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Indego Africa Project

EIN 20-5874831 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

INDEGO AFRICA PROJECT, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, HAS BEEN PROPELLING THE CREATION, GROWTH, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES IN RWANDA SINCE 2007 AND IN GHANA SINCE 2016, PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT THROUGH ACCESS TO A GLOBAL MARKET FOR THEIR HAND MADE PRODUCTS, INVESTING IN THEIR EDUCATION, AND PROVIDING FUNDING RESOURCES TO HELP THEM BUILD THEIR BUSINESSES. OVER 2,500 ARTISANS HAVE PARTNERED WITH INDEGO AFRICA SINCE ITS INCEPTION. WHAT BEGAN AS A MODEL TO EMPOWER AND EDUCATE WOMEN IN POST-GENOCIDE RWANDA HAS GROWN INTO A COMMITMENT TO HELP WOMEN, YOUTH, AND REFUGEES IN RWANDA AND GHANA BECOME SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS.

Income
$779,402
Spending
$726,853
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
3.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
7
Volunteers
18
Highest pay
$84,864, chief executive officer

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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 48% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 55% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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 95% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 19 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 (3)
  1. $219,843 spent. VOCATIONAL & BUSINESS TRAINING:OUR PROGRAMS HELP WOMEN IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, UNEMPLOYED YOUTH, AND REFUGEES BUILD THE SKILLS TO INTEGRATE AND SUCCEED IN THE GLOBAL ARTISAN ECONOMY WITH THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES:-MASTER MULTIPLE HANDICRAFT TECHNIQUES THROUGH RETRAINING. WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS TO CONTINUOUSLY REFRESH, REFINE AND EXPAND THEIR SKILLS THROUGH RETRAINING WORKSHOPS AND GAIN EXPOSURE TO A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES AND FIBERS.-FORM, REGISTER AND RUN AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN-OWNED COOPERATIVE BUSINESS WITH BANK ACCOUNT SET UP.-BECOME INDEGO AFRICA SUPPLIERS AND PRODUCE HANDMADE GOODS FOR THE EXPORT MARKET.-IMPROVE LIVELIHOODS FOR THEMSELVES AND FINANCIAL ABILITY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.-PROVIDE ACCESS TO CAPITAL THROUGH THE IGICERI CREDIT UNION IN RWANDA, FOUNDED BY GRADUATES OF INDEGO'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
  2. $362,658 spent. MARKET ACCESS:PROVIDING OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN STEADY, SUSTAINABLE INCOME IS A KEY ELEMENT OF INDEGO'S MARKET-BASED IMPACT MODEL AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN. TO FURTHER INCREASE THE WORK AVAILABLE FOR THE ARTISANS BEYOND OUR EXISTING WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS, IN 2021 WE ADDED A THIRD DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL FOR HIGH VOLUME CUSTOM ORDERS FOR MAJOR BRANDS. OUR PRODUCTION TEAMS IN AFRICA TRAVEL TO AND WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS TO EXPLAIN PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS AND CONDUCT QUALITY CONTROL REVIEWS, AND PREPARE FOR MONTHLY AIR CARGO SHIPMENTS TO THE U.S. THIS HELPS REINFORCE OUR PARTNERS' PRACTICAL SKILLS WITH THE ONSITE GUIDANCE THEY NEED TO CREATE HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EXPORT MARKET.
  3. $15,571 spent. BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP:INDEGO AFRICA BELIEVES THAT EDUCATING WOMEN IS THE KEY TO LONG-TERM EMPOWERMENT AND SOCIAL CHANGE. THROUGH CUSTOMIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INDEGO'S PARTNERS DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THEY NEED TO RUN AND SCALE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES, BECOME EMPOWERED ENTREPRENEURS, AND DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 June 2007.

    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.