Kidogo Early Years Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Kidogo's objective is to improve access to highquality, affordable Early Childhood Care & Education in East Africa's low-income communities and ensure young children are getting the best start to life during their most formative years (ages 0-5).
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $3.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 16.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $132,696, chief exploration officer
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
Strong: 95 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
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
0 of 7Reports no 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 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 (1)
- $2.4 million spent. Kidogo's objective is to improve access to highquality, affordable Early Childhood Care & Education in East Africa's low-income communities and ensure young children are getting the best start to life during their most formative years (ages 0-5) while inspiring systems change to strengthen the early childhood education ecosystem at both a national and global scale. Kidogo's focus on playbased early childhood education has shifted the conversation: parents and early childhood workers now believe children begin learning at birth, not when they enter formal schooling. We work closely with the government of Kenya on creating progressive early childhood education policies, support global partners on replicating our social franchising model, and contribute to global strategies such as the World Bank's white paper on early childhood education and the IFC's employersupportedearly childhood education task force.
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? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
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 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.