Oram - Organization for Refuge Asylum & Migration
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
ORAM PROTECTS AND EMPOWERS LGBTIQ ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES GLOBALLY, CREATING SUSTAINABILITY AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE. ORAM IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL NGOS TO ASSIST PEOPLE FLEEING PERSECUTION BASED ON THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND/OR GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION AND HAS SINCE BECOME A THOUGHT LEADER IN LGBTIQ MIGRATION.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- -2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $287,813, chief financial officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 207% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 61% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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
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 March 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)
- $1.2 million spent. ORAM'S PROGRAMS FALL UNDER THREE MAIN PILLARS: PROTECTION, EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY. UNDER EMPOWERMENT, ORAM PROVIDES SKILLS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING SESSIONS TO LGBTIQ ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES IN GERMANY, KENYA AND MEXICO. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY BUSINESS SKILLS TRAININGS AND MENTORSHIPS, AS WELL AS SEED-FUNDING TO HELP START OR GROW SMALL-SCALE BUSINESSES. ORAM ALSO HELPS CONNECT LGBTIQ INDIVIDUALS TO EXISTING BUSINESSES. THESE EFFORTS HELP FOSTER GREATER SELF-RELIANCE THROUGH INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES. ORAM ALSO SUPPORT LGBTIQ REFUGEE-LED ORGANIZATIONS WITH CAPACITY STRENGTHENING, TO HELP SUPPORT THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DIRECT SERVICE PROVISION. UNDER PROTECTION, ORAM PROVIDES SHORT-TERM HOUSING IN GERMANY, KENYA AND MEXICO. ORAM ALSO PROVIDES CASH ASSISTANCE WHEN POSSIBLE, TO THOSE WHO ARE EXCEPTIONALLY VULNERABLE. LASTLY, UNDER OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS, ORAM PROVIDES INCLUSION TRAINING SESSIONS TO A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS WORKING WITH REFUGEES AND IN THE HUMANITARIAN SECTOR. ORAM ALSO CONDUCTS RESEARCH, ISSUES PUBLICATIONS AND TRAINING TOOLS, AND THROUGH CAMPAIGNS AND IN-PERSON EVENTS RAISES THE AWARENESS OF THE CHALLENGES AND NEEDS OF LGBTIQ REFUGEES GLOBALLY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 March 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 2008.
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.