Global Alliance for Africa
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IN KEEPING WITH OUR MISSION, OUR PROGRAMS FOCUS ON: (1) DIGITAL LEARNING; (2) COMMUNITY LIBRARIES; AND (3) THERAPEUTIC ARTS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE DETAIL.
- Income
- $270,611
- Spending
- $201,942
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 30
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
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (5)
- $21,567 spent. DIGITAL LEARNING: TRAINING STUDENTS TO ADVANCE IN A DIGITAL WORLD. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE DETAIL.
- $131,557 spent. COMMUNITY LIBRARIES: PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND A SAFE PLACE TO GATHER AND LEARN. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE DETAIL.
- $4,360 spent. THERAPEUTIC ARTS: PROVIDING VULNERABLE YOUTH THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO HELP THEM HEAL. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE DETAIL.
- OTHER PROGRAMS
- FOUNDED IN 1996, GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR AFRICA (GAA) WORKS WITH LOCAL AFRICAN PARTNERS TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND MANAGE PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN, FAMILIES IN POVERTY, AND REFUGEES IN EASTERN AND NORTHERN AFRICA. GAA DOES THIS THROUGH THREE UNIQUE PROGRAMS. 1. DIGITAL LEARNING: TRAINING STUDENTS TO ADVANCE IN A DIGITAL WORLD. 2. COMMUNITY LIBRARIES: PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND A SAFE PLACE TO GATHER AND LEARN. 3. THERAPEUTIC ARTS: PROVIDING VULNERABLE YOUTH THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO HELP THEM HEAL. 1. THE DIGITAL LEARNING PROGRAM - BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS IN TANZANIA, MOROCCO, KENYA AND UGANDA, GAA'S DIGITAL LEARNING PROGRAM TEACHES STUDENTS THE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS IN THE DIGITAL AGE. THE PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH OUR KEY PARTNERS, WHICH ARE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS. GAA BUILDS THE FOUNDATION FOR DIGITAL LEARNING BY PROVIDING LAPTOPS, TABLETS AND OTHER COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, AND BY SECURING INTERNET CONNECTIVITY FOR CLASSROOMS. IT ALSO ARRANGES FOR TEACHERS TO ATTEND WORKSHOPS AND BE GIVEN THE NECESSARY TRAINING, SO THAT DIGITAL LEARNING CAN BE EFFECTIVELY TAUGHT. OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS PROVIDE THE TEACHERS AND THE CLASSROOMS WHERE STUDENTS LEARN COMPUTER SKILLS. WE ALSO PARTNER WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES, THAT ASSIST GAA IN ADMINISTRATING AND EVALUATING THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS HAVING AN IMPACT, WITH MORE THAN 16,000 MIDDLE AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES. TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, GAA HAS PROVIDED MANY HUNDREDS OF TABLETS, LAPTOPS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT TO ITS 35 PARTNER SCHOOLS. WE SERVE AREAS WITH THE GREATEST NEED, SUCH AS SCHOOLS IN THE SLUMS OF KENYA, NEAR REFUGEE CAMPS IN UGANDA AND IN RURAL AREAS OF MOROCCO AND TANZANIA. MOST IMPORTANT, THE PROGRAM IS WORKING. AS SHOWN BY EXAMS AND OTHER EVALUATION METHODS, STUDENTS IN GAA'S PROGRAM ARE LEARNING HOW TO USE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND ARE GAINING CRUCIAL DIGITAL SKILLS. THE PROGRAM IS ALSO HIGHLY COST EFFECTIVE, AS A RESULT OF OUR ARRANGEMENTS WITH PARTNER SCHOOLS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO CONDUCT PROGRAMMING IN THEIR CLASSROOMS USING THEIR TEACHERS. IN SUM, GAA IS HELPING COMBAT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AND IS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. 2. COMMUNITY LIBRARIES - PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND A SAFE PLACE TO GATHER AND LEARN GAA PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES TO OPERATE LIBRARIES IN SLUMS AND REMOTE RURAL AREAS OF EAST AFRICA. THE LIBRARIES MEET CRUCIAL NEEDS, BY PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE FOR YOUTH TO STUDY AND BY GIVING ACCESS TO SCHOOL-APPROVED TEXTBOOKS. THE PURCHASE OF TEXTBOOKS IS BEYOND THE MEANS OF MANY FAMILIES, AND THE LIBRARIES ARE OFTEN THE ONLY PLACE WHERE STUDENTS CAN DO REQUIRED CLASSWORK AND STUDY FOR EXAMS. THE LIBRARIES GIVE FAMILIES ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND THE ABILITY TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET. THEY ALSO SERVE AS A COMMUNITY CENTER, WHERE GROUPS CAN GATHER TO ADDRESS MATTERS OF LOCAL IMPORTANCE. EACH LIBRARY IS MANAGED BY A LOCAL LIBRARIAN AND SUPPORT STAFF. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, THE LIBRARIES SERVE BETWEEN 20,000 - 25,000 USERS, AND HOLD OVER 40 COMMUNITY EVENTS. 3. THERAPEUTIC ARTS - PROVIDING VULNERABLE YOUTH THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO HELP THEM HEAL GAA'S THERAPEUTIC ARTS PROGRAM OPERATES IN KENYA, TANZANIA AND UGANDA. IT FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING AN AFRICAN-BASED MODEL OF THERAPIES, USING VISUAL ARTS, MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA, WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING A CORE OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN USE THESE ART-BASED THERAPIES TO TREAT TRAUMATIZED AND OTHER VULNERABLE CHILDREN. GAA DOES THIS BY CONDUCTING COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOPS, LINKING EAST AFRICANS TOGETHER WITH VISITING PROFESSIONALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORKSHOPS HAVE INCLUDED NURSES, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, ARTS FACILITATORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS. FACULTY FROM RECOGNIZED UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING THE SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, CONSISTENTLY PROVIDE VALUABLE INPUT TO OUR EAST AFRICAN LEADERSHIP TEAM REGARDING THE CURRICULUM AND EDUCATION MATERIALS USED IN THE WORKSHOPS. GAA HAS PROVIDED SMALL GRANTS FOR EAST AFRICAN "GRADUATES" OF THESE TRAINING PROGRAM, LEADING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF A SAFE SEX PROJECT FOR YOUNG WOMEN IN THE SLUMS; SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER, ADOLESCENT ORPHANS, AND YOUTH IN REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS; AND A SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS EDUCATION PROJECT TO LESSEN TEENAGE PREGNANCIES AND PROMOTE YOUNG MOTHERS' RETURN TO SCHOOL. 4. GAA'S CORE VALUES IN CARRYING OUT ITS PROGRAMS, GAA ADHERES TO THESE FOUR CORE VALUES: 1. OFFERING THE POOREST AND MOST VULNERABLE PERSONS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THEIR EDUCATION AND IMPROVE THEIR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POSITIONS. 2. FOCUSING ON TRANSFORMATIONAL AND SUSTAINABLE CHANGE. 3. TAILORING PROGRAMS TO FIT THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. 4. HUMILITY IN ENGAGING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND WORKING WITH PEOPLE AS EQUALS.
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
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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2015 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2015.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 December 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 September 2016.
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 October 21, 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.