Unite to Light
EIN: 27-2942180
Mission
Unite to Light believes that access to clean and affordable light and energy are critical to improving health, education and prosperity globally. As a not-for-profit, we manufacture and distribute efficient, durable, low cost solar lamps and solar chargers to people without access to electricity. Since 2011 we have delivered 145,000 solar lights to people in 78 countries. We focus on projects that help children learn to read and study at night, to equip midwives with the tools save lives, and to offer relief to those suffering from disasters and homelessness.
Ruling year
2010
President & CEO
Megan Birney
Main address
1117 State Street #19
Santa Barbara, CA 93101 USA
EIN
27-2942180
Energy resources
Reproductive health care
Human services
International development
Population served
Children and youth
Infants and toddlers
Women and girls
Homeless people
Low-income people
NTEE code
Energy Resources Conservation and Development (C35)
Human Services - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (P99)
Reproductive Health Care Facilities and Allied Services (E40)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
Globally, 1 billion people - one in seven people - LIVE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. The darkness brings: ILLITERACY: Children unable to study cannot advance their education. ILLNESS: Kerosene smoke and soot cause more deaths than malaria. POVERTY: Expensive fuels for light consume more than a third of family income.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educating Children
In places without electricity, children often do not have the opportunity to read or study at night. This inhibits their education and future economic opportunities. We aim to give lights to children across the globe.
Lights for Midwives & Health Clinics
Provide lights to midwives and community health workers in communities without electricity. Maternal and infant mortality is a major issue worldwide. Training and equipping midwives with solar lights can improve the chance of survival for all mothers and children.
Disaster Response
Provide lights to people impacted by natural and man made disasters such as drought, hurricanes, war and violence.
Lights for the Homeless
In the United States the homeless population faces safety and security threats that can be aided by the addition of a simple solar powered light.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of products distributed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Victims of disaster, Pregnant people, Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes Luke Lights and Chargers. Leadership change in 2016 led to refocused efforts. In 2017 we saw the benefit of those efforts. In 2018 both we revamped both products.
Number of carbon emissions prevented (estimated by CO2 equivalent)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Calculated using GOGLA impact metrics. Lights have 2 year warranties so each year includes lights from current and one previous year for a total GHG offset per year. Measured in metric tonnes.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We fight inequality one light at a time. Unite to Light believes that access to clean, affordable light and energy is critical to improving health, education and prosperity. We manufacture and distribute solar light and power to people living without electricity across the globe.
Our products are the tools people need to live and thrive. We focus on projects that help students study at night, equip midwives and community health workers with the tools they need to save lives, and offer relief to those suffering from disasters and homelessness.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We have three funding models:
1. We operate as a traditional nonprofit and raise funds to support our programs around education, health and disaster response.
2. We sell our products at a discount to other nonprofits so that they may serve people living without electricity.
3. We sell our products to consumers on a Buy One, Give One basis so that we have more products to donate to our programs.
For each of these models, strong partnerships are crucial. We have a small team and depend on our on-the-ground partners to ensure that we are effective and efficient in our giving. For each of our programs we have one or more trusted implementation partner that is responsible for distribution, impact tracking and feedback.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our core staff is small but dedicated and diligent. They support our distribution partners, over 150 nonprofits, individuals and corporations that ensure our lights are getting to those in need.
In addition, there is a volunteer base of over 50 individuals ranging from students at the local universities, to career professionals that volunteer their time and experience for legal, branding, development, sales, accounting and quality assurance.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
200,000 lights distributed to people in over 80 different countries.
Establishing partnerships with over 150 nonprofits, government organizations and individuals.
30% increase in graduation rates in schools in South Africa and Haiti.
Increased awareness of the problem of lack of electricity.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
We have a broad variety of people we serve. We primarily work through other nonprofit organizations and seek feedback from the organizations and encourage them to solicit feedback from the people they serve.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
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
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
Serving people experiencing homelessness was a small portion of our service prior to 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in the need for solar powered charging devices as buildings like libraries and coffee shops closed, where people had previously charged their phones. We heard from clients that there was an increased need and ramped up our program to serve those living on the streets. In 2019 we distributed 100 Solar Chargers to one organization in the city where we are headquartered. In 2020 we distributed 3000 Solar Chargers to 15 organizations in 10 cities across the US. This expanded program continued to be a main focus in 2021.
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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 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
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve
Financials
Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2020 info
1.57
Months of cash in 2020 info
0.9
Fringe rate in 2020 info
9%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Unite to Light
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
Unite to Light
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
This snapshot of Unite to Light’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
Created in partnership with
Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | -$5,142 | -$24,302 | -$15,666 | $12,126 | $23,063 |
| As % of expenses | -4.3% | -12.1% | -8.5% | 6.2% | 11.9% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$6,405 | -$25,407 | -$15,666 | $12,126 | $23,063 |
| As % of expenses | -5.2% | -12.6% | -8.5% | 6.2% | 11.9% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $115,609 | $176,466 | $168,416 | $208,985 | $216,125 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | -33.4% | 52.6% | -4.6% | 24.1% | 3.4% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 82.1% | 85.1% | 79.6% | 71.8% | 63.7% |
| Other revenue | 17.9% | 14.9% | 20.4% | 28.2% | 36.3% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $120,751 | $200,768 | $184,082 | $196,859 | $193,062 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | -9.7% | 66.3% | -8.3% | 6.9% | -1.9% |
| Personnel | 67.3% | 55.5% | 61.8% | 58.3% | 54.3% |
| Professional fees | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Occupancy | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 15.2% | 32.9% | 21.4% | 26.2% | 33.1% |
| All other expenses | 17.3% | 11.5% | 16.4% | 14.8% | 11.9% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $122,014 | $201,873 | $184,082 | $196,859 | $193,062 |
| One month of savings | $10,063 | $16,731 | $15,340 | $16,405 | $16,089 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $132,077 | $218,604 | $199,422 | $213,264 | $209,151 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 9.5 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 0.9 |
| Months of cash and investments | 9.5 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 0.9 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 13.5 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 6.9 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $95,119 | $43,876 | $18,424 | $54,884 | $14,577 |
| Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Receivables | $2,614 | $68,045 | $37,026 | $494 | $22,534 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $23,489 | $23,489 | $23,489 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 95.3% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 24.0% | 2.4% | 3.8% | 13.5% | 17.6% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total net assets | $136,638 | $111,231 | $95,565 | $107,691 | $110,754 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President & CEO
Megan Birney
Megan Birney has a long history in the solar energy field. Having run the energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for a California nonprofit for six years, and then leading a team for a commercial solar financing start up. Megan brings an entrepreneurial spirit, but also a strong understanding of nonprofits to Unite to Light.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Unite to Light
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Unite to Light
Board of directorsas of 02/15/2023
Board of directors data
John Bowers
Founder
Term: 2010 - 2025
John Bowers
Director Energy Efficiency University of California Santa Barbara
Wade Nomura
Rotary International, local businessman
Claude Dorais
Dorais, Polinsky & Reese, Law Corporation
Gisela Voss
Consultant
Dawn Mitcham
CPA
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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? No
Organizational demographics
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
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/16/2022GuideStar 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
- 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 seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
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