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Global Witness
Global Witness reported $19.9 million in revenue and $16.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $54.84 went to program services, $29.64 to management and general costs and $15.52 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $173,501 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 39% between 2020 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $16MFor 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
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $20MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 54.8% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 29.6% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 15.5% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.5% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 4.8% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $173,501 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.06% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 9.7 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 14 | 100.0% |
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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseGlobal Witness works to hold companies and governments to account for their destruction of the environment, their disregard for the planet and their failure to protect human rights via campaigns to:curb the flow of finance enabling destruction of climate-critical tropical forests.challenge industry efforts to present fossil gas as climate-friendly.end corporate complicity in environmental and human rights abuses. Protect land and environmental defenders standing up to climate-wrecking industries.tackle the spread of division, hate and disinformation on digital platforms.end corporate…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $162,150 | $0 | $11,351 | $173,501 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $132,921 | $0 | $9,304 | $142,225 |
| DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCE Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $130,562 | $0 | $9,139 | $139,701 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $127,948 | $0 | $8,956 | $136,904 |
| DIRECTOR OF CAMPAIGNS Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $125,791 | $0 | $8,805 | $134,596 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $125,260 | $0 | $8,768 | $134,028 |
| HEAD OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $102,169 | $0 | $7,152 | $109,321 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Global Witness (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $316K (Part IX, line 5).
5 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · 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–1b14 · 14 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 59
- Volunteers Part I, line 614
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Global Witness totaling $175K 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 Global Witness's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Global Witness, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Global Witness spent in 2024, $54.84 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Global Witness's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Global Witness reported that 54.8% of its $16.3 million in expenses went to program services, 29.6% to management and general and 15.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Global Witness pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Global Witness reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $173,501, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Global Witness get its money?
Of $19.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 99.5% came from contributions and grants (including 4.8% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Global Witness a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 98-0493088 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))). Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513179349303491 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202443199349305079 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313119349302531 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203189349305920 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133169349304353 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 98-0493088: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.