Batonga Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BATONGA EQUIPS YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS IN BENIN AND SENEGAL WITH KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE AGENTS OF CHANGE. THROUGH LEADERSHIP CLUBS FOR GIRLS, ADOLESCENT GIRLS GAIN CONFIDENCE AND FINANCIAL LITERACY SKILLS. THROUGH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING CENTERS, YOUNG WOMEN SOLIDIFY PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THEY CAN USE TO LAUNCH INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES AND FIND EMPLOYMENT. BATONGA'S NETWORK OF LOCAL MENTORS ENSURES THAT EACH GIRL RECEIVES THE SUPPORT AND CARE SHE NEEDS AS SHE TRANSITIONS INTO ADULTHOOD AND MAKES IMPORTANT LIFE DECISIONS THAT WILL IMPACT HER CAPACITY TO LIVE A FULFILLING AND SAFE LIFE.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $2.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 60%
- Reserves
- 1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $165,321, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 98% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 62% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1560% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (1)
- $1.3 million spent. THE BATONGA FOUNDATION ENVISIONS A SAFER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE EQUITABLE WORLD IN WHICH ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS CAN THRIVE. IN 2022, THE BATONGA FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS WORK TO EMPOWER THE INCREDIBLE YOUNG WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRL LEADERS OF CENTRAL BENIN, AND BEGAN THE EXPANSION OF ITS REACH BEYOND CENTRAL BENIN TO THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF ATACORA AS WELL AS THE COUNTRY OF SENEGAL. SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR INCLUDE:1. EXPANSION WITHIN BENIN AND TO SENEGAL IS NOW EFFECTIVE: BATONGA'S IMPACT IS SEEN AND FELT IN 120 COMMUNITIES SERVED ACROSS BENIN AND SOUTHERN SENEGAL. IN THIS EXPANSION, BATONGA EMPLOYED ITS DATA-DRIVEN METHODOLOGY, IDENTIFYING ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN POISED TO BENEFIT MOST. BATONGA'S MODEL CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF GIRLS AND WOMEN IN PREVIOUS AND NEW COMMUNITIES, EQUIPING THEM WITH SKILLS THAT ENABLE THEM TO THRIVE AS PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS AND LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.2. STRENGTHENING TEAMS AND PROGRAMS TO INCREASE EXECUTION CAPAPCITY: THE MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM EXPANDED WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE SENEGEAL OFFICE. A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEADING STRATEGY AND OVERSEEING OPERATIONS AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION CAME ON BOARD IN JUNE 2023. THE UPDATED ADOLESCENT GIRLS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CURRICULUM IS BEING ROLLED OUT BY MENTORS IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL IMPLEMETATION PATRNER ORGANIZATION ANCHORED I THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK. THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO AMPLIFYING BATONGA'S ADVOCACY REACH AND IMPACT AT LOCAL LEVEL. THE WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM, THROUGH THE YOUNG WOMEN'S BUSINESS CIRCLES, HAS SEEN INCREASES IN INCOME AND SOCIAL CAPITAL IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPANTS, THEIR HOUSHOLDS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES AT LARGE. 3. THE RADIO PROGRAM CONTINUES TO REACH OVER ONE MILLION AND A HALF LISTENERS EVERY MONTH. SELECT MENTORS, BUSINESS COCACHES, MALE CHAMPIONS AND PARTICIPANTS ARE TRAINED TO HOST PROGRAMS DISCUSSING GENDER EQUALITY, FEMALE LEADERSHIP AND FINANCIAL INDEPEDENCE AND A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES AFFECTING ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. 4. EMBRACING THE DIGITAL AGE, THE PODCAST PROGRAM'S FIRST SEASON BROADCAST 8 EPISODES. BATONGA ALSO BEGAN THE DIGITIZATION OF ITS TRAINING SESSIONS AND INTRODUCED DIGITAL SAVINGS, PROPELLED BY THE RISING INCOMES OF YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPANTS. FOLLOWING THE PILOT, A NEW INITIATIVE, SHEDIGITAL, IS ENSURING THAT BATONGA PARTICIPANTS HAVE ACCESS TO DIGITAL TOOLS THAT FACILITATE THEIR FINANCIAL INCULSION, ALPHA-NUEMERICAL AND DIGITAL LITERACY, AND SKILLS ACQUISITION IN AREAS REVELANT TO THE GROWITH OF THEIR BUSINESSES.5. ENGAGING MEN AND BOYS: FINALLY, RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF MEN IN ACHIEVENING GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY, BATONGA IMPLEMENTED ITS MEN AND BOYS ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE THROUGH 2023, INTEGRATING THEM AS CHAMPIONS FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. THE EVALAUTION OF THIS FIRST YEAR SHOWED ITS POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR WEE AND AGL PROGRAMS, WHICH PROVIDES JUSTIFICATION FOR EXPANDING THE PROGRAM WITHIN BENIN AND LAUCHING IT IN SENEGAL. 6. THE NOS VOIX COMPTENT INITIATIVE, LED BY BATONGA FOUNDATION, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR THE VOICES OF FRENCH-SPEAKING AFRICAN WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN, AND INFLUENCE THE DISCOURSE AND POLICIES AROUNG GENDER EQUALITY AT REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 June 2007.
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.
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