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Firelight Foundation

Fund and support community-based organizations to drive systems change for children/youth in africa.

International Scotts Valley, CA EIN: 272795006 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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90
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
90/100 · methodology

About Firelight Foundation

At Firelight, we are inspired by how African communities are making a better life for families, children and young people.

Founded
Headquarters
Scotts Valley, CA
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
Q33
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2010

Mission

Fund and support community-based organizations to drive systems change for children/youth in africa.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar international in United States
Program spending This charity: 76%
Peer average: 73%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 4.15%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 90
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2025 · IRS 990 (FY2025)
$0.76
Program$0.76
76% to programs beats the peer average (73%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Firelight Foundation has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 97% of comparable organizations. See the sources
  • It has more complete contact information than nearly all comparable organizations, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
  • Its integrity score of 90 places it in the top 1% of the 25,023 international charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a donation page
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Firelight Foundation is a registered international nonprofit based in Scotts Valley, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2010 and has been operating for 16 years. Its EIN is 272795006. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 90/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $4M in annual revenue. 32 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Firelight Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 272795006. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Firelight Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 90 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 76% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for international charities in United States is 90/100.

Firelight Foundation is located in Scotts Valley, CA, United States. The organization was established in 2010 and has been active for 16 years.

Based on official tax filings, Firelight Foundation has $4M in annual revenue. It allocates 76% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 73% for international charities in United States. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Firelight Foundation is classified as an International organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $4M in annual revenue. The organization has 32 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Firelight Foundation. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Firelight Foundation holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 76% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 73%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

At Firelight, we are inspired by how African communities are making a better life for families, children and young people. Firelight Foundation is classified as an international organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2010.

Among international charities registered in United States: It allocates 76% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 73%. Its annual revenue of $4M is comparable to the peer average of $5M.

Yes, donations to Firelight Foundation are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Firelight Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 272795006, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$1M-$10M
76% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
5

Leadership

From FY2025 filing

EL
Elisa D• M•••••
Treasurer

Officers & trustees (10)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

10 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

2 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$3.8M revenue
FY2025
IRS 990
Form filed
$2.5M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$3.8M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$13.1M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$1.7M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Firelight Foundation Accepting Letters of Inquiry from Grassroots Organizations in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. - Opportunitie
Jul 2014
www.opportunitiesforafricans.com
Firelight Foundation offers grassroots support to those orphaned by AIDS - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Apr 2010
www.santacruzsentinel.com

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
International this charity 25,023
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 32 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2025 on record
  • Named leadership · 32 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2010
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Firelight Foundation

What is Firelight Foundation?
Firelight Foundation is a international publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Scotts Valley, United States. At Firelight, we are inspired by how African communities are making a better life for families, children and young people.
When was Firelight Foundation founded?
Firelight Foundation was founded in 2010.
Who leads Firelight Foundation?
Elisa De Martel serves as Treasurer.
Where is Firelight Foundation located?
Headquartered in Scotts Valley, CA, United States.
What is Firelight Foundation's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $1M-$10M. 76% of expenses go to program services.
Is Firelight Foundation trustworthy?
Firelight Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Firelight Foundation's registration number?
IRS EIN: 272795006.
What is Firelight Foundation's website?
http://www.firelightfoundation.org