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The Gaia-Movement Living Earth Green World Action USA Inc

EIN 36-4284332 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceGood73 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 1101 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

To protect the environment through reuse and recycling clothes and shoes and keeping them out of the landfills to reduce the environmental impact of textiles. To educate the general public about the environment and to help mitigate and adapt to climate change for those hardest affected in the world.

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
3.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 100%
Employees
13
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$60,000, clerk/secretary

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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1101 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: 73 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 4 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
  1. $1.0 million spent. Recycling program locally in USA: Collected, reused and recycled 2.3 million pounds of clothes and shoes. Gaia's largest program is the reuse and recycle of clothes & shoes. The textile industry a significant contributor to Global Warming & Climate Change. Gaia's mission is to help increase the percentage of reused and recycled clothes & Shoes in USA. Through an average of 500 clothes drop off boxes conveniently placed in local business areas in 2 states, Gaia diverted from the landfills 2.3 million pounds. Approximately 35,000 Americans have donated an average of 80 pounds of clothes in the Gaia boxes. Handling of the collected clothes and shoes have provided green jobs for 12 Americans and helped hundreds of families in Central America to start a small second clothes and shoes business. Gaia donated winter coats and toys for December events at community centers in Chicago.
  2. Education program locally in USA: provided an educational website with articles about Global Warming and Climate Change, textile recycling and its role in worldwide pollution and Climate Change. We have created content and design for 20 educational stations at our facility in Chicago, for school classes and other groups to learn from, when they start volunteering with Gaia. We have created a climate center with a solar system learning garden, educational posters, water collection system and bird habitat. We have had students visit our learning center on field trips.
  3. Global Programs programs outside of USA: The Gaia Movement USA supports Farmers' Clubs in Zimbabwe in two different regions - Mutasa with 750 farmers and Chivi with 1500 farmers and their families. They are all smallholder farmers. The support started in September 2021 and will continue for 2 and 3 years respectively. In 2025 we supported a new farmers club in Hwedza with 1000 farmers with 2025 being the 1st of 3 years.Gaia supports smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The climate crisis the planet is facing is already affecting many smallholder farmers as they experience drought, heavy rain falls and changing climate pattern. They cannot grow food as they used to do. They need new methods.More than 90% of all farms in the world are run by an individual or a family and rely primarily on family labor. Family farms occupy a large share of the world's agricultural land and produce about 80% of the world's food.Smallholder farmers are the frontline response to the world's environmental and social crisis.It is important to support them.

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 October 13, 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 November 1999.

    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 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.