PLATINUM2023

Empowers Africa Inc

Empowering People, Protecting Wildlife & Conserving Land

NEW YORK, NY   |  www.empowersafrica.org

Mission

OUR FOCUS IS ON: • funding programs in communities that live in proximity to protected conservation and wildlife areas or World Heritage Sites • funding programs in urban communities where tourism is a strong source of development and • funding programs that support the protection of wildlife and land conservation We support community-led, measurable, and sustainable programs that bolster communities by improving access to education, healthcare, and business opportunities. We also support programs that protect wildlife and land conservation because we believe safeguarding Africa’s natural wealth is critical to the empowerment of the surrounding communities.

Notes from the nonprofit

Africa is one of the only regions in the world in which the youth population is increasing. This growth presents tremendous opportunities. Key to those opportunities is grassroots economic empowerment, arming the continent’s youth with entrepreneurial tools and removing the obstacles to progress. We are committed to supporting local projects that are doing that, not by parachuting in with boilerplate solutions, but by being part of the communities they serve and by empowering youth with skills and education. At the same time as Africa is experiencing a rapid growth of its youth population, its wild areas are under threat from poaching, destructive land management practices and global warming. At current poaching rates, some of Africa’s most iconic residents could be extinct in our lifetime. We believe that conservation can be a key contributor to empowerment and prosperity. Our organization is entirely run by women and our overhead is funded by our all-female board of trustees.

Ruling year info

2013

Executive Director

Krista Krieger

Main address

2 Beekman Place Suite 18B

NEW YORK, NY 10022 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

32-0403737

NTEE code info

International Relief (Q33)

IRS filing requirement

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

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2021, 2021 and 2020.
Register now

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Africa is one of the only regions in the world in which the youth population is increasing. This growth presents tremendous opportunities. Key to those opportunities is grassroots economic empowerment, arming the continent’s youth with entrepreneurial tools and removing the obstacles to progress. We are committed to supporting local projects that are doing that, not by parachuting in with boilerplate solutions, but by being part of the communities they serve and by empowering youth with skills and education. At the same time as Africa is experiencing a rapid growth of its youth population, its wild areas are under threat from poaching, destructive land management practices and global warming. At current poaching rates, some of Africa’s most iconic residents, such as, the elephant and the rhino, could be extinct in our lifetime. We believe that conservation and the protection of Africa's natural assets can be a key contributor to empowerment and prosperity.

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?

Human Empowerment

Empowers Africa provides funding for a variety of human empowerment programs in the following areas: Education; Healthcare; Small Business Development.

Education:
We provide funding for educational scholarships; school infrastructure improvements; feeding programs at schools; and teachers' salaries.

Healthcare:
We provide funding for clean water support; COVID-19 support; and funding for healthcare infrastructure.

Small Business Development:
We provide funding for small business development, including women's cooperative gardens and larger scale community farming projects.

Fiscal Sponsorship Program:
Empower Africa serves as a fiscal sponsor to over thirty organizations working on the ground in Africa. Through our 501(c)(3) status, we are able to efficiently collect and process donations for some of the most effective changemakers on the continent.

Short Doc Films:
Empowers Africa funds and produces educational documentaries about conservation and human empowerment issues.

Population(s) Served
Age groups
Health
Sexual identity
Social and economic status
Work status and occupations

Empowers Africa supports a variety of wildlife protection and land conservation programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Africa's wild areas are under threat from poaching, destructive land management and global warming. Some of Africa’s most iconic species could be extinct in our lifetime. As such, we have made wildlife protection and land conservation a core focus of our work.

We provide funding for the following wildlife protection activites: wildlife translocations; de-horning of rhinos for protection from poachers; collaring of species for tracking purposes; anti-poaching rangers salaries; infra-red cameras for tracking species; two-way radios for anti-poaching rangers, and more.

Population(s) Served
Social and economic status

Empowers Africa produces educational documentaries. To date, we have produced 8 short film documentaries regarding matters related to rhino anti-poaching efforts, lion and elephant collaring, education, small business development and female empowerment. Many have gone on to participate in local and international film festivals and won awards, including the London Independent Film Awards, NorCal Film Fest, the Independent Short Film Awards, the Crown Wood International Film Festival, and the Accolade Global Film Competition. We have also been involved in 2 full length documentaries, Edge of Existence and The Last Horns of Africa. Finally, we host educational film festivals addressing both wildlife and human empowerment issues in Africa.

