Alliance for Global Water Adaptation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
AGWA IS AN INTERNATIONAL NGO WORKING ACROSS TECHNICAL AND POLICY PROGRAMS TO MAINSTREAM RESILIENT WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, FOCUSING ON THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN WATER RESOURCES, ENERGY, AND ECOSYSTEMS.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- -1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 86%
- Employees
- 8
- Highest pay
- $205,000, executive director
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: 38 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 130% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 89% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 13 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
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, 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 (2)
- $1.3 million spent. AGWA CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, PROMOTE, AND BUILD CAPACITY AROUND TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO RESILIENT WATER MANAGEMENT. WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH PRACTITIONERS, DECISIONMAKERS, PLANNERS, AND WATER MANAGERS TO MAINSTREAM BEST PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING RISK AND UNCERTAINTY AS WELL AS THE MEANS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE AND FINANCE THESE TYPES OF APPROACHES. THROUGH VARIOUS PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES - NEARLY ALWAYS IN COLLABORATION WITH AGWA PARTNERS - WE WORK TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON DEVELOPMENT FINANCE, RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, VULNERABILITY ASSESMENT METHODOLOGIES, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, URBAN RESILIENCE, AND CROSS-SECTORIAL (E.G. FOOD-WATER-ENERGY) CHALLENGES. OVER THE YEARS, AGWA HAS DEVELOPED AND PUBLISHED NEW METHODOLOGIES FOR INCORPORATING AND ADDRESSING UNCERTAINTY IN WATER RESOURCES OPERATIONS, DESIGN, AND PLANNING. TO ENSURE THESE APPROACHES ARE MAINSTREAMED, AGWA WORKS TO BUILD UNDERSTANDING WITH RELEVANT TECHNICAL AND POLICY AUDIENCES.
- PART III LINE 4A ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THIS YEAR, AGWAS POLICY SUPPORT ACTIVITIES HAVE CONTINUED ALONG AN EXPANSIVE TRAJECTORY, REACHING NEW AUDIENCES AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT WHEN THE BIG THREE GLOBAL COMPACTS (PARIS AGREEMENT, AGENDA 2030, AND THE SENDAI FRAMEWORK) ENTER THEIR IMPLEMENTATION PHASES. AS COUNTRIES SHIFT FROM COMMITMENT TO ACTION, WE HAVE DIVERSIFIED EFFORTS TO DEMONSTRATE THE TANGIBLE BENEFITS OF RESILIENT WATER MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE TO KEY DECISION MAKERS ACROSS SECTORS. BUILDING ON THE WORK WE HAVE DONE UNDER THE WATERING THE NDCS INITATIVE, WE ARE NOW ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH COUNTRIES TO SUPPORT THEIR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WATER PLANNING.
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
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 October 13, 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 2025.
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 May 2020.
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 October 21, 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.