Charity: Water 
Summary
We're working every day to reinvent charity while bringing clean drinking water to the 785 million people living without. We believe that sustainable work is locally-led. Along with implementing community-owned water projects, our local partners help facilitate comprehensive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programming to protect everyone's long-term health.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Charity: Water
40 Worth Street
Suite 829
New York, NY 10013
Website: charitywater.org
Phone: 646-688-2323
Email: support@charitywater.org
Organization details
EIN: 223936753
CEO/President: Scott Harrison
Chairman: Michael Wilkerson
Board size: 11
Founder: Scott Harrison
Year founded: 2007
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
785 million people live without clean water. That's nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide, or, twice the population of the United States without access to life's most basic human need. The majority live in isolated rural areas and spend hours every day walking to collect water for their family. Not only does walking for water keep kids out of school and take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the water often carries diseases that make them sick.
When a community gets access to clean water, it can change just about everything. It can improve health, increase access to food, grow local economies, and help kids spend more time in school.
The water crisis is huge, but it is solvable. We work with local experts and community members to find the best sustainable solution in each place where we work, whether it's a well, a piped system, a BioSand Filter, or a system for harvesting rainwater. And with every water point we fund, our partners coordinate sanitation and hygiene training and establish a local Water Committee to help keep water flowing for years to come.
We're on a mission to solve the water crisis and reinvent charity for a new generation.
Mission statement
Charity: Water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries.
Statement of faith
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Health & Well-Being
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 508 of 775 | 7 of 8 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 409 of 776 | 5 of 8 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 384 of 776 | 5 of 8 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 597 of 775 | 8 of 8 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 11% | 10% | 13% | 9% | 9% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 10% | 11% | 10% | 13% | 9% | 9% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 10% | 13% | 10% | 13% | 8% | 9% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 79% | 79% | 81% | 75% | 80% | 82% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 95% | 85% | 97% | 98% | 103% | 92% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 75% | 67% | 78% | 74% | 83% | 76% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 5% | 15% | 3% | 2% | -3% | 8% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 10% | 25% | 5% | 2% | -4% | 13% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 8% | 9% | 12% | 11% | 8% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.68 | 0.68 | 0.71 | 0.67 | 0.68 | 0.72 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.06 | 1.02 | 1.03 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.02 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.00 | 0.69 | 0.73 | 0.71 | 0.72 | 0.74 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 3.49 | 1.98 | 1.93 | 2.21 | 2.07 | 2.04 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.52 | 0.45 | 0.48 | 0.49 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.51 | 8.66 | 7.88 | 9.26 | 8.62 | 8.32 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 19% | 50% | 51% | 45% | 47% | 48% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 48% | 74% | 69% | 82% | 77% | 72% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Cash | $37,351,410 | $32,280,376 | $19,718,593 | $23,522,623 | $12,562,151 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $20,600,547 | $13,953,505 | $10,427,769 | $15,780,052 | $16,715,984 |
| Short-term investments | $28,344,406 | $20,100,324 | $20,548,716 | $11,117,422 | $25,121,169 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $86,296,363 | $66,334,205 | $50,695,078 | $50,420,097 | $54,399,304 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $1,198,812 | $1,851,168 | $2,524,879 | $2,795,461 | $1,064,620 |
| Other long-term assets | $123,786 | $126,894 | $92,894 | $132,966 | $132,966 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,322,598 | $1,978,062 | $2,617,773 | $2,928,427 | $1,197,586 |
| Total assets | $87,618,961 | $68,312,267 | $53,312,851 | $53,348,524 | $55,596,890 |
| Liabilities | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $43,521,636 | $34,350,366 | $22,984,392 | $24,375,389 | $26,649,816 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $43,521,636 | $34,350,366 | $22,984,392 | $24,375,389 | $26,649,816 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $352,916 | $562,144 | $749,740 | $914,814 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $352,916 | $562,144 | $749,740 | $914,814 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $43,874,552 | $34,912,510 | $23,734,132 | $25,290,203 | $26,649,816 |
| Net assets | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Unrestricted | $15,505,607 | $13,383,213 | $12,718,088 | $10,789,306 | $11,659,675 |
| Temporarily restricted | $28,238,802 | $20,013,544 | $16,860,631 | $17,269,015 | $17,287,399 |
| Permanently restricted | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $43,744,409 | $33,399,757 | $29,578,719 | $28,058,321 | $28,947,074 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Total contributions | $69,223,898 | $49,827,030 | $36,176,933 | $35,127,416 | $43,690,259 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,108,991 | $813,882 | $624,059 | $243,121 | $400,072 |
| Other revenue | ($242,228) | ($256,617) | ($304,377) | ($242,795) | ($399,248) |
| Total other revenue | $866,763 | $557,265 | $319,682 | $326 | $824 |
| Total revenue | $70,090,661 | $50,384,295 | $36,496,615 | $35,127,742 | $43,691,083 |
| Expenses | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Program services | $46,979,282 | $39,305,226 | $27,042,000 | $29,012,210 | $33,014,896 |
| Management and general | $4,537,738 | $4,519,095 | $4,275,257 | $4,151,159 | $3,242,732 |
| Fundraising | $7,748,373 | $4,861,057 | $4,584,984 | $3,076,378 | $3,769,846 |
| Total expenses | $59,265,393 | $48,685,378 | $35,902,241 | $36,239,747 | $40,027,474 |
| Change in net assets | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $10,825,268 | $1,698,917 | $594,374 | ($1,112,005) | $3,663,609 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $10,825,268 | $1,698,917 | $594,374 | ($1,112,005) | $3,663,609 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Scott Harrison | Founder/CEO | $414,662 |
| Christoph Gorder | Chief Global Water Officer | $297,149 |
| Jason Keramidas | Chief Product Officer | $274,876 |
| Lauren Letta | Chief Operating Officer | $235,786 |
| Michael Gumbley | Treasurer/CFO | $211,340 |
| Mohammed Zaidi | Dir of Brand Pships(End 12/18) | $173,586 |
| William Bell | Director of Finance | $161,582 |
| Jasdeep Gosal | Principal Engineer | $156,310 |
| Nitya Oberoi | Software Development Manager | $145,814 |
| Christine Choe | Dir of Business Operations | $143,875 |
| Christopher Barton | Secretary/Gen Counsel | $110,610 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2018
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
History
After a decade of indulging his darkest vices as a nightclub promoter, Scott declared spiritual, moral, and emotional bankruptcy. He spent two years on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia, saw the effects of dirty water firsthand, and came back to New York City on a mission.
Upon returning to NYC in 2006, having seen the effects of dirty water firsthand, Scott turned his full attention to the global water crisis and the (then) 1.1 billion people living without access to clean water.
He established a small core team in a tiny Manhattan apartment and created charity: water.
The organization set out on a big mission, to bring clean water to every person living without it, and an even bigger vision, to reinvent charity with an innovative 100% model and radical transparency, proving every single water project funded.
Program accomplishments
Fourteen years later, with the help of more than 1 million supporters worldwide, charity: water has raised over $496 million and funded over 59,000 water projects in 29 countries. When completed, those projects will provide over 11 million people with clean, safe drinking water.
Scott was recognized in Fortune Magazine's 40 under 40 list, the Forbes Magazine Impact 30 list and was recently #10 in Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business issue. He is currently a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
Needs
For $40, you can bring one person clean water. Join our monthly giving community The Spring, and give the gift of clean water all year round.