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Soteni Inc

EIN 20-0041518 · Cincinnati, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak40 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

To reduce the Incidence of HIV/AIDS in Rural Kenya and Eswatini and improve the lives of those infected by HIV/AIDS.

Income
$283,526
Spending
$337,917
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
2.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
1
Highest pay
$44,769, operations manager

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

Financial health

Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 (5)
  1. $170,830 spent. Soteni Kenya Soteni Inc. provides resources to build the capacity of both the staff of Soteni Kenya and the staff and local leaders of the three Soteni villages of hope. As a major indicator of such activity building, the Soteni staff on the ground in Kenya either managed or obtained project grants and contributions from a variety of funders during this period. for people living with HIV/AIDS.
  2. SOTENI Inc. also strengthened support for the dispensary at SVH-Mbakalo, which provides essential medical services including a laboratory, child wellness services, deliveries of newborns, family planning services and HIV testing, to an underserved area near a rural slum in Western Province.
  3. $55,646 spent. Clear Water Project - SOTENI, Inc continued the Soteni-Childrens safe drinking water project, which enables in-home purification of drinking water for about 2,100 people living with HIV/AIDS. Funded by one of our partners, the Proctor and Gamble Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation in the 2020- 2021 fiscal year.
  4. Program Service Expenses 1,500, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 International Foundation- In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, SOTENI, Inc. received a grant from the International Foundation to further SOTENI, Incs mission of working to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in rural Kenya and to improve the lives of such individuals. SOTENI, Inc. also paid for a supscription to a data collection support tool, CommCare.
  5. Program Service Expenses 21,469, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 29,322 SOTENI SWAZI SHEROES Project - In 2020, SOTENI extended its outreach to Eswatini Formerly Swaziland to launch a new program Swazi SHEROES - a program providing holistic economic empowerment programing and services forwomen and girls who are vunerable to or living with HIV/AIDS in Esatini.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 March 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 2003.

    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.

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.