Zonta International Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE ZONTA FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN IS TO RAISE AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR ZONTA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE FOUNDATION IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ZONTA MEMBERS, CLUBS, DISTRICTS AND FRIENDS OF ZONTA WHO SHARE ITS VISION FOR A BETTER WORLD FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL IS A LEADING GLOBAL ORGANIZATION OF INDIVIDUALS WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL ENVISIONS A WORLD IN WHICHWOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE RECOGNIZED AS HUMAN RIGHTS AND EVERY WOMAN IS ABLETO ACHIEVE HER FULL POTENTIAL. IN SUCH A WORLD, WOMEN HAVE ACCESS TOALL RESOURCES AND ARE REPRESENTED IN DECISION-MAKING POSITIONS ON ANEQUAL BASIS WITH MEN. IN SUCH A WORLD, NO WOMAN LIVES IN THE FEAR OFVIOLENCE.
- Income
- $4.5 million
- Spending
- $4.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 24.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 25,619
- Highest pay
- $223,739, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 24.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 52% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 May 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 (2)
- $665,000 spent. ZONTA FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN SUPPORTS 130 FELLOWSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS AND INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS. AMELIA EARHART FELLOWSHIPZONTA INTERNATIONAL IS PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING LIFE-CHANGING FELLOWSHIPS TO ASSIST WOMEN IN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND SPACE SCIENCES, ZONTA INTERNATIONAL ESTABLISHED THE AMELIA EARHART FELLOWSHIP IN 1938 IN HONOR OF LEGENDARY PILOT AND ZONTIAN, AMELIA EARHART. TODAY, THE FELLOWSHIP OF US$10,000 IS AWARDED ANNUALLY TO UP TO 30 TALENTED WOMEN, PURSUING PH.D. DOCTORAL DEGREES IN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING OR SPACE SCIENCES AROUND THE GLOBE. JANE M. KLAUSMAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIPENCOURAGES MORE WOMEN TO PURSUE EDUCATION AND CAREERS IN BUSINESS. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL ESTABLISHED THE JANE M. KLAUSMAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIP IN 1998. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL OFFERS UP TO 37 SCHOLARSHIPS OF US$5,000 EACH.YOUNG WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AWARDTHE YOUNG WOMEN IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS AWARD WAS RENAMED THE ZONTA YOUNG WOMEN IN LEARDERSHIP AWARD IN 2024. RECOGNIZING THAT TO BRING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE CHANGES THAT BENEFIT ALL OF HUMANITY, WOMEN MUST HAVE EQUAL PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, ZONTA INTERNATIONAL ESTABLISHED THE YOUNG WOMEN IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS AWARD IN 1990. THE AWARD RECOGNIZES YOUNG WOMEN, AGES 16-19, WHO DEMONSTRATE SUPERIOR LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND CIVIC CAUSES, AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC AND POLITICAL LIFE. UP TO 37 AWARDS OF $5,000 EACH ANNUALLY.
- $3.3 million spent. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL IS PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS THROUGH INTERNATIONAL SERVICE. BY PARTNERING WITH AGENCIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER RECOGNIZED NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, ZONTA HAS IMPROVED WOMEN'S HEALTH, PROVIDED BETTER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND PREVENTED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN OVER 87 COUNTRIES. SINCE THE FIRST SERVICE PROJECT, ZONTA HAS CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN $39.7 MILLION TO INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS. THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MAY 31, 2025, IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE ZONTA FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN 2024-2026 BIENNIUM. ZONTA FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN FUNDED THE FOLLOWING INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE 2024-2026 BIENNIUM. CLIMATE EMPOWER: COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND INNOVATION FOR GENDER-TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE ACTION: EVIDENCE SHOWS THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WOMEN AND GIRLS IN DISPORTIATE WAYS. CLIMATE CHALLENGES ARE FUELED BY PERSISTENT AND DEEPLY ROOTED DISCRIMINATORY SOCIOCULTURAL NORMS THAT JUSTIFY OR TOLERATE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. THROUGH THE CLIMATE EMPOWER PROGRAM, UNFPA AND ZONTA INTERNATIONAL ARE ADVANCING INNOVATION, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY-LED SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND STRENGTHEN RESILIENCE IN MADAGASCAR, MOZAMBIQUE, AND SOUTH SUDAN. THE PROGRAM DIRECTLY BENEFITS OVER 500,000 WOMEN, GIRLS, AND YOUTH, WHILE ALSO REACHING BROADER COMMUNITIES WITH AWARENESS AND TOOLS TO ADDRESS AND PREVENT CLIMATE-INDUCED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. (US$1,000,000).LAAHA: A VIRTUAL SAFE SPACE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS: ONE IN THREE WOMEN EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFETIME, AND 12 MILLION GIRLS ARE MARRIED BEFORE THEY REACH THE AGE OF 18. SAFE SPACES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR PROVIDING WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH ACCESS TO INFORMATION, SUPPORT SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPOWERMENT- ESPECIALLY IN HUMANITARIAN CRISES. LAAHA, UNICEF'S FIRST DIGITAL PLATFORM CO-CREATED WITH WOMEN AND GIRLS FROM CRISIS-AFFECTED REGIONS, EXTENDS THIS VITAL SUPPORT ONLINE. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL AND UNICEF SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES RESOURCES ON HEALTH, RIGHTS, SAFETY AND FINANCIAL LITERACY IN 13 LANGUAGES, ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFETY FOR ALL USERS. BY REPLICATING THE PROTECTION, CONNECTION, AND EMPOWERMENT OF PHYSICAL SAFE SPACES, LAAHA HELPS WOMEN AND GIRLS MOST IN NEED ACCESS LIFE-CHANGING INFORMATION AND BUILD SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES IN A SECURE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT. (US$750,000)GLOBAL PROGRAMME TO END CHILD MARRIAGE: A PROGRAMME TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL ACTION: THE FOUNDATION HAS COMMITTED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO UNICEF USA TO SUPPORT THE UNFPA-UNICEF GLOBAL PROGRAMME TO END CHILD MARRIAGE IN 12 FOCUS COUNTRIES: BANGLADESH, BURKINA FASO, ETHIOPIA, GHANA, INDIA, MOZAMBIQUE, NEPAL, NIGER, SIERRA LEONE, UGANDA, YEMEN AND ZAMBIA. ZONTA INTERNATIONAL'S CONTINUED SUPPORT WILL HELP ADVANCE THE GLOBAL PROGRAMME'S REALIZATION OF ITS VISION IN WHICH GIRLS EVERYWHERE EXPERIENCE HEALTHIER, SAFER AND MORE EMPOWERED LIFE TRANSITIONS WHILE THEY MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THEIR OWN DESTINY BY MAKING INFORMED CHOICES AND DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION, SEXUALITY, MARRIAGE AND CHILDBEARING. HAVING ALREADY TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF GIRLS THROUGH THE FIRST TWO PHASES OF THE PROGRAM, ZONTA INTERNATIONAL'S CONTINUED SUPPORT WILL STRENGTHEN GOVERNMENT CAPACITY AND OWNERSHIP TO SUSTAIN PROGRESS LONG TERM - CREATING LASTING CHANGE FOR MILLIONS MORE GIRLS WORLDWIDE. (US$1,500,000)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending May 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1986.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.