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National Diaper Bank Network

EIN 45-2823935 · New Haven, CT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak45 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NATIONAL DIAPER BANK WORKS TO END POVERTY IN THE U.S. SO CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS THE MATERIAL BASIC NEEDS THAT ALL PEOPLE REQUIRE TO THRIVE. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON ENDING DIAPER NEED AND PERIOD POVERTY IN THE U.S.

Income
$17.9 million
Spending
$19.1 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 56%
Employees
31
Volunteers
17
Highest pay
$179,572, director of research

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 30% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 40% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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 June 30, 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)
  1. $13.6 million spent. NETWORK ASSISTANCE - NDBN MENTORS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES STARTING SUSTAINABLE NONPROFIT PROGRAMS THAT DISTRIBUTE DIAPERS, PERIOD SUPPLIES, AND/OR OTHER MATERIAL BASIC NECESSITIES TO INDIVIDUALS, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES. NDBN ALSO HELPS EXISTING DIAPER BANKS AND PERIOD SUPPLY PROGRAMS DO MORE WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES. NDBN CONFERS MEMBERSHIP TO PROGRAMS THAT MEET OPERATIONAL STANDARDS OF SUCCESS. NDBN ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF MEMBER PROGRAMS. NDBN OFFERS FREE AND FEE-BASED OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT SERVICES (E.G.BULK BUYING PROGRAMS) TO ITS MEMBERS. NDBN CONDUCTS ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND EVAULATION ON POVERTY AND BASIC NEEDS. THROUGH ITS CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS, NDBN DISTRIBUTES DONATED DIAPERS, MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS, AND OTHER MATERIAL BASIC NECESSITIES, TO ITS MEMBERS. NDBN DISTRIBUTES, ON AVERAGE MORE THAN 20 MILLION DIAPERS DONATED ANNUALLY BY ITS FOUNDING SPONSOR HUGGIES; APPROXIMATELY 7 MILLION PERIOD SUPPLIES DONATED ANNUALLY BY U BY KOTEX; AND OTHER DONATED MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS AND INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS. IN ADDITION, NDBN ADMINISTERS THE "FUNDS FOR CHANGE" GRANT PROGRAM, THE ONLY NATIONAL COMPETITIVE AWARD GIVEN EXCLUSIVELY TO BASIC NEEDS BANKS. NDBN ALSO ORGANIZES AND HOSTS THE ANNUAL U.S. CONFERENCE ON POVERTY AND BASIC NEEDS TO ENHANCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS, AND PEER-TO-PEER COLLABORATION. STANDARDS, AND PEER-TO-PEER COLLABORATION.
  2. $1.9 million spent. ALLIANCE FOR PERIOD SUPPLIES - AN NDBN PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2018 - HAS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 45 MILLION PERIOD PRODUCTS (PADS AND LINERS) DONATED BY FOUNDING SPONSOR U BY KOTEX, THINX, AND POISE, AMONG OTHERS TO MORE THAN 140 ALLIED MEMBERS IN THE U.S. MEMBERS ALSO RECEIVE EXPERT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. ALLIANCE FOR PERIOD SUPPLIES HOSTS THE NATIONAL SUMMIT ON PERIOD POVERTY LEADSERSHIP AS PART OF THE U.S. CONFERENCE ON POVERTY AND BASIC NEEDS, WHICH FOSTERS COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT AMONG PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO ADDRESS PERIOD POVERTY, PERIOD STIGMA, AND MENSTRUAL EQUITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
  3. $1.1 million spent. AWARENESS - NDBN BRINGS NATIONAL ATTENTION TO THE ISSUES OF DIAPER NEED AND PERIOD POVERTY BY FOCUING ON THE IMPACT THAT MATERIAL HARDSHIP HAS ON INDIVIDUALS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LIVING IN THE U.S. AWARENESS IS EXPANDED THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEADERS VIA MEDIA AND PROPRIETARY INITIATIVES. AS THE RECOGNIZED CENTER OF AUTHORITY ON DIAPER NEED IN AMERICA, NDBN COLLECTS, ANALYZES, AND REPORTS RELEVANT DATA TO ADVANCE POLICY/ADVOCACY EFFORTS RELATED TO DIAPER NEED, CHILD POVERTY, AND THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. NDBN ADVOCACY EFFORTS INCLUDE NATIONAL DIAPER NEED AWARENESS WEEK, NDBN LOBBY DAY IN D.C., PERIOD POVERTY AWARENESS WEEK, AND ALLIANCE FOR PERIOD SUPPLIES LOBBY DAY, (ALL ANNUAL EVENTS). NDBN SHAPES PUBLIC OPINION, LEADS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RESEARCH, AND ADVOCATES FOR STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND POLICIES.
  4. $1.5 million spent. Research Institute
  5. NDBN PURCHASING PROGRAM - QUALIFIED NDBN MEMBER BASIC NEEDS BANKS CAN PARTICIPATE IN AN EXCLUSIVE BULK PURCHASING PROGRAM CREATED BY NDBN. ELIGIBLE MEMBERS CAN PLACE MONTHLY, QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL ORDERS OF DIAPERS AND/OR MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS THROUGH NDBN, MAKE PAYMENTS DIRECTLY TO NDBN AND RECEIVE SHIPMENTS OF DIAPERS AND/OR MENSTRUAL PRODUTS AT COSTS WELL BELOW WHOLESALE. BASIC NEEDS BANKS THAT USE DONATED DOLLARS TO PURCHASED DIAPERS AND/OR MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS THROUGH THE PROGRAM CAN ACCESS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIAPERS AND/OR PERIOD SUPPLIES, VERSUS RETAIL PURCHASES, AND IN THE SIZES AND/OR QUANTITIES NEEDED TO SERVE THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. INNOVATION AND IMPACT - AN NDBN PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2023 - LEADS AND PARTICIPATES IN ORIGINAL RESEARCH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF DIAPER NEED, PERIOD POVERTY, AND LACK OF BASIC NECESSITIES, ESPECIALLY AMONG PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY, TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX ISSUES OF BASIC NEEDS AND MATERIAL HARDSHIP FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES AND WITH A MULTI-GENERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. NDBN INITIATES AND SUPPORTS ACADEMIC RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO INFORMED AND WELL-FUNDED PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROGRAMS SO ALL PEOPLE HAVE THE BASIC MATERIAL NEEDS TO THRIVE AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 2011.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

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