Sanabel Microfinance of the Arab Countries Inc
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
Points to look into
- Only 45% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SUPPORTING AND BUILDING CAPACITY OF THE MICROFINANCE SECTOR FOR THE PROVISION OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL INCLUSION TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE IN ARAB COUNTRIES.
- Income
- $346,026
- Spending
- $324,260
- Spent on programs
- 45%
- Reserves
- 15.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 54%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $37,119, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1545% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 June 30, 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 (2)
- $140,691 spent. SANABEL ORGANIZES AN ANNUAL NETWORKING CONFERENCE IN DIFFERENT ARAB COUNTRIES EACH YEAR. THE CONFERENCE GATHERS MEMBER MFIS, PRACTITIONERS, POLICY MAKERS, FUNDERS, EXPERTS, AND INVESTORS WORLDWIDE TO DISCUSS AND EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES ON OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRY, AND RELEVANT AND CURRENT INDUSTRY TOPICS. CONFERENCES NORMALLY SPAN ACROSS TWO DAYS AND INCLUDE PLENARY MEETINGS, SYMPOSIUMS, WORKSHOPS, TRAINING ACTIVITIES, AND AN EXHIBITION FOR CLIENTS TO DISPLAY THEIR PRODUCTS. THE CONFERENCE SESSIONS ARE USUALLY IN THREE LANGUAGES: ARABIC, ENGLISH AND FRENCH, AND IS SPONSORED BY REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SPONSORS. SO FAR, SANABEL HAS CONDUCTED ITS ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN EGYPT, MOROCCO, YEMEN, TUNISIA, LEBANON, SYRIA, JORDAN, SUDAN AND UAE.
- $5,000 spent. ONE OF SANABEL'S CORE ACTIVITIES SINCE ITS INCEPTION HAS BEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MICROFINANCE PRACTITIONERS WHICH HAS BEEN WIDELY DISSEMINATED THROUGHOUT THE ARAB REGION. AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, A NUMBER OF TRAINING COURSES WERE TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED TO THE REGION AND A CADRE OF TRAINERS WERE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED IN THE DELIVERY OF A RANGE OF MICROFINANCE COURSES. SANABEL'S CURRENT TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM INCLUDES TRAINING OF TRAINERS (TOTS) COURSES, WHICH PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH THE ABILITY TO DISSEMINATE THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO OTHERINSTITUTIONS AFTER BEING CERTIFIED BY SANABEL. ADDITIONALLY, SANABEL IS COMMITTED TO OFFERING TOTS IN ARABIC IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THE POOL OF QUALIFIED EXPERIENCED TRAINERS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE MICROFINANCE SECTOR WITH DIFFERENT MEANS OF DEVELOPMENT AND TO ENSURE BETTER OUTREACH.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(3) charitable organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 2006.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.