Owasp Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BE THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THAT POWERS SECURE SOFTWARE THROUGH EDUCATION, TOOLS, AND COLLABORATION.
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $3.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 8.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 75%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 5,500
- Highest pay
- $133,728, executive director
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 8 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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)
- $2.8 million spent. THE OWASP FOUNDATION IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SPANS OVER 130 COUNTRIES GLOBALLY. WITH A COMMUNITY OF 65,000+ PARTICIPANTS AND 6500 DUES PAYING MEMBERS, WE ARE THE LARGEST APPLICATION SECURITY COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD. OWASP IS ENTIRELY FUNDED THROUGH THE GENEROUS DONATIONS OF OUR SUPPORTERS, CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS, AND THE PROCEEDS OF OUR CONFERENCE EVENTS. OVER THE PAST YEAR OWASP HAS GROWN TO 270+ ACTIVE CHAPTERS OPEN-SOURCE PROJECTS & TOOLS WORLDWIDE. OUR CONFERENCES HAD MORE THAN 650 PHYSICAL AND ABOVE 1000 VIRTUAL ATTENDEES. ADDITIONALLY, OUR 130+ OPEN-SOURCE PROJECTS AND TECHNICAL MATERIALS CONTINUE TO BE DEVELOPED.COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION - OVER THE PAST YEAR OWASP HAS GROWN TO OVER 6500 DUES PAYING MEMBERS AND IS NOW REPRESENTED BY OVER 270 CHAPTERS IN 130 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. WE HAVE REACHED NEARLY 3,000 DEVELOPERS AND SECURITY PROFESSIONALS THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL GLOBAL APPLICATION SECURITY CONFERENCES THAT PROVIDE TRAINING AND SIGNIFICANT HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH APPLICATION SECURITY AND OUR OPEN-SOURCE PROJECTS.ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE FOUNDATION STRIVES TO EXPAND THIS DIVERSE KNOWLEDGE, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION, EDUCATION, AND PROBLEM SOLVING. TEAMS OF VOLUNTEERS WORK TO DEVELOP MULTI-DAY EVENTS. DYNAMIC SPEAKERS, WORLD RENOWNED TRAINERS, INDUSTRY LEADERS, AND RESEARCH PIONEERS GATHER TO SHARE INFORMATION. AROUND THE WORLD, APPSEC DAYS EVENT ORGANIZERS WORKED TO BRING THE MISSION AND VISION OF OWASP BY HOLDING FREE AND PAID VIRTUAL TRAININGS.
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
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 November 6, 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 December 2024.
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 December 2004.
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 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.