Charities United States International Firelight Foundation
Firelight Foundation logo

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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89
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
89/100 · 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
large

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
🌍 International · NTEE Q33

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar international in United States
Program spending This charity: 0%
Peer average: 0%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 4.15%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 89
Peer average: 89

Red flags

· All clear
IRS revocation history
OFAC / EU / UN sanctions
Open investigations
Governance scandals
Related-party deals
Excessive exec comp

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. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports $4M in annual revenue. 32 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Firelight Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100. 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 89 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for international charities in United States is 89/100.

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. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Firelight Foundation is classified as a International organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a large 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.

Firelight Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. Visit the Firelight Foundation profile on GiveRadar for full details before deciding. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.

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 a international organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2010.

Among international charities registered in United States: Firelight Foundation's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 is in line with the peer average of 89/100. 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.

Verified against 5 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$1M-$10M
0% 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.
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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.

Leadership

EL
Elisa De Martel
Treasurer

Officers & trustees (10)

Source: Public filings

EL
Elisa D• M•••••
TREASURER
GE
Gerry S•••••
BOARD MEMBER - UNTIL 08/21
GL
Gloria J•••••••••••••
CHAIR/CONSULTANT
JI
Jimmy K•••••
BOARD MEMBER
JO
Joyce M••••••
BOARD MEMBER
MA
Mark L••••
VICE CHAIR/SECRETARY
NI
Nina B••••••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PA
Paula N••••••••••••••
BOARD MEMBER
RO
Rose M•••••
BOARD MEMBER
SI
Sibongile B•••• M•••••••
BOARD MEMBER
Full names, contact details & compensation

Free with an account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From global news sources

Sentiment

Neutral

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$3.8M revenue
FY2025
IRS_990
LA500 2025: Peter Laugharn - Los Angeles Business Journal
Jun 2025
labusinessjournal.com
Form filed
$2.5M revenue
FY2024
IRS_990
Form filed
$3.8M revenue
FY2023
IRS_990
Foundation Leaders: A Passion for Excellence - Los Angeles Business Journal
Oct 2023
labusinessjournal.com
Children of Hope Initiative Battles Malnutrition in Mulanje, Impacts Lives - AfricaBrief
Aug 2023
africabrief.substack.com
U.S. billionaire MacKenzie Scott has given $1.1 billion to African charities. Here are 20 of them. - Billionaires.Africa
Jul 2023
www.billionaires.africa
Form filed
$13.1M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$1.7M revenue
FY2021
IRS_990
Believe in the power of communities - Alliance magazine
Nov 2016
www.alliancemagazine.org
Clinton Campaign Distances Itself From Controversial Blood-Testing Startup Theranos - Fortune
Mar 2016
fortune.com
What Does Hilton Foundation’s New Leadership, Doubling Assets Mean for Youth? - The Imprint
Jan 2016
imprintnews.org
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Names Peter Laugharn New President and CEO, Effective January 1, 2016 - PR Newswire
Jan 2016
www.prnewswire.com
Supporting Innovations in Learning—Hits, Misses, and Advice for Funders - Hewlett Foundation
Nov 2015
hewlett.org
Firelight Foundation Accepting Letters of Inquiry from Grassroots Organizations in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. - Opportunitie
Jul 2014
www.opportunitiesforafricans.com

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Peer charities

Other international in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
Firelight Foundation This page 89 $3.8 million -
Princeton in Asia Inc 89 $2.0 million -
Junior Achievement Usa 89 $4.1 million -
Mercy Beyond Borders 89 $2.9 million -
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers 89 $2.6 million -
American Friends of Jamaica Inc 89 $2.9 million -
World Savvy Inc 89 $5.2 million -
The Anglican Relief and Development Fund 89 $3.6 million -
World Affairs Council of Philadelphia 89 $2.8 million -

Sources and verification

Refreshed

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
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we don't know

Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact

Programs & projects
No named programs listed by the charity
Operating reach
Countries where programs run not specified

Methodology

GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

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, United States.
What is Firelight Foundation's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $1M-$10M. 0% of expenses go to program services.
Is Firelight Foundation trustworthy?
Firelight Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89 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