Friends of the Congo
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Raise consciousness about challenges in Congo and support Congolese institutions as they strive to bring about peace and lasting change.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -1.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $42,000, executive director
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
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 191% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 294% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (2)
- $441,225 spent. Education of the public about the challenges in the Congo In 2024, Friends of the Congo pursued its three-pronged education program - Congo Week, Braking The Silence Speakers Tour and popular education. FOTC organizes Congo Week, the third week of each October. The 2024 Congo Week was the 17th annual event. FOTC coordinates people throughout the globe to participate in the week of workshops, forums, teach-ins, film screenings, rallies, fundraisers, benefit concerts and a host of other activities organized locally in different parts of the world. The flagship event of Congo Week is Congo in Harlem. It is a film and event series where Congolese filmmakers, musicians, artists, intellectuals and practitioners descend on Harlem each year to promote and highlight Congolese cultures and Congos contribution to world civilization. The second of the three programs is the Breaking the Silence speakers tour. Friends of the Congos speakers conducts teach-ins both in person and irtually throughout the globe. The tour officially kicks off on February first and officially ends on July 2nd. However, in reality it lasts all year long as team members are engaged in teach-ins and speaking engagements year round. In addition to participating in the forums, workshops, and other educational programs throughout the year, FOTC coordinates and facilitates local educational forums by providing films, materials, ideas and recommendations to local groups organizing educational forums on the Congo.
- $458,972 spent. Support to frontline organizations in the Congo In regard to providing support to frontline organizations in the Congo, Friends of the Congo supports the Basandja Coalition and their allies in all four corners of the Congo. They have a reach of an approximately two million Congolese. We provide the Coalition with grants to deliver humanitarian relief in the form of deliver of food, medicine, medical equipment and materials, building wells, expanding farm land, building shelter, and a host of other humanitarian relief efforts that address the material and social well being of Congolese inhabitants in distress.
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
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, 2016 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2016.
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 2024.
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 May 2017.
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.