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Issara Institute Inc

EIN 47-4899085 · Dover, DE

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ISSARA INSTITUTE IS AN INDEPENDENT NGO TACKLING ISSUES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND FORCED LABOR THROUGH DATA, TECHNOLOGY, PARTNERSHIP AND INNOVATION.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
-7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
3
Highest pay
$188,129, president/ceo/ed

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

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    3 of 6 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
  1. $541,365 spent. OUTREACH AND EMPOWERMENT: ISSARA'S WORKER VOICE CHANNELS CONTINUED THEIR EXPANSION - A 24-HOUR MULTI-LINGUAL HELPLINE, PLUS FACEBOOK, LINE, VIBER, AND THE ISSARA GOLDEN DREAMS SMARTPHONE APP, ALL RECEIVING OVER 10,000-15,000 CALLS AND MESSAGES IN SOME MONTHS AND REACHING OVER 300,000 TOTAL MIGRANT WORKERS IN THAILAND. ISSARA AND CIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERS ADDITIONALLY REACH THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WORKERS THROUGHOUT ASIA.
  2. $252,691 spent. ISSARA LABS: ISSARA LABS CONDUCTS A WIDE RANGE OF RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS, RELATED TO GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AS WELL AS MIGRATION AND TRAFFICKING MORE BROADLY. APPLYING HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN PRINCIPLES, WE CONDUCT IN-DEPTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TAPPING INTO AND EMPOWERING WORKER VOICES. REPORTS AVAILABLE AT WWW.ISSARAINSTITUTE.ORG.
  3. $532,387 spent. BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: ISSARA MONITORS WORKING CONDITIONS ACROSS SUPPLY CHAINS, GIVING WORKERS LINKAGES TO REMEDIATION AND RESPONSES FROM MANAGEMENT ON GRIEVANCES AND ABUSES FACED BY WORKERS. THIS INFORMATION ABOUT LABOR-RELATED RISKS AND ABUSES IS ALSO USED TO HELP SUPPLIERS STRENGTHEN THEIR LABOR RECRUITMENT AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.

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 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 November 6, 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 January 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 November 4, 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.