Population(s) Served
Health
Social and economic status

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

2023 Thomas Edison Film Festival Winner Director’s Choice Award 2023

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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

Total dollars received in contributions

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

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

In '22, we had a decrease in contributions that was due to some large grants completing in '21, however, the volume of donors was steady. In '23 we more than doubled our contributions from 2022.

Number of donations made by board members

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

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of fiscal sponsor applicants sponsored

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

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We continue to provide a valuable service to over 34 NGOs as of 2023. Our program mainly grows from word of mouth which is a testament to the quality of our service.

Number of fiscal sponsorship dollars distributed

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

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Fiscal sponsorship dollars distributed decreased from '21 to '22 due to large grants completing in 2021. However, our '23 numbers are more than double '22 as the program continues to attract NGOs.

Total dollar amount of grants awarded

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

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Grants awarded was down slightly in '22 due to large grants completing in '21. However, we more than doubled grants made in '23 from '22. We also brought on new fiscal sponsor partners.

Number of reintroduced populations

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Wildlife Protection & Land Conservation

Type of Metric

Context - describing the issue we work on

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

We work with local partners to reintroduce cheetah, lions and rhinos to areas where they may have been locally extinct, low in population or are in need of genetic diversity.

Number of animal clinics/shelters improved as a direct result of the nonprofit's efforts

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Wildlife Protection & Land Conservation

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We support elephant, rhino and pangolin rescue and rehabilitation sanctuaries. These sanctuaries work to reintroduce these orphans into a wild or semi-wild environment.

Total number of screenings held

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Films & Film Festivals

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

We host educational film festivals featuring films about pressing human empowerment and wildlife and conservation issues facing the continent.

Number of accolades/recognition received from third-party organizations

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Films & Film Festivals

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Emergence received 2 winner awards and 7 official selection awards in the film festival circuit. Winner Outstanding Excellence, Nature without Borders + Director's Choice, Thomas Edison

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.

At Empowers Africa, our main goal is to support leading organizations throughout Africa that are change-makers in wildlife protection, land conservation, and human empowerment. We provide funding for programs in the following areas:
• Education
• Healthcare
• Small business development
• Wildlife protection
• Land conservation
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Short film documentaries

Empowers Africa supports community-led, measurable, and sustainable programs that bolster communities by improving access to education, healthcare, and business opportunities. We believe safeguarding Africa’s natural wealth is critical to the empowerment of the surrounding communities. Also, Empowers Africa provides a cost-effective fund-raising solution to 34 fiscal sponsor partners in Africa. Through our fiscal sponsorship program, we make it easier and more affordable for some of the most effective organizations on the ground to process donations from U.S. donors. By collecting funds on behalf of these NGOs, we free them up to focus on their important work on the ground.

Africa is one of the only regions in the world in which the youth population is increasing. This growth presents tremendous opportunities. Key to those opportunities is grassroots economic empowerment, arming the continent’s youth with entrepreneurial tools and removing the obstacles to progress. We are committed to supporting local projects that are doing that, not by parachuting in with boilerplate solutions, but by being part of the communities they serve and by empowering youth with skills and education.

At the same time as Africa is experiencing a rapid growth of its youth population, its wild areas are under threat from poaching, destructive land management practices and global warming. At current poaching rates, some of Africa’s most iconic residents, such as, the elephant and the rhino, could be extinct in our lifetime. Extinctions of species would be a tragedy for biodiversity. We believe that conservation can be a key contributor to empowerment and prosperity. Reducing human wildlife conflict and redefining interactions at the places where communities come into contact with Africa’s wildlife is paramount to progress for both local communities and the animals that live along side of them.

The organizations and projects that Empowers Africa supports through annual grants and our Fiscal Sponsor Program strategically tackle issues of education, health, economic empowerment, wildlife protection and land conservation with the understanding that they are all inextricably linked to one another.

In addition, our fiscal sponsorship provides 44 African NGOs a cost-effective solution to fundraising in the United States by acting as their fiscal sponsor. As an established 501(c)(3), we accept donations from U.S. donors and grant funds directly to our partners’ projects. In turn, allowing us to significantly help some of the most effective changemakers on the continent, enabling them to focus on what’s most important—the work happening on the ground.

