Elijah Rising
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Elijah Rising's mission is to end sex trafficking through prayer, awareness, intervention, and restoration.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 512
- Highest pay
- $106,055, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 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 March 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 (1)
- $1.6 million spent. Restoration: Elijah Rising provides long-term, trauma-informed restorative care for adult women survivors of sex trafficking. This trauma-informed, residential program focuses on eight dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, occupational, intellectual, financial, and environmental. When women enter the program, often they have no clothing to speak of, are in fear for their lives, and are overcoming addictive behaviors. Elijah Rising meets these and many other needs at no cost to the resident. Additionally, the program features case management, mental health services, mentorship, and job skills training with the goal of successful independent living after the program. Prayer & Awareness: Elijah Rising hosts an average of five prayer meetings per week as a way of remaining focused on the organization's core values while also mobilizing its faith-based constituency. Elijah Rising is committed to equipping people with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify the signs of sex trafficking within society and respond accordingly. As such, Elijah Rising provides some of the most creative and impactful awareness opportunities in the anti-sex trafficking ministry. The organization does this through speaking engagements and training. The Awareness Van Tour is Elijah Rising's longest running awareness initiative and has resulted in widespread impact. More than 17,000 people have taken the tour over the past ten years. Numerous partner organizations, nonprofits, coalitions, and intervention teams have been launched as a result of people taking the tour. In 2020, Elijah Rising launched a new awareness initiative, the Elijah Rising podcast which has reached six continents. Intervention: Elijah Rising facilitates multiple monthly outreaches to potential trafficking victims in high probability trafficking areas across the greater Houston area. Volunteers provide gifts, resources, and a local help hotline number. Since its inception, Elijah Rising has reached, on average, more than 800 sex trafficking victims each year through direct outreach to women in illicit massage parlors, streets where trafficking and prostitution are commonplace, cantina brothels, truck stops, and women sold via online sites.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 March 2026.
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 July 2013.
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.