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Soroptimist International of the Americas Inc

EIN 23-2154856 · Philadelphia, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak45 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 54 cents.

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

What it says it does

SOROPTIMIST IS A GLOBAL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH ACCESS TO THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)OUR VISION IS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND LIVE THEIR DREAMS. SOROPTIMIST WAS FORMED IN 1921 IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AT A TIME WHEN WOMEN WERE NOT PERMITTED TO JOIN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. OUR NAME, LOOSELY TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN, MEANS BEST FOR WOMEN. TODAY, WE HAVE OVER 24,000 MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS IN COUNTRIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE PACIFIC RIM. WE ARE ONE OF FIVE FEDERATIONS THAT MAKE UP SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL, WHICH HAS CLUBS IN MORE THAN 120 COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Income
$4.7 million
Spending
$6.0 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
3.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 51%
Employees
32
Volunteers
25,349
Highest pay
$314,151, executive director & ceo

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

Financial health

Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 54 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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 August 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 (3)
  1. $3.5 million spent. MEMBER SUPPORT - PROVIDE THE DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, PROGRAMS, TOOLS, MATERIALS AND SUPPORT IN SIX LANGUAGES ENABLING MORE THAN 24,000 MEMBERS IN COUNTRIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE PACIFIC RIM TO PROVIDE WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH ACCESS TO THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.
  2. $605,419 spent. THE SOROPTIMIST LIVE YOUR DREAM: EDUCATION AND TRAINING AWARDS FOR WOMEN IS ONE OF SOROPTIMIST'S CORNERSTONE PROGRAMS. THROUGH THE PROGRAM, CLUBS IN COUNTRIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, LATIN, AMERICA AND THE PACIFIC RIM ASSIST WOMEN WHO PROVIDE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR FAMILIES BY GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR EDUCATION, SKILLS AND EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS SO THEY MAY REACH AN IMPROVED STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS. RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE OVERCOME ENORMOUS OBSTACLES INCLUDING POVERTY, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND TEEN PREGNANCY MAY USE THE AWARDS TO OFFSET ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR EFFORTS TO ATTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION, SUCH AS BOOKS, CHILDCARE AND TRANSPORTATION. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. SINCE 1972, SOROPTIMIST HAS DISBURSED MORE THAN $49 MILLION TO MORE THAN 47,000 WOMEN THROUGH THE LIVE YOUR DREAM: EDUCATION AND TRAINING AWARDS FOR WOMEN AWARDS. IN FY24/25, 2,353 WOMEN RECEIVED A LIVE YOUR DREAM AWARD AND A TOTAL OF $3,433,614 WAS DISTRIBUTED AT ALL LEVELS OF THE AWARD. SIA FUNDED OVER $450,000 IN LIVE YOUR DREAM AWARDS BETWEEN SIAHQ AWARDS, NEW CLUB FUNDING, FEDERATION AWARDS, AND REGION FUNDING.
  3. $52,211 spent. DREAM IT BE IT: CAREER SUPPORT FOR GIRLS; LAUNCHED IN 2015, SERVES AS SOROPRIMIST'S OTHER CORNERSTONE PROGRAM. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND ROLE MODELS TO EMPOWER GIRLS TO PURSUE THEIR CAREER GOALS AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. CLUBS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GIRLS FACING OBSTACLES SUCH AS POVERTY OR TEEN PREGNANCY, PROVIDING SUPPORT IN SMALL-GROUP SETTINGS. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES RELATED TO CAREER EXPLORATION, GOAL SETTING AND ACHIEVEMENT, OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO SUCCESS, AND BUILDING RESILIENCE TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER SETBACKS OR CHALLENGES. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE PROGRAM HAS REACHED MORE THAN 162,000 GIRLS ACROSS 15 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES. IN FY24/25, 23,870 GIRLS PARTICIPATED IN DREAM IT, BE IT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.