Sunwater Institute

Analysis

Sunwater Institute is a registered charity in United States, based in North Bethesda, MD. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in July 2019, 7 years ago. Its declared purposes cover civil rights, social action and advocacy, which this site groups under human rights and equality. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (gross receipts test) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Sunwater Institute reported income of $1.1m and spending of $3.0m, spending 275% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $400k to $1.1m (+173%), an average of +28% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 3138%. Over the whole period it spent 301% of the income it received.

Among 9,611 United States charities whose main cause is human rights and equality and that reported income, Sunwater Institute sits at the 77th percentile: it is larger than about 77% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 80th percentile, and in the 79th percentile within MD. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Women S Center for Creative Work ($1.1m), Center for Public Representation ($1.1m) and Mediation and Restorative Justice Center Inc ($1.1m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 76% and program service revenue 15% of the total. Other salaries and wages came to $892k. At year end it held assets of $4.2m against liabilities of $8.0m, net assets of -$3.8m. It reported 14 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.