Aceli Africa Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ACELI'S MISSION IS TO UNLOCK THE GROWTH AND IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMES) BY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CAPITAL SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
- Income
- $17.3 million
- Spending
- $15.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 3.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 79%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $268,056, ceo, aceli africa
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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 79% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 43% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 255 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
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, 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)
- $14.3 million spent. ACELI AFRICA'S TARGET IS TO UNLOCK $1.6B IN PRIVATE SECTOR LENDING FOR INCLUSIVE AGRICULTURAL SMES IN EAST AFRICA THROUGH YEAR-END 2030. WITH ACCESS TO LENDING, AGRICULTURAL SMES CAN DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTIVITY AND MARKET ACCESS OF SMALLHOLDERS, WHILE CREATING JOBS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN. DURING OUR FIRST FOUR YEARS OF OPERATIONS (SEPTEMBER 2020-DECEMBER 2024), 42 ACTIVE ACELI LENDING PARTNERS REGISTERED LOANS TOTALING $283M ACROSS THE INITIAL FOUR FOCUS COUNTRIES (KENYA, RWANDA, TANZANIA, UGANDA) AND NEWLY, ZAMBIA. OF THESE LOANS, 61% ARE TO NEW BORROWERS (DEFINED AS NOT HAVING RECEIVED A LOAN OF $25K+ FROM ANY LENDER IN THE PRIOR THREE YEARS), 57% MEET OUR HIGH STANDARD FOR PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO WOMEN, 69% CONTRIBUTE TO FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA, AND 17% MEET OUR CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT IMPACT BONUS. THE SMES RECEIVING ACELI-SUPPORTED LOANS HAVE CREATED MARKET ACCESS FOR 1.5M SMALLHOLDER FARMER SUPPLIERS AND EMPLOYMENT FOR 52K FULL-TIME WORKERS.AS OF DECEMBER 2024, 42 LENDERS HAD SIGNED LEGAL AGREEMENTS WITH ACELI AND AN ADDITIONAL 8 WERE IN NEGOTIATIONS OR IN THE PROCESS OF SIGNING. OF THE 42 ACCREDITED LENDERS, THREE-QUARTERS ARE COMMERCIAL BANKS OR NON-BANK FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS DOMICILED IN EAST AFRICA. ACELI AFRICA'S TARGET IS TO INCREASE ADDRESSABLE DEMAND BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 1000 AGRICULTURAL SMES THROUGH YEAR-END 2030 TO IMPROVE THEIR CAPACITY TO ACCESS AND MANAGE FINANCE. ACELI OFFERS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EARLY-STAGE AGRICULTURAL SMES WITH ANNUAL REVENUES OF $50K-500K, LIMITED ACCESS TO FINANCE, AND BASIC NEEDS IN BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. OUR PARTNERS IMPLEMENT THE HYBRID TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES A SERIES OF WEBINARS AND COLLABORATION IN A PEER LEARNING NETWORK PAIRED WITH INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING FOR THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FROM EACH AGRI-SME AS WELL AS IN-PERSON KICK OFF SESSIONS FOR NETWORKING. THE SELECTED SMES ARE LOCATED ACROSS ALL FOUR FOCUS COUNTRIES. OVERALL, PARTICIPATING SMES PROVIDE POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE PROGRAM. WE HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED OUR TA OFFERING FOR GROWTH AND LATE-STAGE AGRICULTURAL SMES THAT HAVE OUTGROWN THE BASIC NEEDS OF EARLY-STAGE SMES BUT STILL STRUGGLE TO QUALIFY FOR AND/OR MANAGE FINANCING (ANNUAL REVENUES OF $500K-$5M). OUR OFFERING IS TARGETED TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC BARRIERS, INCLUDING INTERNAL OPERATIONS, DATA MANAGEMENT, AND MANAGERIAL CAPACITY. TECHNOSERVE IS THE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR GROWTH-STAGE SME COHORTS. IN LIGHT OF THE DIVERGENT AND SPECIFIC NEEDS OF LATE-STAGE SMES, WE HAVE CONTRACTED SEVEN PROVIDERS ACROSS ACELI'S FOUR FOCUS COUNTRIES TO OFFER CUSTOMIZED TO TA TO LATE-STAGE SMES. INTERESTED SMES UNDERGO A DIAGNOSTIC AND ARE OFFERED A VOUCHER THAT COVERS A PORTION OF THE COST OF TA.
- $70,454 spent. ACELI AMERICAS FACILITATES LEARNING EXCHANGE THROUGH AN ADVISORY PARTNERSHIP WITH A MEXICAN NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION TO DESIGN A LOCAL INCENTIVE FACILITY, COA. ACELI PROVIDES STRATEGIC SUPPORT TO INFORM COA'S SET-UP AND DESIGN AND GATHERS LEARNING TO INFORM FUTURE ACELI ADVISORY.
- $61,530 spent. CSAF CONVENES AN ALLIANCE OF LENDING INSTITUTIONS TO BUILD AN INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL MARKET FOR SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMES) IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR. MEMBERS SHARE LEARNING, DEVELOP INDUSTRY STANDARDS, AND ENGAGE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO FACILITATE MARKET GROWTH, PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE LENDING PRACTICES, AND STRENGTHEN THE SME ECOSYSTEM.
- $1,853 spent. OTHER ADVISORY PROGRAMS
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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