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Seva Foundation

Berkeley, CA · EIN 38-2231279 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Seva Foundation reported $11.0 million in revenue and $15.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.50 went to program services, $9.69 to management and general costs and $9.81 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 92.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $248,788 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 50% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.

Where $100 of spending went

The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $15M

For context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).

Where $100 of revenue came from

The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11M

Other revenue was negative: −$70,837. The bar shows the positive sources only.

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

FY2025 filing. Median across 469 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
MeasureFY2025Median
Program services
Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)
80.5%86.1%
Management & general
Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)
9.7%8.0%
Fundraising
Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)
9.8%2.6%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions
Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h
$0.15$0.03
Contributions & grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1h ÷ 12
92.6%96.6%
Government grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1e ÷ 12
0.0%0.0%
Program service revenue share
Part VIII 2g ÷ 12
0.0%0.0%
Highest reported compensation
Part VII-A, columns D–F
$248,788$341,362
Highest compensation as share of expenses
Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)
1.61%1.06%
People paid over $100,000
Part VII, line 2
1210
Net assets, in months of expenses
Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses
22.57.5
Independent voting board members
Part VI 1a–1b
9 of 9100.0%

A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.

What the money paid for, in its own words

FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense
$12M expenses · 100.0% of program spending · grants $7.4M

Sight services & restoration programseva is a global nonprofit eye care organization that transforms lives by restoring sight and preventing blindness. Since 1978, seva has provided sight-saving surgeries, eyeglasses, medicine, and other eye care services to 72million people in underserved communities around the world.globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment, and of these, over 1.1 billion people have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed. Our programs have been instrumental in making eye care available to those who can't afford it.…

Highest reported compensation

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here
RoleFrom this orgFrom related orgsOtherTotal
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Officer, 50.00 hrs/week
$218,670$0$30,118$248,788
CFO
Officer, 40.00 hrs/week
$181,401$0$11,312$192,713
CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$180,739$0$11,428$192,167
CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER
Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week
$177,990$0$10,880$188,870
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$144,472$0$19,405$163,877
GLOBAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$138,765$0$8,495$147,260
DIRECTOR TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$121,644$0$1,466$123,110

12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Seva Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $449K (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked
RevenueExpenses
$0$5.0M$10M$15M$20MFY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025$11M$15M
FilingRevenueExpensesProgramsNet assetsTop pay
FY2025 ⓘ$11M$15M80.5%$29M$248,788
FY2024 ⓘ$10M$13M78.6%$32M$258,517
FY2023 ⓘ$10M$13M77.7%$34M$255,834
FY2022 ⓘ$12M$11M75.2%$35M$240,770
FY2021 ⓘ$7.7M$11M78.3%$38M$227,892
FY2020 ⓘ$7.4M$9.4M74.7%$37M$233,106

Governance answers, as filed

FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means
  • Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b9 · 9 independent
  • Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
  • Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
  • Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
  • Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
  • Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
  • Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
  • Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
  • Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
  • Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
  • Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
  • Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
  • Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
  • Employees Part I, line 527
  • Volunteers Part I, line 610

Largest outside contractors

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only
FUSE FUNDRAISING LLC
Fundraising
$161,608

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

59 private foundations reported grants to Seva Foundation totaling $1.1M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.

Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.

Correct a figure or respond

Every number above is copied from Seva Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Seva Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Similar-sized charities in this cause

All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in California

Questions people ask

How much of Seva Foundation's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Seva Foundation reported that 80.5% of its $15.4 million in expenses went to program services, 9.7% to management and general and 9.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Seva Foundation pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Seva Foundation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $248,788, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Seva Foundation get its money?

Of $11.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 92.6% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Seva Foundation a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 38-2231279 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.

Sources

  • FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202640159349300829 · read the filing · XML
  • FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202413489349300501 · read the filing
  • FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202323209349303357 · read the filing
  • FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202330129349304153 · read the filing
  • FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202133439349301278 · read the filing
  • FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202110229349300921 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 38-2231279: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.