Start With One International Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF START WITH ONE INTERNATIONAL, INC. ("SWOI") IS TO PROVIDE THE SEEDS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR WORLD. CURRENTLY, THE FOCUS IS IN KENYA WITH HUMANITARIAN/DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS INCLUDING CLEAN WATER TO COMMUNITIES, HYGIENE/HEALTH CAMPAIGNS, PROVIDING EDUCATION, BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS, ORPHANAGES AND CHURCHES, WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT & BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IN OCTOBER 2013, SWOI BEGAN WORKING WITH A KENYA IN OCTOBER 2013, SWOI BEGAN WORKING WITH A KENYA NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION, START WITH ONE KENYA ("SWOK") TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS. SWOI HAS SEVERAL PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND IN KENYA FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCHING POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND THE MONITORING & FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT OF THE HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS GRANTED TO & CONDUCTED BY SWOK. SWOK HAS ITS OWN PERSONNEL TO BE HOSTS & COORDINATORS FOR MISSION TEAMS TO GO AND DEMONSTRATE GOD'S LOVE BY ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THE HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 5.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $105,065, dir of global business dev
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 9 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
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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 (4)
- $446,733 spent. CLEAN WATER IS A KEY INITIATIVE OF HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS. DRINKING UNSAFE WATER IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO DISEASE & DEATH WITHIN KENYA. THROUGH A GRANT AGREEMENT, SWOI GRANTS FUNDS TO START WITH ONE KENYA ("SWOK") FOR PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON CLEAN WATER. SWOK & MISSION TEAMS CONDUCT TRAINING SESSIONS ON GOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF USING & DRINKING CLEAN WATER. IN 2025, SWOK DISTRIBUTED 12,000 UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS TO HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTING AN ESTIMATED 60,000 INDIVIDUALS IN THE KIAMAINA WARD AREA OF KENYA. IN 2024, SWOK DISTRIBUTED 6,500 UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS TO HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTING AN ESTIMATED 32,500 INDIVIDUALS IN THE OL-RONGAI AREA OF KENYA. IN 2023, SWOK DISTRIBUTED 6,500 UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS TO HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTING AN ESTIMATED 32,500 INDIVIDUALS IN THE NJORO AREA OF KENYA. IN 2022, THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT SHIPPING ISSUES AND IT TOOK MANY MONTHS FOR A RE-SUPPLY OF UZIMA WATER FILTERS TO ARRIVE. NONETHELESS, SWOK DISTRIBUTED 4,800 CLEAN WATER FILTERS TO HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTING AN ESTIMATED 24,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN 2021 & 2020, DUE TO COVID-19, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN DONATIONS RECEIVED AND THUS A RESULTING DECREASE IN MISSION WORK. FOR FYE 30SEPT2021, 4,200+ UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED BY SWOK IN THE NJORO AREA OF KENYA. FOR FYE 2019, 7,500+ UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED, AS WELL AS 15,000+ DISTRIBUTED IN FYE 2018. IN FYE 2017 8,000+ AND FYE 2016 13,000+ UZIMA FILTERS DISTRIBUTED
- $158,077 spent. EDUCATION: SWOI THROUGH A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH SWOK IS INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATIONAL SPONSORSHIP OF APPROXIMATELY 160 CHILDREN INCLUDING 30+ FORMER STREET BOYS. THERE ARE OVER 100 CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND 43 ENROLLED IN UNVIERSITY/TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. BETWEEN 2017-2024, SWOK HAD OVER 77 CHILDREN GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL WITH 53 (68%) CONTINUING ON EDUCATION. THE KENYA NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 16%. IN DECEMBER 2023 SWOK HAD 24 STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ANOTHER 24 ATTENDING POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. IN 2022 AND 2021, THE KENYA SCHOOL PROGRAM ACCELERATED TO 4 TERMS PER YEAR IN AN EFFORT TO CATCH UP FROM THE 2020 COVID SHUT DOWN. DUE TO COVID-19 & SCHOOL SHUT DOWN IN KENYA, MANY OF THE SPONSORSHIP FUNDS WERE USED FOR COVID RELIEF AND HOME-SCHOOLING EFFORTS FOR THE SPONSORED CHILDREN. SWOK HAS CONDUCTED & COORDINATED VARIOUS OTHER TRAININGS & EMPOWERMENT SEMINARS IN KENYA (IE. HYGIENE & SANITATION PRESENTATIONS, PASTOR TRAININGS & BUSINESS PRACTICES). IN ADDITION, SWOK IS INVOLVED WITH THE GITUAMBA JKC PRIMARY SCHOOL LOCATED IN RURAL KENYA. THROUGH GRANTED FUNDS, SWOK PROVIDES A LUNCH FEEDING PROGRAM FOR OVER 500 STUDENTS AND PROVIDES TEXTBOOKS & OTHER SUPPLIES. THE SCHOOL WAS SELECTED BY THE KENYA GOVERNMENT TO ADD CLASS 9 AS PART OF THE NEW COMPETENCY-BASED CURRICULUM ("CBC"). CLASS 9 BEGAN AT THE SCHOOL IN JANUARY 2025.
