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Venture Strategies for Health and Development

EIN 30-0037857 · Berkeley, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO FACILITATE BENEFICIAL CHANGE IN HEALTH, FAMILY PLANNING AND ASPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE PRIMARY PURPOSES OF VENTURE STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (VSHD) ARE TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN LOW RESOURCE COUNTRIES BY REDUCING BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT WOMEN FROM HAVING ACCESS TO OPTIONS ABOUT CHILDBEARING; SUPPORTING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROMISING HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE-SCALE IMPACT AROUND THE WORLD; AND INCREASING UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPERATIVE OF SLOWING POPULATION GROWTH WITH A VOLUNTARY HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK.

Income
$3.1 million
Spending
$2.8 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
5.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
4
Volunteers
6
Highest pay
$136,000, co exec. direct

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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 (1)
  1. $2.5 million spent. VSHD, WITH PARTNER, CENTRE FOR GIRLS EDUCATION, CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR FIVE MODELS OF SAFE SPACES PROGRAMMING FOR MORE THAN 4,500 GIRLS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA. VSHD, WITH PARTNER LUMIERE DES FILLES ET DES FEMMES, CONTINUED SUPPORT OF SAFE SPACES FOR 996 IN-SCHOOL GIRLS (AIMED TO DELAY EARLY MARRIAGE BY KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL) AND 307 MARRIED ADOLESCENT GIRLS (AIMED TO EDUCATE GIRLS ON LIFE SKILLS AND ACCESS TO FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES) IN MARADI, NIGER. VSHD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENTS ON THE AVAILABILITY OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MEDICINES USING VSHDS AVAILABILITY FRAMEWORK IN FOUR COUNTRIES AND DISSEMINATED RESULTS AT NATIONAL AND INTERNATION STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS. VSHD LAUNCHED A PROGRAM IN TCHAD TO REGISTER A QUALITY-ASSURED MISOPROSTOL PRODUCT AND INTEGRATE IT INTO THE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT IN REDUCING MATERNAL MORTALITY DUE TO POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE (CURRENTLY THE LEADING CAUSE OF MATERNAL DEATH). THE TCHAD MINISTRY OF HEALTH SIGNED A FORMAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO INITIATE THE PROGRAM IN THREE REGIONS. VSHD SUPPORTED GRADE AFRICA IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF TWO PROGRAMS: POPULATION & DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION IN THREE NIGER UNIVERSITIES, (ENROLLING 104 STUDENTS IN FOUR DISTRICT COURSES AND OFFERING 27 SCHOLARSHIPS), AND A GROUP PRENATAL CARE PROJECT IN MARADI, NIGER (REACHING 840 PREGNANT MOTHERS).VSHD CREATED THE ELLES DU SAHEL, A DIVERSE GROUP OF 16 FEMALE ACTIVISTS FROM THE SAHEL, THE EUROPEAN UNION AND UNITED STATES TO ADVOCATE AT THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL FOR INCREASED ATTENTION TO AND FUNDING FOR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS, GIRLS EDUCATION, AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. VSHD, WITH PARTNER JEUNES VOLUNTAIRE POUR LENVIRONNEMENT, WORKED TO INTEGRATE FAMILY PLANNING INTO CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANS IN NIGER. FINAL DRAFT PLANS ARE UNDER REVIEW WITH THE NIGER GOVERNMENT.

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 2002.

    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.