Women's Empowerment International
EIN: 41-2172771
Mission
WE funds the tools women need to work their way out of poverty, care for their families, and strengthen their communities. In partnership with high-impact organizations, WE funds proven poverty-alleviation strategies such as business loans, business startup and expansion assistance, skills training, and education—all as a holistic approach to economic empowerment of women living in poverty. WE is part of a global effort to end extreme poverty and help women become economically empowered and equal partners in society, who have the opportunity and ability to control their lives and futures.
Notes from the nonprofit
As a volunteer-driven organization, WE welcomes women and men who have a passion for women's economic empowerment and social justice to join us as volunteers, supporters, consultants and advocates. Giving Circles, yoga groups, book clubs -- all help in this effort. Please join us on this journey to give women the opportunity to begin to work their way out of poverty.
Ruling year
2005
Executive Director
Ms Sarah Adams
Main address
PO Box 501406
San Diego, CA 92150 USA
EIN
41-2172771
Job training
Development finance
Financial counseling
Entrepreneurship
International development
Population served
Adults
Women and girls
Families
Economically disadvantaged people
Unemployed people
NTEE code
Public, Society Benefit - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (W99)
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 other documentsWhat we aim to solve
Today, 620 million people struggle to survive on $1.90/day or less. Women and children make up the largest percentage of this group. This entrenched, extreme poverty is a worldwide humanitarian challenge that is being aggressively addressed by WE and organizations around the globe, which have set a goal of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030. In San Diego, CA, approximately 250,000 women live in poverty; 80,000 in extreme poverty, many of them single parents and their children, who live on the edge, worried about their next meal. Some of the women are unemployable, due to language and cultural barriers, yet need a secure and predictable income stream in order to become financially stable. Poverty and the myriad problems that accompany it (housing insecurity, food insecurity, lack of employment options, diminished educational and health outcomes) have been exacerbated by the global pandemic in 2020. Women (and particularly women of color) have been disproportionately impacted.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Business Loans & Services for Impoverished San Diego Women
In partnership with the International Rescue Committee, WE funds a free business incubator in City Heights and El Cajon. This professionally-staffed, one-stop center for refugee and other poor women, provides the funding, training, marketing and support to start or expand a business. The Center has helped launch over 320 new businesses, primarily in the City Heights area of San Diego and in the City of El Cajon.
Uganda Grandmothers Become Businesswomen
WE funds business loans, averaging $25, to thousands of impoverished grandmothers caring for their villages' AIDS-orphans. The Grannies start small businesses such as raising pigs and chickens, selling food at the market place, raising and selling produce etc. so they can feed, shelter and educate those youngsters. For most Grannies, this is their only source of income. This is a partnership with the Nyaka Foundation.
Business Alternatives for At-Risk Sex Workers in Tijuana
WE supports a revolutionary approach to helping women sex-workers -- many of them victims of sex-trafficking -- find alternative work that may lessen the violence they experience, and improve their health and economic security. By funding training and business start-up loans, and providing health and social information and screening, the sex workers have a greater ability to protect and support themselves, and their children. WE's partner in this effort is Via International. A University of California/San Diego State University research team is measuring the impact of this approach.
Expanding Healthcare in Haiti
In Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, WE-funded poor businesswomen are setting up and operating rural community health stores. These businesses bring medicine, health screenings, information, and badly needed health products to communities that have little or no access to medical care. These mini-clinics have already saved thousands of lives, and WE is part of the effort to expand these services to more at-risk Haitian communities and families. WE partners with Fonkoze in this effort.
Providing Hope in Honduras
With WE-funded loans, marginalized women throughout violence-torn Honduras are starting small businesses that enable them to feed, shelter and educate their children. Some of the successful businesswomen also use WE-funded loans to pay high school fees for their daughters -- an educational opportunity that is a rarity for poor girls, but a major step in escaping poverty. WE partners with the Adelante Foundation in this effort.
New Possibilities for Homeless Women in San Diego
Amid rising concerns about homelessness and housing insecurity in San Diego, WE's partnership with Dreams for Change supports women participants in Eat Better Today, an innovative on-the-job training program that prepares homeless women for work with practical skills and training to succeed in securing employment.
Empowering Entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico
In partnership with Proyecto Matria in Puerto Rico, WE funds the business start-up costs for aspiring women entrepreneurs whose financial stability is key to the country's on-going hurricane recovery efforts.
