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Self Help International

Alleviate hunger by helping people help themselves.

International Waverly, IA EIN: 420844679 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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69
Integrity Assessment
Partial transparency
69/100 · methodology

About Self Help International

Self-Help International (SHI) devotes its efforts to alleviating world hunger and poverty by providing opportunities to rural citizens that ultimately lead to self-reliance. Since its inception, Self-Help has served as a vessel; training, education, and opportunities are provided to rural citizens and whole communities in developing countries so that they can have better lives. MISSION STATEMENT: To alleviate hunger by helping people help themselves. SELF-HELP'S INITIATIVE Educate: We educate the people of the United States to understand the problems of life in developing countries particularly the awareness of the perpetual struggle by millions to produce and distribute food to battle persistent chronic hunger and poverty; we help tell their story Train: We train people in developing countries in the use …

Founded
Headquarters
Waverly, IA
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
Q300
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium
Operating in
2 countries

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1972

Mission

Alleviate hunger by helping people help themselves.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
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.
Operating countries (2)
Ghana Nicaragua

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar international in United States
Program spending This charity: 69%
Peer average: 78%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 12.62%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 69
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· 1 red flag
High Executive Pay
Top executive compensation is 10.7% of total expenses ($86,984 of $812,131).

Where every $1 goes

· FY2023 · IRS 990 (FY2023)
$0.69
Program$0.69

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Self Help International has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar holds 13 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2023 - a deeper filing history than 99% of the 12,908 international charities in the United States with filings on record. See the filings
  • Established in 1959, it is among the oldest international charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks. View this cohort
  • GiveRadar's profile for Self Help International draws on its financial disclosures and its governance, in line with the typical international charities in the United States it tracks. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (13 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • 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

Self Help International is a registered international nonprofit based in Waverly, IA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1959 and has been operating for 67 years. Its EIN is 420844679. 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 69/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $689K in annual revenue. 97 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern.

Self Help International's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 420844679. 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.

Self Help International has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 69/100. 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 69 ('Partial transparency') means some public data is on file but key signals are missing - worth a closer look before donating. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for international charities in United States is 90/100.

Self Help International is located in Waverly, IA, United States. The organization was established in 1959 and has been active for 67 years.

Based on official tax filings, Self Help International has $689K in annual revenue. It allocates 69% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 78% for international charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $5M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Self Help International 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 $689K in annual revenue. The organization has 97 disclosed officers and directors.

GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern for Self Help International. Red flags are automatically detected from official data and may include high executive compensation relative to budget, low program spending, or missing financial filings. Red flags do not necessarily mean wrongdoing but indicate areas that may warrant further review before donating.

According to GiveRadar's records, Self Help International 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 69% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 78%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. 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.

Self-Help International (SHI) devotes its efforts to alleviating world hunger and poverty by providing opportunities to rural citizens that ultimately lead to self-reliance. Since its inception, Self-Help has served as a vessel; training, education, and opportunities are provided to rural citizens and whole communities in developing countries so that they can have better lives. MISSION STATEMENT: To alleviate hunger by helping people help themselves. SELF-HELP'S INITIATIVE Educate: We educate the people of the United States to understand the problems of life in developing countries particularly the awareness of the perpetual struggle by millions to produce and distribute food to battle persistent chronic hunger and poverty; we help tell their story... Self Help International is classified as an international organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1959.

Among international charities registered in United States: It allocates 69% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 78%. Its annual revenue of $689K is below the peer average of $5M.

Yes, donations to Self Help International are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Self Help International is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 420844679, 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
$100K-$1M
69% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2023) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

10 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2023): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020, FY2019, FY2018, FY2017, FY2016, FY2015, FY2014.
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
7

Leadership

From FY2023 filing

NO
Nora T••••
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (19)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

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

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Latest news

From global news sources

5 articles found

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

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Help Sarasota Hooters Girl Sarah Magda Win Fan Favorite in the Upcoming Miss Hooters International Pageant - The Suncoas
Aug 2024
www.suncoastpost.com
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Join Hooters Girls and Give A Hoot For Self-Help International - bocaratonobserver.com
Jul 2023
bocaratonobserver.com
Join Hooters Girls and Give A Hoot for Self-Help International - Cape Coral Breeze
Jul 2023
www.capecoralbreeze.com
Form filed
$0.8M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Local Hooters Help Raise $57,000 for Self-Help International - The Suncoast Post
Aug 2022
www.suncoastpost.com
Form filed
$0.9M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.6M revenue
FY2019
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$0.8M revenue
FY2018
IRS/ProPublica
Hooter’s girls join Self Help in fundraiser - Community Newspaper Group
Jul 2018
www.communitynewspapergroup.com
Form filed
$0.9M revenue
FY2017
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$0.5M revenue
FY2016
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$0.3M revenue
FY2015
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$0.3M revenue
FY2014
IRS/ProPublica

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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 133,127
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 65,249
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 2023 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 97 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
GlobalGiving partner directory
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 · FY2023 on record
  • Named leadership · 97 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 · 1959
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 Self Help International

What is Self Help International?
Self Help International is a international publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Waverly, United States. Self-Help International (SHI) devotes its efforts to alleviating world hunger and poverty by providing opportunities to rural citizens that ultimately lead to self-reliance. Since its inception, Self-Help has served as a vessel; training, education, and opportunities are provided to rural citizens and whole communities in developing countries so that they can have better lives. MISSION STATEMENT: To alleviate hunger by helping people help themselves. SELF-HELP'S INITIATIVE Educate: We educate the people of the United States to understand the problems of life in developing countries particularly the awareness of the perpetual struggle by millions to produce and distribute food to battle persistent chronic hunger and poverty; we help tell their story Train: We train people in developing countries in the use of Quality Protein Maize (QPM). This increases crop yields and improves nutrition. We assist local farm families with planting, Improve: We improve infant and pre-school children's diets by administering an improved porridge feeding program. Made from QPM and pinches of barley malt, this combination has been proven to alleviate malnutrition, thwart sickness, and keep children in school so they can continue their education. Empower: We provide micro-credit loans for women to start small scale businesses. This availability of credit empowers women and increases their income - because they do not have access to traditional financing. Cooperate: We cooperate with other organizations and agencies in the introduction of appropriate farming practices or advancement in the battle against poverty and malnutrition.
When was Self Help International founded?
Self Help International was founded in 1959.
Who leads Self Help International?
Nora Tobin serves as Executive Director.
Where is Self Help International located?
Headquartered in Waverly, IA, United States. The charity operates in 2 countries.
What is Self Help International's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2023 is approximately $100K-$1M. 69% of expenses go to program services.
Is Self Help International trustworthy?
Self Help International has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 69 out of 100 (Partial 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 Self Help International's registration number?
IRS EIN: 420844679.
What is Self Help International's website?
http://selfhelpinternational.org