Southern Institute for Appropriate Technology
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SHARE GOD'S LOVE THROUGH SERVICE, EDUCATION AND PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT WITH A NEEDY WORLD.
- Income
- $1.6 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 10.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 79%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $63,547, executive director
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: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 94 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
7 of 7Has a 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (4)
- $35,616 spent. NORTH AMERICA (UNITED STATES PROGRAM) THE U.S. CAMPUS PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, MISSIONARIES, CHURCH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKERS THROUGH VARIOUS WORKSHOPS AND RETREATS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE TARGETED TOWARDS MISSION AWARENESS, EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS USING KNOWLEDGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH TECHNIQUES, AGRCULTURE, APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO SPONSOR AN OUTDOOR WORSHIP SERVICE ON LAKE WEDOWEE EACH SUNDAY FROM MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY.
- $361,738 spent. SOUTH AMERICA (ECUADOR PROGRAM) - WE LEAD WORK TEAMS FROM CHURCHES AND UNIVERSITIES TO ASSIST OUR ECUADORIAN SIFAT GRADUATE PASTORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN BUILDING FACILITIES THAT ALLOW THEIR CHURCHES TO PROVIDE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR NEEDY CHILDREN IN AND AROUND QUITO. WE ALSO PROVIDE MEDICAL WORK TEAMS TO COVER HEALTH MONITORING AND MEDICAL CARE, PRIMARILY FOR AT-RISK WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION, WE FUND SMALL SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS FOR OUR ECUADORIAN SIFAT GRADUATES.
- $98,845 spent. COSTA RICA - THE PURPOSE OF SIFAT'S COSTA RICAN CAMPUS IS TO MAKE TRAINING IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND APPROPRIATE TECHONLOGIES FOR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS AVAILABLE. OUR TARGET AUDIENCE IS CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF VERY POOR AREAS IN LATIN AMERICA AND BEYOND WHO CANNOT GET VISAS TO OUR TRAINING CENTER IN THE U.S. SIFAT COSTA RICA DEMONSTRATES SOLUTIONS TO BASIC HUMAN NEEDS SUCH AS MORE NUTRITIOUS FOOD, CLEAN WATER, HOUSING, HEALTH, MICRO ENTERPRISES AND MORE. WE NOT ONLY TEACH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT USING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES AS TOOLS, BUT WE ARE DOING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH WE ARE A PART. WE CAN TAKE OUR STUDENTS FROM IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES ON A WALK THROUGH OUR COSTA RICAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND INTRODUCE THEM TO COSTA RICANS WHO INCORPORATE THE PRINCIPLES WE TEACH ON THEIR TWO-TO-THREE ACRE FARMS WITH THIER BASIC NEEDS MET. THEY CAN SEE AS WELL AS HEAR OUR CLASSES, AND THEN PRACTICE THESE TECHNOLOGIES UNTIL THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO GO HOME AND TEACH THEIR OWN PEOPLE. ALSO A BIG PART IS LEARNING TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
- SOME OF SIFAT'S GRADUATES RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRIES AND MAKE TRAINING CENTERS OR PROJECTS USING WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED TO HELP THE POOR MEET THEIR OWN BASIC NEEDS. THIS PAST YEAR WE HAVE ADDED MORE TRAINING SESSIONS AND PROJECTS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN HATI, NIGERIA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, UGANDA, AND INDIA. SIFAT SPONSORS OUR GRADUATES' PROJECTS, HELPING THEM WITH RESOURCES AND MONITORING THEIR PROGRESS. WE HAVE PERSONNEL WHO ADVISE THEM WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE IN THEIR PROJECTS AND WALK ALONGSIDE THEM TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES. IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO ADVISE MORE THAN 50 PROJECTS STARTED IN PAST YEARS IN PAKISTAN, LIBERIA, BOLIVIA, KENYA, ECUADOR, VENEZUELA, AND CAMEROON, WE HAVE ADDED A PROJECT THAT BUILDS WHEELCHAIRS FOR THE DISABLED IN NIGERIA, ASSISTED A SCHOOL FOR RESCUED KIDNAPED CHILDREN SOLDIERS IN CONGO FOR REHABILITATION AND TRAINING IN MICROENTERPRISES (CEMENT BLOCK MAKING, AGRICULTURE, AND OTHERS). WE ALSO SPONSORED A SCHOOL FOR 30 TEEN-AGE MOTHERS AND IMPOVERISHED HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS IN UGANDA TO LEARN SKILLS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES SUCH AS TAILORING, CATERING, HAIRDRESSING AND BAKING. WE ALSO HAVE BROUGHT CLEAN WATER TO A COMMUNITY IN NIGERIA, SPONSORED A TEACHER IN INDIA TO HOLD WEEK-END WORKSHOPS IN CHURCHES IN APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES FOR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, AND SPONSORED A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LEADER TO ASSIST A COMMUNITY IN RURAL HAITI WITH THEIR AGRICULTURAL CO-OP AND PROGRAM TO HELP THE REFUGEES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY FLEEING FROM THE GANGS, IN OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WE HAVE FUNDED OR SUPPORTED MANY SIFAT GRADUATE PROJECTS, INCLUDING IN HAITI, NIGERIA, HONDURAS, AND ALSO INDIA. FUNDING THE NIGERIA WATER WELL PROJECTS TO COMBAT ILLNESSES CAUSED BY LACK OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND PROVIDING WHEELCHAIRS FOR THE DISABLED; IN HONDURAS TO CREATE BIOFERTILIZER BY RECYCLING WASTE AND CREATE FOOD SECURITY BY BRINGING LOCAL FARMERS TOGETHER TO MARKET CROPS AND LEARN CROP YIELD APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES.
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 November 6, 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 January 1980.
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 November 4, 2026.
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