Kindling Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Kindling's mission is fire safety for all. Kindling advances fire safety in vulnerable communities worldwide through research, advocacy, learning, and practice. By bridging fire science and social science, Kindling addresses fire risks in informal settlements, humanitarian camps, and low-resource settings. This year, Kindling focused on interdisciplinary fire risk research, community-based safety assessments, and public safety advocacy to reduce fire hazards and improve resilience for at-risk populations.
- Income
- $876,010
- Spending
- $909,058
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $84,129, president & 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
Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 30% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 144% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% 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
Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 8 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
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
12 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 (2)
- $827,990 spent. In FY2024, Kindling advanced its mission to improve fire safety in vulnerable communities through applied research and collaboration funded by the Fire Safety Research Institute. The organization conducted large-scale fire experiments to generate data on fire dynamics in informal settlements, implemented a community-based fire risk assessment in BM Section A of Khayelitsha (Cape Town, South Africa), and convened both the Global Fire Safety Community of Practice under the Global Shelter Cluster and the Cape Town Fire Safety Community of Practice to connect humanitarian agencies, governments, researchers, practitioners, and residents in strengthening fire safety knowledge and standards in low-resource settings.
- $10,023 spent. In FY2024, Kindling hosted From Flames to Change in New York City, an event highlighting the often-overlooked fire risks facing low-income and marginalized communities in the United States. The event convened researchers, practitioners, and firefighters to discuss systemic drivers of fire vulnerability and explore pathways for more equitable and science-informed fire safety policy and practice.
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 July 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 November 4, 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.