In addition to being a fiscal sponsor to over 34 organizations and making grants to over 70 organizations, we create educational films and host a series of educational film festivals and cultural events throughout the calendar year to raise funds and awareness for critical issues facing the continent.

Conservation and wildlife protection in Africa are ever changing environments. To be an effective leader in this space, it is vital to stay current and establish relationships with other leaders in the field as collaboration remains a key strategy for success. To this point, Empowers Africa attends three leading wildlife, conservation, and tourism conferences annually and maintains frequent communication with the leaders on the ground. Empowers Africa is grateful to have such a strong network of members, supporters, and donors, and we are proud to be personally connected to the programs we fund. We make multiple trips per annum to visit the programs we support and maintain frequent communication with the leaders on the ground. We come to the table with a leadership team with vast experience in community development, wildlife protection and land conservation.

Empowers Africa has granted over 60 organizations in 15 countries throughout Africa since its inception in 2013. The nonprofit also acts as a fiscal sponsor for over 24 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa. Through our 501(c)3 status, we efficiently collect and grant donations to some of the most effective changemakers on the continent, allowing them to focus on what’s most important—the work done on the ground. Through donations and fundraising, we have been able to raise over $16mm since inception.

In efforts to provide the public with important insight into issues affecting the African continent, such as human-wildlife conflict or species protection, we have created and hosted educational films and film festivals. To date, we have produced seven short film documentaries regarding matters related to rhino anti-poaching efforts, lion and elephant collaring, education, small business development, and female empowerment. We were also involved with the production of 2 full-length documentaries, Edge of Existence and The Last Horns of Africa. Many of these films participated in local and international film festivals and went on to win awards such as the London Independent Film Awards, NorCal Film Fest, the Independent Short Film Awards, the Crown Wood International Film Festival, and the Accolade Global Film Competition.

Additional points of progress:
• Our annual CharityBuzz safari auction raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for African charities.
• Women in conservation. As an organization entirely run by women, Empowers Africa is excited to see the increasing role women are playing in conservation from safari guides to the frontlines of anti-poaching. Our fiscal sponsors include Asilia Africa, who run the continent’s first all-women safari camp, Dunia Camp, in Tanzania’s Serengeti, and the Black Mambas, a majority women anti-poaching team in South Africa’s Balule Nature Reserve. We are extremely proud to have supported these incredible female initiatives.
• Key changemakers that we are associated with through our fiscal sponsorship program, including Fred Swaniker, a Ghanaian entrepreneur, and Founder of the African Leadership Academy and African Leadership University.
• We were involved in the reintroduction of lions in Akagera National Park, Rwanda, where lions had been extinct for over 100 years:
• (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/28/rwanda-lions-reintroduced-south-africa-akagera-national-park +
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150810-lions-return-rwanda-genocide-aftermath)
• We were involved in the reintroduction of lions at Somkhanda Game Reserve, South Africa, a reserve owned by local community members:
• (https://africageographic.com/stories/lion-relocation-success-somkhanda-lions-reveal-cubs/
• https://www.news24.com/news24/travel/pics-phinda-lions-released-in-somkhanda-game-reserve-massive-boost-for-lion-conservation-20170509)
• We were involved in a cheetah translocation in 2021 from

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 demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, 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?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

Empowers Africa Inc
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our 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.

Operations

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

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.

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.

Empowers Africa Inc

Board of directors
as of 11/28/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Krista Krieger


Board co-chair

Kim Charlton

Empowers Africa, Inc.

Term: 2013 - 2023

Krista Krieger

Empowers Africa

Kim Charlton

Empowers Africa

Donna Corbat

Empowers Africa

Beth Rudin DeWoody

Empowers Africa

Krysten Ericson

Empowers Africa

Allison Freeland

Empowers Africa

Lisa Christiansen Gentil

Empowers Africa

Patricia Glass

Empowers Africa

Aisha Haque

Empowers Africa

Jenny Kennedy

Empowers Africa

Suzanne Leydecker

Empowers Africa

Mary MacElree

Empowers Africa

Laura Nicklas

Empowers Africa

Zita de Zagon

Empowers Africa

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 11/21/2023

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
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/26/2021

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

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • 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.