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Science for Africa Foundation Sfa

EIN 35-2725269 · Kenya

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak49 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To catalyze and strengthen Africas science and innovation ecosystems to respond to the continents sustainable development challenges and positively impact lives

Income
$30.0 million
Spending
$28.8 million
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$242,272, chief executive officer

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

Financial health

Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 88% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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 December 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 (59)
  1. Under this grant the organization incurs eligible project expenses on behalf of the ACBF and receives reimbursement for those costs.
  2. The grant represents the birth of an African Population Cohorts Consortium to mobilise longitudinal data and research for impact
  3. The grant supports the development of an automated digital system for tracking research capacity and evaluating the scientific impact of Carnegie Corporation of New York-supported projects and programs.
  4. Enhancing the quality and reach of health and science journalism to improve public understanding of research and evidence-based information.
  5. Funds received for BEING grant: promotes rights-based culturally appropriate care that creates supportive communities where young people are the agents and drivers of their own mental health and where proactivity is prioritized over reactivity.
  6. To support senior African scientists by enhancing their visibility and influence of their research and leadership locally and globally to strengthen the global health enterprise.
  7. Grant award from BMGF title: Grand Challenges: Climate adaptation in African agriculture and aim to support a Grand Challenge program on innovations in agricultural data and analytics in climate adaptation for African researchers.
  8. Grant Purpose: Covid19 Priorities R&D Priorities in Africa
  9. Grant funding for development and implementation of the Clinical Trials Community CTC programme including clinical trial site mapping capacity assessment and online data platform for research infrastructure in Africa
  10. This is grant award to support the costs of development of CTC Version 2.0 - 2022 2023
  11. Grant funding for establishment and coordination of the Clinical Trials Community Africa Network CTCAN supporting clinical research capacity building and infrastructure in Africa
  12. Research grant funding received under DELTAS Africa II initiative for distribution and support of research activities EUR
  13. Research grant funding received under DELTAS Africa II initiative for distribution and support of research activities USD
  14. Title: Deltas II Programme Management Costs Award. These are the actual costs to manage the DELTAS II initiative. These include salaries for key programme staff to deliver programme activities meetings internal audit DELTAS community of practise and associated travel costs.
  15. Grant from PSI to support Epsilon Annual Meeting activities
  16. Grant from PSI to support Communication and dissemination activities under the Epsilons programme including outreach and sharing of programme outputs
  17. Grant from PSI to support training activities to strengthen financial management capacity including workshops and instruction on budgeting reporting and compliance
  18. Epsilons main award Catalyst Research & Innovation fellowships and Epsilons exchanges
  19. Grant from PSI to support Leadership training and capacity-building activities for programme participants and staff
  20. Grant from PSI to support MEAL activities
  21. Grant from PSI for Costs related to programme management of the Epsilons initiative including coordination oversight reporting financial administration and operational support
  22. Grant from PSI to support Policy-related activities under the Epsilons programme including research analysis and stakeholder engagement
  23. Grant from PSI to support Research management and coordination activities under the Epsilon programme including oversight administration and support for research implementation
  24. Grant purpose: Public Engagement for Science
  25. Grant from FCDO for REMACs Africa Programme
  26. This grant was primarily designated to support the social sciences component of the DELTAS program with flexibility to allocate resources to other eligible research areas as needed.
  27. This grant was primarily designated to support the social sciences component of the DELTAS program with flexibility to allocate resources to other eligible research areas as needed.
  28. Accelerating Catalyzing Solutions for Climate Changes Impact on Health and Gender
  29. Grant from Wellcome to support Grand Challenge on Climate Change and Health -Africa
  30. Title: Building Relevant Research Skills Through Grand Challenges Africa 2.0. Purpose: to promote African-led scientific research and innovations to help African countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs & strengthen African R&D ecosystem
  31. To strengthen a community of African global health innovators who participate directly in their countrys R&D and are contributing to global health and development solutions.
  32. Title: Communications & Advocacy Support for Grand Challenges Africa Programs to provide scientific and advocacy support to Grand Challenges Africa programs
  33. Title: GC Africa Drug Discovery and Data Knowledge Integration Community Meeting. Purpose: to bring together key stakeholders of Grand Challenges Africa Drug Discovery & Data Science communities to discuss mutually relevant topics.
  34. Title: Genetic etiology of infertility in African couple study. Purpose: to uncover candidate nonhormonal contraceptive targets through the analysis of genetic causes of idiopathic infertility in African couples
  35. A grant from BMGF to launch an RFP geared towards supporting African innovators to develop Large Language Model empowered Artificial Intelligence AI tools for global health
  36. Grant from BMGF to support projects through Grand Challenges Africa that will strengthen the contraceptive research and development ecosystem in Africa by accelerating innovations in non-hormonal contraception for women
  37. To generate knowledge and deepen understanding of the burden distribution presentation and challenges in management of specific gynecological conditions with the goal of shaping priorities in this under-addressed area of womens health.
  38. Under this grant the organization incurs eligible project expenses on behalf of the ACS2 and receives reimbursement for those costs.
  39. Genomics-led Impact on African Population Health GEN-IMPACT Genomics-led Impact on African Population Health GEN-IMPACT
  40. Project Title: Nuclear Threat Initiative for the African Regional
  41. Grant Title: Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response GIISER
  42. The purpose of the grant is to support activities associated with organizing and convening a global mental health research conference.
  43. Grant award from Wellcome: Human Heredity and Health in Africa H3Africa Initiative Phase II H3A
  44. To co-develop a nationally endorsed non-communicable disease NCD research agenda for Kenya and to map capacity for cardiometabolic diseases CMD implementation research in East Africa.
  45. Grant Purpose: Innovative Approaches on the Inclusion of People with Lived Experience in Mental Health Science
  46. To support the creation and management of the Modeling of Health and Disease in Africa MODHA network for projects awarded through the Grand Challenge 2023 for health and disease modeling in Africa
  47. Strengthening Health and Disease Modelling for Public Health Decision Making in Africa: Cohort Management Strategy
  48. Grant from Wellcome to support The Next Frontier - Discretionary Award PES
  49. The program aims to establish sustain and strengthen a collaborative forum for communication and networking among key funders supporting pathogen genomic sequencing in LMICs.
  50. Create maintain and grow a forum for communication and networking among major funders of pathogen genomic sequencing in LMICs.
  51. Grant funding form PJMF to support development of an AI and digital health innovation ecosystem under the Grand Challenges platform focused on identifying gaps in AI and global health policy across Africa
  52. A grant award from Carnegie Corporation to support fellowships for early-career scholars in the social sciences and humanities.
  53. Main grant of Epidemic Science Leadership and Innovation Networks EPSILONS- Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative
  54. Grant from Rockefeller to support of community-led innovations to address the intersecting impacts of climate change and health on vulnerable populations in Sub-Saharan Africa
  55. SFA Core: to support the core platform operations and staff of the Science for Africa SFA Foundation.
  56. Under this grant the organization incurs eligible project expenses on behalf of the Wellcome Trust and receives reimbursement for those costs.
  57. The fund is made up of all indirect costs recoveries and unrestricted incomes such as interest earned on bank balances that support office overheads
  58. A grant award from Patrick J Mc Govern to map enablers of AI and data science uptake in Africa.
  59. To source innovations support the investigators and expand scientific networks.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 December 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 June 2022.

    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.