Girls Invest in their Futures
A mobile application based financial literacy and savings incentive program, WE partner, Girls Invest, helps at-risk adolescent girls gain financial literacy, build a savings account and plan for ambitious futures.
Where we work
Awards
Global Citizen Award, to WE President Rhea Kuhlman 2017
United National Association
Global Citizen Award, to WE President Rhea Kuhlman 2017
United Nations Association, San Diego
Global Citizen Award, to WE President Rhea Kuhlman 2017
United Nations Association, San Diego
Woman to Woman Award 2017
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
George Washington Honor Medal 2014
Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge
Women Who Mean Business Award 2014
San Diego Business Journal
George Washington Honor Medal 2014
Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge
Honoree for Economic and Social Development 2013
Soroptimist International
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of San Diego businesses started or strengthened by the clients in the WE funded IRC STAR center.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Unemployed people, Multiracial people, Economically disadvantaged people, Immigrants and migrants
Related Program
Business Loans & Services for Impoverished San Diego Women
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
As of December 2021 , Women's Empowerment STAR Center clients have been assisted to navigate the pathways needed to launch a variety of small businesses, including bi-lingual child care services,
Cumulative Dollar Amount Awarded Grants to Alleviate Poverty
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Economically disadvantaged people, Immigrants and migrants
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of Women Entrepreneurs Trained by Fonkoze's Boutik Sante Program in Haiti with funding from WE
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Unemployed people
Related Program
Expanding Healthcare in Haiti
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Boutik Sante is a microfranchise iniative that trains women to be Community Health Entrepreneurs (CHEs) and sources health supplies for them to sell.
Number of Grandmothers in Groups Receiving Loans funded by WE in Uganda's Nyaka program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, At-risk youth
Related Program
Uganda Grandmothers Become Businesswomen
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The Nyaka AIDS Orphan Project uses the WE funding to provide grandmothers with loans–as small as $14–to start small start small businesses which provide income to raise their orphaned grandchildren
Number of initial and recycled loans made to impoverished women
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Estimated numbers of business loans to impoverished women include both initial loans from new WE funding and recycled loans from loan monies that have been paid back by previous borrowers.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn 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's broadest goal is to be an effective partner in the global effort to eliminate extreme poverty in the next twelve years. Possible? We think so. WE and organizations the world over already partnered to successfully halve world poverty.
In the US and in developing countries, WE's goal is to help at-risk women become financially secure, through a variety of economic empowerment approaches, including assistance in starting, strengthening and expanding a business. WE knows that women are an under-valued economic resource and believes that investing in women is the best way to improve the lives and well-being of families and communities.
For greatest impact, WE seeks to broaden the reach and impact of our poverty-alleviation efforts.
The long-term goal of all of this is to ensure that the dire effects of poverty on women and their families do not remain entrenched for today and for future generations. Our vision is to build a world in which women are respected, empowered, uplifted and equal partners in society. They have hope, and the ability to control their lives and futures.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
WE's overriding five-year strategy is to annually fund a half-million dollars in highly effective poverty alleviation projects that assist and empower women at greatest risk.
In addition: to strengthen these capabilities --
1. Ensure the effectiveness, benefit and oversight of partnerships and programs
2. Build a financially stable, sustainable organization that meets partner funding agreements, covers operating costs, and maintains reserve funds
3. Optimize the ability of Board, Executive Director and volunteers to contribute to WE’s successful operation and growth
4. Strengthen internal organizational systems, protocols and communication capacity,
5. Among key audiences, increase awareness of Women’s Empowerment's ability to empower women through high-impact, carefully-researched partnerships and initiatives.
To realize our goal of empowering poor women, WE funds carefully-selected global partners providing hands-on comprehensive training to women in the areas of entrepreneurship, budgeting, business management and growth.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
WE has demonstrated these core competencies:
• Funding focuses on economic approaches that support women in extreme need, in places that are underserved or where other assistance is non-existent. WE prioritizes serving the poorest of poor women.
• WE rigorously selects and oversees its partnerships. Partners must have a proven track record and meet specified reporting standards. Preference is given to partners that also offer health care and educational opportunities, and have a holistic approach to poverty alleviation.
• WE bases its decisions on knowledge and research, and stays abreast of the most effective approaches to poverty alleviation.
• WE provides to its supporters education about poverty alleviation strategies, opportunities to directly support programs operating in areas of great need, and direct engagement with clients.
• WE emphasizes strong, two-way, respectful communication.
