Bellwether International
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to disrupt the cycle of genocide and create genocide-resistant societies. Through rigorous impact evaluation research and a network of experts we have prioritized learning how why and when genocide happens. We have used our findings to narrow our focus and clarify our mission. We aim to confront the genocide trap -- where communities with desperate economic conditions and a history of genocide face mounting incentives to use violence and turn on their neighbors rather than address systemic issues. Governments perpetrate genocides but communities carry them out. Our vision is to create a world where governments can prevent genocide top-down and individuals resist genocide bottom-up to create peaceful and plural societies. Our theory of change is centered on prioritizing our four impact areas: conflict transformation economic development policy and sustainability.
- Income
- $414,863
- Spending
- $405,087
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 3.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $75,000, chairman of the board founder
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 54% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% 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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
0 of 250 of 0 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give 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)
- $118,047 spent. Iraq: Bellwethers work in Iraq aimed to uncover and interrupt the long term effects of intergenerational trauma. In 2023 we began cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions for Yazidi women and youth many of whom lived in camps and in poverty. Over the course of multiple sessions both groups saw marked improvement in their approach to conflict and prosocial behavior their generosity of spirit. From 2023-2024 working in 4 different cities there were clear positive mental health outcomes.In 2024 Bellwether continued to offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT group sessions to empower Yezidi women in their recovery from the trauma of the 2014 genocide. Building on the success of the CBT sessions in Sinjar Bellwether expanded its outreach to reach Yezidi women in Tel-Ezer at the community center. In Sinjar two rounds of eight-session programs were held from February to April and July to August involving a total of 26 women. In Tel-Ezer 28 women participated in a nine-week program running from April to May. The sessions covered key topics such as managing trauma symptoms emotional regulation addressing sleep disturbances and anger management. Each session included explanations of symptoms insights into the root causes of these mental health challenges and strategies for coping. Importantly the sessions fostered a strong sense of community with many participants forming supportive friendships that extended beyond the program. To date 311 women have completed the program and reported trauma healing. To better measure the impact of the CBT sessions Bellwether included a control group of 10 women with similar demographics in a pre- and post-assessment during the second session round in Sinjar. These women who were also part of Bellwethers sewing training program showed an average mental health improvement of 11%-around 30% lower than the CBT group. All CBT participants showed improved mental health survey scores with most experiencing a 40-50% increase. While the control groups vocational training may have contributed to their mental health improvement results clearly indicate that targeted CBT interventions led to significantly higher mental health gains. In addition to the CBT sessions literacy courses were offered to women at the community center in Tel-Azer with further sessions held in Sinjar. In total 31 women aged 18 to 50 graduated from these literacy courses in 2024. The program was designed to create immediate results within a one-month period focusing on rapid skill-building in reading and writing to address urgent community needs. Despite the condensed timeline the course successfully engaged participants who were eager to acquire foundational literacy skills. Many showed significant progress gaining confidence and a sense of empowerment from the opportunity to learn. The programs intensive format required strong commitment from both participants and instructors with structured lessons to maximize learning in a short time. This approach helped participants stay focused and dedicated throughout the month. In partnership with the Banan Foundation for Sustainable Development the Til Ezer Community Center which opened in Tel Ezer in 2023 continued its impactful programming throughout 2024. Designed as a safe and welcoming space for youth girls children and women of all age groups the center offers a wide range of activities including educational recreational and awareness-raising programs. Its mission is to strengthen social cohesion restore community ties and support the return of displaced individuals. This year the center expanded its services to include primary education classes. In February 2024 a cohort of 45 children aged 4-6 and 40 children aged 7-11 completed the centers educational programs. Another group of 42 children participated in lessons offered in June. In addition to educational services the center hosted various workshops and events such as International Womens Day celebrations health awareness sessions on disease prevention family planning workshops and musical activities. Through these initiatives the Til Ezer Community Center continues to foster social unity and provide vital support for the community. After participating in Bellwethers literacy courses the mother of 5-year old Herman registered her son to participate in the community centers classes. During this period Herman learned letters numbers shapes colors and sciences in Arabic English and Kurdish. He began to combine these letters to write and read names and he also became qualified to enter school. For the Yazidi New Year new clothing and shoes were distributed to 50 children in Sharya aiming to bring joy and hope to orphaned children survivors and those living in poverty. Many of these children reside in tents-either within or outside the camp-under conditions unfit for stable living. Lacking even basic necessities like food and clothing they face daily hardships. This project sought to brighten the lives of these less fortunate children providing them with clothing to celebrate the holiday alongside their families and friends. By offering something as simple as new clothes we hope to bring a sense of normalcy happiness and renewed optimism to children who endure so much. Ahmed told us how much his family needed this box because their mother died two years ago and their father has been having difficulty speaking and listening since that time. Ahmed is a student and all of his siblings are under 17 years old finding it difficult to find a source of livelihood. Ahead of the Yazidi New Year food boxes were distributed to families in Sharya and Sinjar facing severe poverty helping them gather essentials for their holiday celebration. Each box contained key items like eggs rice cooking oil sweets egg dye and chicken-ingredients central to the New Year festivities. Given the high demand priority was given to the most vulnerable families many of whom live in tents or incomplete shelters. In total BW supported over 300
