PLATINUM2023

H2O For Life

Engage. Educate. Inspire.

White Bear Lake, MN   |  www.h2oforlifeschools.org/

Mission

H2O for Life offers a service-learning opportunity designed to engage, educate and inspire youth to take action to solve the global water crisis by raising awareness and funds to support implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene education projects for global partner schools.

Ruling year info

2007

Executive Director

Doug Niemela

Main address

4756 Banning Ave, Suite 207

White Bear Lake, MN 55110 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

26-0338552

NTEE code info

Youth Community Service Clubs (O51)

Water Resource, Wetlands Conservation and Management (C32)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

H2O for Life teaches young people in the United States about the global water crisis through a service-learning program designed to engage, educate, and inspire the next generation of global citizens. Through our programming, students are encouraged to put their new knowledge into action by partnering with schools in developing nations and raising awareness and funds for water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects for those partner schools. H2O for Life partners U.S. schools with partner schools that are in need of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education to enable children to attend school and improve their health. These projects help to foster critical life skills such as setting goals, teamwork, and compassion—qualities that are essential for student success in school and future careers. School leaders attest that H2O for Life provides a transformative experience for their entire school community.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

H2O for Life Service Learning Program

H2O for Life provides a service-learning platform for K-12 schools. We provide curriculum focused on the global water crisis, active fundraising ideas and a crowd funding platform for schools and individual students. Our goal is to educate the next generation of global citizens who realize that their actions have impact.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

H2O for Life works with NGO partners who provide and implement WASH projects in schools and communities. Our NGO partners provide half of the funds needed for a WASH project and H2O for Life schools provide the other half of the funds. Our NGO partners work closely with their local school communities. The local communities must provide locally sourced materials, labor, and monetary contribution to lead to project sustainability.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Where we work

Awards

Patricia Hall and H2O for Life 2009

Making it Matter- Reader's Digest

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of participants engaged in programs

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Number of students who participated in H2O for Life programs

Number of communities provided clean water

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Number of WASH projects funded

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Educating and preparing youth to be the next generation of global citizens is at the heart of H2O for Life’s mission. We work with schools to provide meaningful project-based learning experiences that educate K-12 students about the global water crisis and local water issues and how they can use their voices to create positive change.
Through our innovative school-to-school approach, young people develop greater self-awareness and concern for others by taking on this global issue and scaling it down to manageable size: one water project in the developing world.

H2O for Life's innovative school-to-school approach, allows young people to develop greater self-awareness and concern for others by taking on this global issue and scaling it down to a manageable size: one water project in the developing world. Students also realize they can make a tangible impact for their peers at their partner school while becoming energized global citizens and activists for change.


Since 2007, over 800,000 students from H2O for Life schools have supported water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects for partner schools in the developing world. These students have raised approximately $8 million for WASH projects.

To date, we have supported over 500,000 students by providing water, sanitation, and hygiene education to 1131 schools globally.


How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback

Financials

H2O For Life
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

H2O For Life

Board of directors
as of 01/30/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Kate Booth

Patty Hall

Co-Founder

Kate Booth

Teresa Williams

Nicole Kettwick

Sally Gilchrist

Fred Anderson, Jr

Aaron Bloomer

Simon Sikulu

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/30/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/30/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Policies and processes
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.