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Water Missions International

EIN 57-1116978 · North Charleston, SC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO HONOR GOD BY DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING, AND SHARING BEST-IN-CLASS SAFE WATER SOLUTIONS THAT TRANSFORM AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

Income
$42.1 million
Spending
$47.5 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
2.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
147
Volunteers
406
Highest pay
$257,666, ceo & president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 12 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

    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 September 30, 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 (4)
  1. $33.8 million spent. SAFE WATER FOR COMMUNITIES: WATER MISSION WORKS CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITIES TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND OPERATE CUSTOMIZED SAFE WATER SOLUTIONS USING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND TAILORED WATER TREATMENT METHODS. OUR SAFE WATER SOLUTIONS INCLUDE PIPED DISTRIBUTION TO SHARED COMMUNITY TAP STANDS; BOTTLING STATIONS WITH HOME DELIVERY BY VEHICLES; AND DIRECT PRIVATE CONNECTIONS TO HOUSEHOLDS, CLINICS, AND SCHOOLS. WE UTILIZE A VARIETY OF SERVICE DELIVERY APPROACHES TO PROVIDE LONG-TERM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (O&M) SUPPORT TO KEEP SAFE WATER FLOWING. WATER MISSION ALSO IMPLEMENTS SANITATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND WORKS TO EDUCATE AND EQUIP COMMUNITIES TO PRACTICE HEALTHY SANITATION AND HYGIENE BEHAVIORS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 (FY2025), WATER MISSION SERVED NEARLY 770,000 PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD WITH ONGOING ACCESS TO SAFE WATER AND NEARLY 167,000 PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES WITH FIRST-TIME ACCESS TO SAFE WATER THROUGH 46 NEW SAFE WATER PROJECTS.
  2. $4.7 million spent. DISASTER RESPONSE: WATER MISSION IMPLEMENTS IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM SAFE WATER SOLUTIONS FOLLOWING NATURAL DISASTERS AND DURING HUMANITARIAN CRISES. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WATER MISSION'S DISASTER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM PROVIDES IMMEDIATE AID AND HELPS BUILD LONG-TERM RESILIENCY. SOLUTIONS ARE TAILORED TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH COMMUNITY IMPACTED BY DISASTER AND CAN INCLUDE EMERGENCY SAFE WATER PROVISION, WATER QUALITY TESTING, INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION, NEW CONSTRUCTION, HYGIENE SUPPLIES, AND MORE. IN FY2025, WATER MISSION RESPONDED TO FIVE NATURAL DISASTERS, IMPACTING MORE THAN 140,000 PEOPLE THROUGH WASH SOLUTIONS.
  3. $2.7 million spent. SAFE WATER FOR REFUGEES: WATER MISSION PROVIDES SUSTAINABLE ACCESS TO SAFE WATER FOR MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES DUE TO VIOLENCE, PERSECUTION, FOOD INSECURITY, OR NATURAL DISASTERS. ACCESS TO SAFE WATER HELPS REFUGEES EXPERIENCE HEALTHIER AND MORE DIGNIFIED LIVING CONDITIONS. BY CONSTRUCTING NEW SAFE WATER SYSTEMS, REHABILITATING EXISTING SYSTEMS, AND PROVIDING ONGOING O&M SERVICES, WATER MISSION KEEPS SAFE WATER FLOWING IN REFUGEE CONTEXTS. WATER MISSION ALSO PROVIDES SAFE WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE (WASH) SERVICES IN HOST COMMUNITIES (EXISTING COMMUNITIES NEAR REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS), WHERE THE NEED IS GREAT. IN FY2025, WATER MISSION SERVED MORE THAN 683,000 REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE IN FIVE REFUGEE CAMPS AND SETTLEMENTS.
  4. LIVING WATER WATER MISSION MEETS PEOPLE'S SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS THROUGH OUR LIVING WATER PROGRAM. IN COMMUNITIES, WE DO THIS THROUGH THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION PROGRAM (CCMP), EQUIPPING LOCAL CHURCH LEADERS WITH BIBLICALLY BASED TRAINING THAT HELPS THEM IDENTIFY NEEDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL IN WORD AND DEED. ALL CCMP ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE ALONGSIDE OUR ROUTINE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND WASH PROMOTION ACTIVITIES - WORKING TOGETHER TO BRING PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION. IN REFUGEE CONTEXTS, WATER MISSION EQUIPS LOCAL CHURCH LEADERS TO PROVIDE BIBLICALLY BASED TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE. THIS CARE PROMOTES FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION, GUIDING PEOPLE THROUGH THE GRIEVING AND HEALING PROCESS. WHEN WE RESPOND TO A DISASTER, WE INTENTIONALLY CONNECT WITH LOCAL CHURCHES. WHEN APPROPRIATE, WE EQUIP CHURCH LEADERS WITH TRAUMA CARE TOOLS TO HELP MEET THE EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY. IN FY2025, WATER MISSION CONDUCTED MORE THAN 400 CCMP ACTIVITIES ACROSS SEVEN COUNTRIES AND ENGAGED MORE THAN 500 CHURCHES. ADVOCACY ONE OF WATER MISSION'S PRIORITIES IS TO EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS. THIS GOAL IS ACHIEVED BY DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR TRANSFORMATIVE WASH SOLUTIONS, AND ORGANIZING EVENTS THAT BUILD AWARENESS. ONE SUCH ADVOCACY INITIATIVE IS WATER MISSION'S WALK FOR WATER. THE FLAGSHIP EVENT IN N. CHARLESTON, SC, DRAWS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR, WHILE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNER AND COMMUNITY WALKS RAISE AWARENESS IN CITIES ACROSS THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD. WATER MISSION ALSO PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR CLASSROOMS, CONFERENCES, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. IN FY2025, WATER MISSION ENGAGED MORE THAN 12,000 WALKERS THROUGH OUR ANNUAL WALK FOR WATER EVENT IN CHARLESTON AND 76 OTHER COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE WALK EVENTS LED BY VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE ALSO ENGAGED MORE THAN 3,200 STUDENTS THROUGH OUR EDUCATION INITIATIVE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 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 August 2001.

    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.