• WE strives to maintain financial rigor and oversight, and minimal administrative overhead, in order to maximize the benefit WE can offer to women in poverty.
In short, WE has the know-how, ability to deliver results, credibility, and growing support-base to effectively achieve its mission. WE's mission is backed by donors who provide charitable support, a Board of Directors who offer strategic guidance and hands-on assistance, a network of skilled and engaged volunteers, and a professional Executive Director who executes the day-to-day operations of the organization.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
WE has donated $21 million to poverty-alleviation projects in the US and worldwide, and helped economically empower 20,000 women through 40,000 loans funded and recycled via funds established by WE. This has enabled hardworking poor women in Puerto Rico, Honduras, Ghana, Benin, Uganda, Haiti, and Mexico to start and expand businesses, and to earn much-needed income to support their families.
In addition, in San Diego, CA, WE has helped refugee and other poor women launch and strengthen over 780 local businesses. WE is also backing efforts to train San Diego women experiencing homelessness in the skills needed to overcome the barriers they face.
WE's growing support base is enabling it to regularly add more projects, and expand its US and international impact.
WE is making progress toward its ambitious 5-year goals, itemized above, including its critical role in eliminating global extreme poverty.
Financials
Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2020 info
24.89
Months of cash in 2020 info
7.6
Fringe rate in 2020 info
8%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Women's Empowerment International
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
Women's Empowerment International
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 Women's Empowerment International’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 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $180,156 | -$34,097 | $331 | -$746 | -$10,904 |
| As % of expenses | 120.7% | -12.1% | 0.1% | -0.2% | -3.0% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $180,156 | -$34,097 | $331 | -$746 | -$10,904 |
| As % of expenses | 120.7% | -12.1% | 0.1% | -0.2% | -3.0% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $329,361 | $248,263 | $246,071 | $316,263 | $360,359 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 0.0% | -0.9% | 28.5% | 13.9% |
| 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% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5.2% |
| All other grants and contributions | 100.0% | 100.1% | 100.1% | 99.5% | 94.5% |
| Other revenue | 0.0% | -0.1% | -0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $149,205 | $282,360 | $245,740 | $317,009 | $367,272 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 0.0% | -13.0% | 29.0% | 15.9% |
| Personnel | 0.0% | 30.6% | 31.7% | 28.7% | 30.1% |
| Professional fees | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Occupancy | 1.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 85.2% | 60.9% | 59.7% | 64.9% | 63.5% |
| All other expenses | 13.6% | 7.6% | 8.5% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $149,205 | $282,360 | $245,740 | $317,009 | $367,272 |
| One month of savings | $12,434 | $23,530 | $20,478 | $26,417 | $30,606 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $161,639 | $305,890 | $266,218 | $343,426 | $397,878 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 15.6 | 10.7 | 12.6 | 8.8 | 7.6 |
| Months of cash and investments | 15.6 | 10.8 | 12.6 | 8.8 | 7.6 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 27.0 | 10.9 | 12.5 | 9.7 | 8.0 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $194,350 | $252,687 | $257,730 | $233,200 | $231,368 |
| Investments | $0 | $904 | $101 | $101 | $0 |
| Receivables | $141,363 | $2,000 | -$2,000 | $22,000 | $26,000 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 3.6% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $335,713 | $255,396 | $0 | $254,981 | $244,081 |
| 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 | $3,991 |
| Total net assets | $335,713 | $255,396 | $255,727 | $254,981 | $248,072 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2015 | 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
Executive Director
Ms Sarah Adams
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Women's Empowerment International
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Women's Empowerment International
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Women's Empowerment International
Board of directorsas of 07/01/2022
Board of directors data
Ms Debbie McGraw-Block
Carol Clause, MFT
Community Volunteer
Ruth Covell, M.D.
Community Volunteer
Christy Hendrickson, M.D.
Educational Therapist
Deborah Jean McGraw, M.A.
Community Volunteer
Bridget Burns
Attorney at Tresp, Day & Associates
Teresa Jacques
Partner at Major Executive Search
Linda Kurtz
Executive Career Consultant at UCSD
Susan Hennenfent
Community Volunteer
Kristen Ryan
Career Consultant
Barbara Sawrey
Community Volunteer
Erin Schultz
Political Consultant at NWP
Amina Sheik Mohamed
Director of Refugee Health
Loretta Smith
Community Volunteer
Board leadership practices
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
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
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