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Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities

EIN 81-0792145 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY, MANAGEMENT, AND ACCESSIBILITY OF RESOURCES THAT WILL STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF FAITH-BASED GROUPS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT HUMANITARIAN GOALS.

Income
$615,468
Spending
$822,099
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
5.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 57%
Employees
3
Volunteers
43
Highest pay
$115,851, finance & operations manager

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

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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 (2)
  1. $637,415 spent. PUBLICATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS:DURING THE YEAR, JLI EXPANDED ITS WORK ON THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE INITIATIVE BY CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF EXISTING REGIONAL LEARNING HUBS IN EAST AFRICA, SYRIA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST, AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW REGIONAL HUBS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA AND SOUTHERN AFRICA. JLI HAS ALSO ORGANIZED 11 VIRTUAL EVENTS, 7 IN-PERSON EVENTS, AND PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 11 CONFERENCES. JLI'S AGREEMENTS WITH UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND ("UNICEF") GLOBAL HQ COVERING SOUTH ASIA, EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA, AND WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA ("WCAR"), AS WELL AS WITH THE UNICEF LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN REGIONAL OFFICE ("LACRO"), CONCLUDED IN 2024. SUBSEQUENTLY, JLI ENTERED INTO TWO NEW AGREEMENTS WITH UNICEF UNDER THE FPCC INITIATIVE: ONE WITH UNICEF LACRO AND ANOTHER WITH THE UNICEF SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL OFFICE ("ROSA"). ADDITIONALLY, JLI PROVIDED SUPPORT TO SAMUEL HALL IN THE FPCC MEAL FRAMEWORK.THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, JLI COLLABORATED WITH ITS MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS ON SEVERAL RESEARCH PROJECTS, WHICH WILL FORM CHAPTERS IN THE SECOND EDITION OF ITS STATE OF THE EVIDENCE IN RELIGIONS IN DEVELOPMENT NAVIGATOR. THESE INCLUDED A JOINT EFFORT WITH MULTIPLE JLI MEMBERS EXPLORING FAITH PERSPECTIVES ON LOCALIZATION AND DECOLONIZATION; A PROJECT ON FAITH AND CLIMATE MIGRATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHRISTIAN AID; AND TWO ADDITIONAL STUDIES-ONE ON FAITH AND HUNGER/NUTRITION AND ANOTHER ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT-BOTH SUPPORTED BY WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL. JLI CARRIED OUT RESEARCH FOR ACT ALLIANCE TITLED "30 YEARS ON: FAITH IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT ("ICPD") PROGRAM OF ACTION: HOW FAITH ACTORS ADVANCE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS." JLI ALSO CONDUCTED FORMATIVE RESEARCH TO SCOPE SRE NEEDS, GAPS AND EXISTING ENGAGEMENT IN INDONESIA FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR RELIGION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ("PARD"). JLI FINALIZED THE DEVELOPMENT AND PILOTING OF A TRAINING ON RELIGIONS & DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH COURSE IN KENYA, MALAWI, THE PHILIPPINES, SOUTH AFRICA AND SRI LANKA UNDER TRINITY CHURCH WALL STREET. JLI IS PART OF AN AMBITIOUS THREE-YEAR PROJECT FUNDED BY THE TEMPLETON RELIGIONS TRUST TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIC RELIGIOUS ENGAGEMENT ("SRE") IN FOUR COUNTRIES (PHILIPPINES, GHANA, SENEGAL, SRI LANKA) LED BY THE WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE.
  2. CONFERENCES, PANELS, AND TALKS - JLI CONTINUED TO SHARE BLOG POSTS ON ITS 'RETHINKING RELIGIONS AND DEVELOPMENT' BLOG AND ADDED MORE THAN 75 NEW RESOURCES IN ITS RESOURCE LIBRARY ABOUT FAITH AND DEVELOPMENT. FURTHERMORE, DURING THE YEAR, AROUND 30 OF JLI MATERIALS WERE PUBLISHED ON FAITH ACTORS IN PEACEBUILDING AND GOVERNANCE IN EAST AFRICA, THE FAITH AND POSITIVE CHANGE FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES ("FPCC") INITIATIVE, MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT AND FAITH, A TRAINING ON RELIGIONS AND DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH COURSE, AND OTHER TOPICS PERTINENT TO DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONERS AND RESEARCHERS. INTERIM PRESIDENT/CEO MAURICE BLOEM CONTINUED TO INTERVIEW SOME JLI MEMBERS FOR THE 'WALK TALK LISTEN' PODCAST.

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 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 2024.

    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 February 2016.

    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.

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.