- $66,415 spent. The Bellwether International Ambassadors Programme is committed to genocide prevention education merging learning with social impact endeavors funded through micro-grants. This effort empowers global Bellwether ambassadors to create and execute community-based projects that tackle local requirements foster active knowledge dissemination and translate learning into tangible outcomes. Projects are in line with the overarching goal of genocide prevention with participants engaging in both online and offline learning on democracy human rights justice for women and girls and interfaith collaboration. Presently the program boasts 46 Ambassadors who have successfully executed 9 social impact projects with an additional 24 slated for completion by late 2025. The projects have spanned regions like Brazil Iraq and Nigeria with upcoming endeavors planned in Sudan Northern Ireland and England. In 2024 the micro-grants facilitated 408 individuals in accessing genocide and interfaith education equipping women with conflict resolution skills and capacity-building capabilities to bolster entrepreneurship. As of March 2025 the micro-grants have enabled ambassadors to reach 1,981 individuals granting them access to strategic leadership education and community solidarity programs. These micro-grants play a pivotal role in advancing the mission ensuring that genocide education and related resources empower communities to harness knowledge and enhance their resilience against genocidal processes. The initiative adopts a community-driven strategy furnishing a comprehensive toolkit instead of imposing top-down directives. With the support and guidance of NGOs we equip Certified Ambassadors with the expertise and tools to identify and tackle the specific needs of their communities. Additionally a core component of the program is developing a curriculum to equip a global movement in genocide prevention. Bellwether International is developing a world-standard curriculum focused on genocide prevention aimed at empowering individuals communities and organizations to take proactive steps in preventing atrocities. The curriculum follows a three-tiered model to ensure both broad accessibility and sectoral-specific relevance: Level 1: Standardized Curriculum Delivered through a Learning Management System LMS this level provides foundational education on genocide prevention accessible to a wide range of participants. Level 2: Sectoral and Regional Approaches This level tailors the learning experience to specific sectors and regions guided by sector leaders and expert project managers who help contextualize genocide prevention strategies within varying contexts. Level 3: Micro-Grant Funded Social Impact Projects Empowering our Certified Ambassadors this level enables them to design and implement community-based projects. These initiatives bridge the gap between learning and action addressing local needs and fostering knowledge transfer. At the heart of this approach is a community-driven model. Our curriculum provides participants with the knowledge tools and support to identify and address the unique needs of their communities. This is achieved through a combination of expert guidance local facilitation and strategic learning materials. A key component of our curriculum is the integration of expert video content. Through interviews with thought leaders in genocide prevention we aim to provide participants with access to valuable insights from those actively working in the field. These videos will form a core part of the learning experience offering participants a chance to engage with voices that can guide and inform their journey in genocide prevention. Our new model adopts a sectoral approach to genocide prevention allowing for more targeted and effective interventions. We are also excited to launch our sister initiative the Art Ambassadors Program which will expand our reach and engage a broader audience in genocide prevention education. As of 2025 our Social Impact Projects have engaged over 2,000 people through education conflict transformation strategic leadership and community cohesion. Strengthening this effort our newest certified cohort of Ambassadors is driving 23 projects currently in development for Q1 2026. With this momentum we aim to reach thousands more fostering communities resilient to genocide. One micro-grant led a project titled "Capacity Building Program on FORB and Women Leadership + Skill Acquisition Training in Communities in Bwari LGA Nigeria." The two-day Capacity Building Program on Freedom of Religion and Women Leadership aimed to empower 50 women with leadership skills financial independence and practical skills such as soap-making poultry farming and peanut making. The program focused on ensuring religious freedom and economic empowerment equipping participants to prevent vulnerability due to financial dependency. Through these initiatives the program promoted religious tolerance fostered a network of women and enabled them to support their families while actively contributing to their communities economies. The programs motto "Empower a woman and empower a nation," reflects its long-term impact with many participants now training youth and starting their own businesses. Ambassador Chinyere Nwanedo shared " I was impressed at the turnout of the event watching women grow from not knowing what to do to developing skills. Bellwether Internationals support of this cause of humanity is laudable and shows that the organization supports humanity and what the society needs to thrive where there are diverse religions and ethnic groups. Thank you for the opportunity. I hope I have more opportunities in the future to do more projects to help foster FoRB." Another micro-grant sponsored the project "Fostering Interfaith Dialogue for Active Participation and Development." The project overseen by Bellwether International aimed to foster interfaith dialogue and promote peace-building religious tolerance
