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Global Innovation Fund

EIN 47-4045086 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceGood78 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND AIMS TO SUPPORT INNOVATIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE LIVES FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS MULTIPLE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. INNOVATION HAS ALREADY HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT UPON THE LIVES OF MILLIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. WHILST MANY INNOVATIONS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HAVE HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FREQUENTLY FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES REQUIRING SOLUTIONS WHICH MEET THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

Income
$796,218
Spending
$796,218
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
3
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$425,399, chief executive officer (thru july 2024)

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: 48 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 100% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% 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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    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 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)
  1. $684,797 spent. THE GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND (GIF) WORKS TO SUPPORT INNOVATIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE LIVES FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS MULTIPLE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. WHILST MANY INNOVATIONS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FREQUENTLY FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES REQUIRING SOLUTIONS WHICH MEET THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. GIF DEFINES "INNOVATION" BROADLY: ANY SOLUTION TO A DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE POOR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN EXISTING APPROACHES. THIS COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTS, SERVICES, BUSINESS MODELS, OR POLICY PRACTICES THAT BENEFIT POOR AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW WAYS TO DELIVER OR TO ADAPT EXISTING PRODUCTS, SERVICES, BUSINESS MODELS, OR POLICY PRACTICES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AT REACHING THE POOR. THERE ARE HIGH COSTS IN DEVELOPING AND BRINGING AN INNOVATION TO SCALE YET SUCCESSFUL INNOVATORS TYPICALLY ONLY CAPTURE A SMALL FRACTION OF THE BENEFITS OF THEIR WORK. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SO IN THE CONTEXT OF INNOVATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE POOR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THIS RESULTS IN MARKET FAILURE AS POTENTIAL INNOVATORS ARE NOT INCENTIVIZED TO MAKE SOCIALLY BENEFICIAL INVESTMENTS, LEADING TO UNDERINVESTMENT. THIS LIMITS INNOVATION BY BOTH THE PRIVATE AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR. IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, INNOVATORS CANNOT CAPTURE ALL INVESTMENT RETURNS AS SUCCESSFUL INNOVATIONS OFTEN INVITE EARLY IMITATION BY COMPETITORS WHILST THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS OFTEN TIME CONSUMING, RISKY AND EXPENSIVE--THIS CAN DISCOURAGE INVESTMENT OUTRIGHT. IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THERE IS EVEN LESS RETURN TO THE INNOVATION INVESTOR. INNOVATION DEVELOPERS MAY FIND THEMSELVES BLAMED FOR FAILURES THAT ARE LIKELY TO ARISE AND CANNOT CAPTURE ANY FORM OF MARKET RETURN. SUCH MARKET FAILURE PROVIDES A KEY IMPERATIVE FOR THE PUBLICLY FUNDED SUPPORT FOR INNOVATION WHICH IS DIRECTED AT THE PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE WORLD'S POOREST.

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

  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 May 2016.

    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.