EXILE IN INDIA. SFT EDUCATED STUDENTS AND YOUTH ABOUT THE REALITY OF FIVE DECADES OF CHINAS OCCUPATION OF TIBET THROUGH ONLINE AND PRINT MATERIALS.
  2. $75,628 spent. LEADERSHIP: SFT HELD TRAININGS IN INDIA, UK, CANADA, USA, TAIWAN, AND AUSTRALIA, TO EDUCATE STUDENTS AND YOUTH ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS IN TIBET. TRAINING IN PARTICULAR FOCUSED ON THE ART OF STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNING AND PLANNING, MEDIA COORDINATION, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, STRATEGIC NONVIOLENCE, TECHNICAL SKILLS AND PEACEFUL ACTIVISM.
  3. $4,996 spent. ENVIRONMENT: SFT CONTINUED TO PUT PRESSURE ON FOREIGN COMPANIES EXPLOITING TIBETS NATURAL RESOURSCES. SFT COORDINATED EVENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT TIBETS FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT INCLUDING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS DISPLACEMENT OF TIBETAN NOMADS. SFT COORDINATED AWARENESS RAISING EVENTS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN TIBET AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS DESTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES TO COINCIDE WITH THE COP 15 UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN.
  4. CULTURAL:SFT CHAPTERS AROUND THE WORLD ORGANIZED CULTURAL PROGRAMSTO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF EFFORTS BY TIBETANS TO PROTECT ANDPROMOTE THEIR CULTURE. SFT ORGANIZED GRASSROOTS EVENTSHIGHLIGHTED THE PLIGHT OF TIBETAN ARTIST, MUSICIANS, ANDINTELLECTUALS WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN CHINAS ONGOINGCRACKDOWN AGAINST TIBETAN CULTURAL FIGURES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.

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