- $53,433 spent. Nigeria: Bellwethers work in Nigeria sought to test how far protecting religious freedom could go in mass atrocity prevention. In 2021 we began interfaith dialogues between Christians and Muslims as well as between tribes IDPs and host communities. These efforts centered religious freedom as a gateway for intimate reflections about daily life and the community they wanted to create for their children to grow up in. From 2021-2024 working in 12 different cities there was a meaningful decrease in violence. More importantly the enormous energy and momentum led to participants starting their own initiatives. In remote communities Bellwether combined interfaith dialogues with emergency response and education initiatives. Meanwhile in 2024 Bellwether launched the Faith for Rights Symposium with the United Nations where attendees from 120 organizations designed locally-led projects aligned with the UNs Faith for Rights commitments aimed at reducing ethnic and religious intolerance. These projects are now being implemented across Nigeria. Bellwethers work in Nigeria highlighted that violence is often manifest along religious divisions but enhancing religious freedom alone is not sufficient-it must be combined with other efforts. The "Faith for Rights" Frameworks 18 commitments serve as a crucial mechanism for promoting ethno-religious tolerance and preventing genocide within Nigerian communities. This was underscored in a three-day UN Faith for Rights Symposium held in Abuja attended by 101 participants representing over twenty organizations. Participants were strategically selected from Nigerias six geopolitical regions-North-Central Northeast Southwest Southeast Northwest and South-South-to ensure a comprehensive diverse approach. The symposium gathered faith leaders youth and women leaders local government representatives security and political figures ethnic leaders and civil society actors to study the UN Faith for Rights Framework with a particular focus on religious freedom and genocide prevention. Through interactive sessions such as group discussions case studies and brainstorming participants developed action plans to foster safer more resilient communities. The training also incorporated analytical tools to deepen participants insights such as conflict management style assessments and exercises in identifying hopes and fears which allowed for personal reflection and constructive group dialogue. In the post-symposium survey 94% of participants reported a full understanding of the framework and several actionable strategies were created for future interventions aimed at strengthening community resilience and tolerance. A three-day Community Cohesion Workshop was held in Jos Nigeria for 30 participants from Benue Kaduna and Plateau States. This workshop brought together key stakeholders including ethnic and community leaders from conflict-affected areas to address and analyze the root causes of violence extremism and religious intolerance in their regions. The participants represented communities that have endured repeated violent attacks including locations in Plateau State such as Barkin Ladi Jos East and Bokkos and Southern Kaduna including Adara Kajuru and Zangon Kataf as well as various areas in Benue State like Guma Agatu and Katsina-Ala. Notable organizations like the Plateau Initiative for the Advancement of the Natives PIDAN and the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union SOKAPU which serve as umbrella bodies for tribal and community groups participated actively fostering a collaborative environment. By the workshops conclusion attendees had developed action plans for each state setting a foundation for ongoing efforts toward community resilience peace-building and reducing sectarian violence across these regions. In commemoration of International Peace Day Bellwether International organized a series of impactful events in both Abuja and Jos. In Abuja in partnership with the National Security and Civil Defense Corps the day kicked off with a peace walk aimed at raising awareness about fostering a culture of peace. The program also included a one-day symposium a media parley and a two-day school peace seminar that engaged students from five schools on the theme of International Peace Day. Over the course of these activities more than 4,973 individuals participated contributing to the broader mission of promoting peace and unity. In Jos a two-day workshop brought together selected youth leaders from across Plateau State to focus on inter-faith dialogue and the promotion of a culture of peace. The first day featured lectures while the second day was highly interactive with participants discussing papers and collaboratively designing a framework for peace-building activities within their communities. A total of 54 youth leaders took part in the workshop helping to shape sustainable peace initiatives for the future. In Oyo State a two-day workshop was conducted in collaboration with the local government providing a vital platform for dialogue among the diverse religious and ethnic groups in the Iwajowa community. The workshop aimed to enhance understanding of the cultural and religious diversity within the area develop coexistence strategies and equip community leaders with the tools to serve as ambassadors for interfaith tolerance. A total of 100 participants attended the workshop with 40% being newcomers and 60% returning from the previous year. The post-assessment survey indicated that all participants felt better prepared to contribute to peaceful coexistence in their community and everyone expressed a willingness to engage in future initiatives focused on community cohesion. A capacity-building workshop was held in Lagos for 50 women from inter-religious backgrounds focusing on empowering participants to protect their families and contribute to prosperous communities. This initiative titled "Capacity Building Workshop for Women of Interreligious Background to Protect Families and Build Pr
- $66,415 spent. Ambassador program which is an education program to certify individuals in basic human rights principles.
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 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 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 March 2021.
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.