- $161,232 spent. BUILDING PROJECTS: SWOI GRANTED FUNDS TO SWOK FOR BUILDING VARIOUS NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN KENYA. IN 2025, WORK CONCENTRATED ON BUILDING HOMES IN THE GITUAMBA COMMUNITY AND AT THE GITUAMBA JKC SCHOOL UPGRADING ROOFS WITH THERMAL FELT TO HANDLE THE HEAT AND IMPROVING FLOORING IN CLASSROOMS. IN 2024, SWOK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GITUAMBA JKC COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ADDED A NEW CLASSROOM AND SCIENCE LABORATORY. IN 2023, SWOK PARTNERED WITH NGALA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IN NAKURU COUNTY TO RENOVATE AND REBUILD THEIR KITCHENS AND DINING HALL. SINCE GITUAMBA JKC PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS BEEN SELECTED AS A SITE FOR THE ADDITION OF A CLASS 9, WORK BEGAN ON A NEW 9TH GRADE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS A SCINCE LAB AND COMPUTER LAB. IN 2022, BUILDING INITIATIVES RESUMED AT GITUAMBA JKC PRIMARY SCHOOL WITH THE EXPANSION & RENOVATION OF 4 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CLASSROOMS. ALSO, BOOK CABINETS, LEARNING TABLES AND A CONCRETE SLAB FOR TWO ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS. A NEW 10,000 LITER WATER TANK WAS ADDED TO THE SCHOOL TO HELP THE SCHOOL BECOMING MORE WATER SECURE DURING DROUGHTS. IN 2021 & 2020, DUE TO COVID-19, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN DONATIONS RECEIVED. AS A RESULT, ALL BUILDING PROJECTS FOR 2020 WERE POSTPONED. IN 2021, A CLASSROOM EXPANSION PROJECT AT GITUAMBA JKC PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN LINE WITH KENYA GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND NEW CURRICULUM GUIDELINES. FYE 2019 BUILDING PROJECTS AT THE SCHOOL INCLUDED IMPROVING WATER SYSTEM AND PERMANENT FLOORING AS WELL AS THE INSTALLATION OF A LIBRARY. FYE 2018 BUILDING PROJECTS INCLUDED ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS AND A ROOM FOR A FUTURE LIBRARY AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES TO THE SCHOOL. FYE 2017 BUILDING INCLUDED A KITCHEN AND DINING HALL FOR THE SCHOOL. ALSO, A CHURCH WITH A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OF CORN GRINDING IN THE GITUAMBA IDP/REFUGEE SETTLEMENT WAS BUILT.
- $168,671 spent. MISSION TEAMS: SWOI GRANTS FUNDS TO SWOK TO HOST MISSION TEAMS. IN 2025 AND 2024, SWOK HOSTED SEVERAL MISSION TEAMS AND SMALL GROUPS THAT FOCUSED ON A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES FROM THE DISTRIBUTION OF UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS, TO WORK AT GITUAMBA JKC PRIMARY SCHOOL AND A SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IN SIAYA, KENYA AS WELL AS CONDUCTING HEALTH & EYE CLINICS. IN 2023, SWOK HOSTED TWO MISSION TEAMS AND SEVERAL SMALL GROUPS THAT FOCUSED ON A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES FROM THE DISTRIBUTION OF UZIMA CLEAN WATER FILTERS, TO WORK AT GITUAMBA JKC PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NGALA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AS WELL AS CONDUCTING HEALTH & EYE CLINICS. IN 2022, TRAVEL HAD NOT RECOVERED FULLY TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. SWOK HOSTED ONE MISSION TEAM AND SEVERAL SMALLER GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS TO COLLABORATE IN THE WORK OF SWOK IN KENYA. IN 2020 & 2021, DUE TO COVID 19, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN MISSION WORK. AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, SWOK RECEIVED ONLY ONE GROUP IN KENYA BEFORE LOCKDOWNS TOOK AFFECT. EXPENSE OF $168,671 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $168,671 AND REVENUE OF $0.HEALTHCARE: SWOI GRANTS FUNDS TO SWOK FOR ITS HEATHCARE INITIATIVES. FOR FYE 30SEPT 2025, 2024, 2023 AND 2022, SWOK CONDUCTED SEVERAL DAYS OF HEALTH & EYE CARE CLINICS. IN ADDITION, THE ROUTINE HEALTH ISSUES OF THE SPONSORED CHILDREN. FOR FYE 30SEPT2021, THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS FOR COVID-19 RELIEF TO FAMILIES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE EXPENDITURES FOR SURGERIES & DENTAL CARE OF TWO CHILDREN. EXPENSE OF $10,366 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $10,366 AND REVENUE OF $0.OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE AREAS: FOR FYE 30SEPT 2023 INCLUDE BUSINESS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES EXPENSES OF $23,655 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $23,655 AND REVENUE OF $0; FOR FYE 30SEPT 2022 INCLUDE BUSINESS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES EXPENSES OF $9,041 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $9,041 AND REVENUE OF $0; FOR FYE 30SEPT 2023 INCLUDE SWOK OFFICE EXPENSE OF $40,598 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $40,598 AND REVENUE OF $0; FOR FYE 30SEPT 2022 INCLUDE SWOK OFFICE EXPENSE OF $23,334 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $23,334 AND REVENUE OF $0; FYE 30SEPT 2023, SWOK PERSONNEL, VEHICLES & OTHER EXPENSES OF $11,530 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $11,530 AND REVENUE OF $0. FYE 30SEPT 2022, SWOK PERSONNEL, VEHICLES & OTHER EXPENSES OF $29,954 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $29,954 AND REVENUE OF $0.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 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 April 2011.
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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