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Worldwide Fistula Fund Inc

EIN 30-0139210 · Saint Louis, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WORLDWIDE FISTULA FUND PROTECTS AND RESTORES THE HEALTH AND DIGNITY OF THE WORLD'S MOST VULNERABLE WOMEN BY PREVENTING AND TREATING DEVASTATING CHILDBIRTH INJURIES.

Income
$818,292
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
3.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
13

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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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.

  • 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 (4)
  1. $221,259 spent. SINCE 2010, WFF HAS STRATEGICALLY PARTNERED TO DEVELOP A UGANDAN NGO FROM A REGIONAL TO A NATIONAL PROGRAM PROVIDING SURGICAL TREATMENT, REINTEGRATION/VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING AND COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCACY TRAINING. WFF SUPPORTED THE LAUNCH OF THE REINTEGRATION CENTER IN SOROTI, UGANDA, IN 2013 TO PROVIDE COUNSELING, LITERACY EDUCATION, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR WOMEN WITH CHILDBIRTH INJURIES, AS WELL AS TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ADVOCATES TO PROVIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION, TREATMENT REFERRALS AND SURVIVOR SUPPORT NETWORK PROGRAMS. OUR PARTNER OPENED A NEW HOSPITAL IN 2019 WHERE SURGERIES AND REINTEGRATION SERVICES ARE UNDER ONE ROOF. WFF HAS SUPPORTED 1,734 SURGERIES, REINTEGRATION TRAINING FOR 1,526 WOMEN AND REACHED 840,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH PREVENTION AND FREE TREATMENT MESSAGING.
  2. $210,212 spent. WFFS FIGO CERTIFIED FISTULA SURGEON AND TRAINER LAUNCHED ARENA IN 2017 AND BEGAN PROVIDING FISTULA SERVICES. INITIALLY, WORKING THROUGH SHARED CLINICAL SPACE, EXPERT FISTULA REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AND FOLLOWED BY PREVENTION AND EDUCATION IN THE WARD. THE NEW ARENA MEDICAL CENTER OPENED IN NOVEMBER 2021 WITH SURVIVOR REINTEGRATION TRAINING (INJURY PREVENTION, INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES) AND MIDWIFE TRAINING. IN JUNE 2022, THE CENTER BEGAN OFFERING SURGERIES. ARENA CONDUCTS OUTREACH INTO THE COMMUNITY TO EDUCATE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN TREATMENT AVAILABILITY AND PREVENTION. ARENA EMPLOYS REGIONAL AMBASSADORS TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFE CHILDBIRTH AND CONDUCT PATIENT OUTREACH. THEY BEGAN TO ORGANIZE SURVIVORS IN SOLIDARITY GROUPS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT. TO DATE, BURKINA FASO HAS PROVIDED 484 WOMEN WITH FREE FISTULA SURGERIES, 451 WOMEN RECEIVED REINTEGRATION TRAINING, 593 DOCTORS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS RECEIVED TRAINING, AND REACHED OVER 532,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH PREVENTION AND FREE TREATMENT MESSAGING.
  3. $202,885 spent. WORLDWIDE FISTULA FUND (WFF) OPENED DANJA FISTULA CENTER (DFC) IN DANJA, NIGER, IN 2012 OFFERING FREE FISTULA REPAIR SURGERY, REHABILITATION, AND A REINTEGRATION/VOCATIONAL SKILLS PROGRAM. WORLDWIDE, FISTULA FUND SUPPORTS TRAINING FOR THEIR SURGEON TO BECOME A CERTIFIED EXPERT IN FISTULA SURGERY. ALL PATIENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN VOCATIONAL SKILLS THEY CAN USE TO GENERATE INCOME, BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND HELP THEM REINTEGRATE INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES. TO DATE, DFC HAS PROVIDED 2,063 SURGERIES, 989 WOMEN HAVE RECEIVED REINTEGRATION TRAINING, 300 LOCAL HEALTH WORKERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED, AND 90,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED PREVENTION AND FREE TREATMENT EDUCATION.
  4. $154,440 spent. PROGRAM IN KENYA - AFTER PROVIDING OVER 1,000 FREE FISTULA SURGERIES, OUR KENYAN PARTNER SUPPORTS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND REINTEGRATION SERVICES TO SURVIVORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH SOLIDARITY GROUPS. THESE GROUPS PROMOTE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES (IGAS) FOR ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY. TO DATE, 534 SOLIDARITY GROUP MEMBERS HAVE LAUNCHED 1,136 INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SMALL BUSINESSES AND REACHED 411,973 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED PREVENTION AND FREE TREATMENT EDUCATION.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 April 2003.

    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.