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Rainbow Railroad USA Inc

EIN 47-4896980 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

RAINBOW RAILROAD PROVIDES HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION TO INDIVIDUALS FACING PERSECUTION OR VIOLENCE BASED ON THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS PEOPLE SEEKING SAFETY FROM STATE-ENABLED VIOLENCE AND MURDER IN COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Income
$3.7 million
Spending
$3.9 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
8.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
11
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$163,130, interim ceo, head of operations

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 23% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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 December 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. $2.9 million spent. EMERGENCY AND HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT PROGRAMS:IN 2025, WE FOCUSED ON OUR EMERGENCY TRAVEL SUPPORT (ETS) AND FIVE(5) COMPLIMENTARY PATHWAY PROGRAMS, WHERE WE SUPPORTED A TOTAL OF 25,376 INDIVIDUALS. ETS PROVIDES LIFE SAVING ADVICE AND RESOURCES, IN 2025 WE EVACUATED 85 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. CASH ASSISTANCE:WE PROVIDED LIFESAVING SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF PERSECUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. IN 2025 WE SUPPORTED 355 INDIVIDUALS WITH DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE, WHICH WAS USED FOR ACCOMMODATIONS, FOOD, HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION ETC.GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION AND CRISIS RESPONSE:IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LOCAL PARTNERS ORGANIZATION, IN 2025, WE BUILT AND SUSTAINED PARTNERSHIPS WITH 83 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 48 COUNTRIES AND 7 REGIONS, WITH THE AID OF OUR PARTNERS, WE SUPPORTED 17,855 INDIVIDUALS USING THIS PATHWAY. POST-RELOCATION:IN 2025, WE EXPANDED OUR POST-RELOCATION SUPPORT FOR LGBTQI+ INDIVIDUALS. THIS SUPPORT INCLUDES THE HOUSING AND LIVELIHOOD ASSISTANCE FUND (HLAF) WHICH PROVIDES EMERGENCY CASH ASSISTANCE GRANTS DIRECTLY TO LGBTQI+ ASYLUM SEEKERS AND OTHER LGBTQI+ MIGRANTS IN THE USA AND CANADA. THIS ALSO INCLUDES OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT TEAM (CST) PROGRAM, WHERE VOLUNTEER TEAMS PARTNER WITH RAINBOW RAILROAD TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT, HOUSING ASSISTANCE/RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION SUPPORT TO LGBTQI+ ASYLUM SEEKERS. IN 2025, 10 VOLUNTEER TEAMS PARTICIPATED IN THE CST PROGRAM AND WELCOMED 12 LGBTQI+ NEWCOMERS TO THE UNITED STATES. THE NEWCOMERS ARRIVED FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HONDURAS, UGANDA, JAMAICA, VENEZUELA, BANGLADESH, IRAN, UZBEKISTAN, AND EGYPT. ULTIMATELY, WE SUPPORTED 143 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR POST-RELOCATION PROGRAM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 2015.

    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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