Zakat Foundation of America

What Zakat Foundation of America does

Zakat Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Worth, Illinois. The organization provides Islamic giving tools — most notably a Zakat Calculator that helps Muslims compute their obligatory charitable donations based on comprehensive net assets — and delivers humanitarian aid across multiple program verticals including water well construction, education, food security, emergency relief, orphan care, health and wellbeing, refugee empowerment, livelihoods, seasonal Islamic giving (Ramadan/Hajj), and Aqiqah services. Operations span approximately 45 countries across five continents plus all 50 U.S. states, delivered through a network of trusted local partners and field representatives.

The organization's product surface is structured around donor-funded charitable programs rather than a traditional technology platform. Core program offerings include the Orphan Sponsorship Program ($50/month or $600/year with auto-renewal), Water Wells/Sadaqah Jariyah ($3,000 per well with 30-year lifespan), Food Security Programs ($35 nutritious food package feeding a family of five for 10 days), and Emergency Relief appeals tied to active crises in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, and Venezuela. Distribution occurs through the zakat.org donation portal, field operations with local partners in each country, rapid emergency response teams, and community engagement events. The organization maintains an A+ rating from CharityWatch, 4-star Charity Navigator rating, GuideStar Platinum seal, and BBB accreditation, with 93% of each donated dollar directed to programs (3% administrative, 4% fundraising per 2025 data).

The business model is donation-driven: primary revenue comes from individual Muslim donors fulfilling Zakat obligations plus general philanthropists, with secondary recurring streams from orphan sponsorships and seasonal Ramadan/Hajj giving. Distribution channels include website/direct digital, email newsletters and SMS alerts, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube), field operations, events, and volunteer programs. Reported cumulative impact includes 3,851 water projects serving 1,924,935 beneficiaries across 23 countries, 548,582 lives impacted through education across 25 countries, 3,068,619 food security beneficiaries, 3,795,754 emergency relief beneficiaries across 33 countries, and 5,285 orphans sponsored in 2024. The organization has a sub-brand, Zakat Foundation Institute, offering educational experiences for the social good sector. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, indicating a lean U.S.-based team relying heavily on international field partners for program delivery.

Name

Zakat Foundation of America

Legal name

Zakat Foundation

Website

https://zakat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zakat Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that provides Islamic giving tools including a Zakat calculator and delivers humanitarian programs — water wells, orphan sponsorship, food security, education, and emergency relief — across 45+ countries and all 50 U.S. states through local field partners and donor contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Worth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The primary revenue stream consists of donations from individuals fulfilling Islamic Zakat obligations, general charitable giving, and disaster-specific emergency appeals. Donors contribute one-time or recurring gifts through the organization's website, with various programmatic options including orphan sponsorship, water wells, food security, and emergency relief funds.
2. Orphan Sponsorship Program: Monthly or annual recurring sponsorship payments of $50/month or $600/year that provide comprehensive support (food, education, hygiene, urgent aid) to sponsored orphans. Sponsorships auto-renew unless canceled.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Zakat Foundation of America provides Islamic giving tools and delivers humanitarian, education, and community development programs worldwide. Core offerings include an online Zakat Calculator, Orphan Sponsorship, Water Wells (Sadaqah Jariyah), Education, Food Security, Emergency Relief, Health & Wellbeing, Refugee Empowerment, Livelihoods, Seasonal Islamic Giving, and Aqiqah services. Programs operate across 45+ countries and all 50 U.S. states, funded primarily through donations and recurring sponsorships.

Product overview

Zakat Foundation of America is a humanitarian relief organization operating as a single unified platform offering multiple charitable programs. The core offerings include the Zakat Calculator (an online tool for calculating Islamic charitable donations based on comprehensive net assets), Orphan Sponsorship Program, Water Wells Program, Education Program, Food Security Program, Emergency Relief Program, Health & Wellbeing Program, Refugee Empowerment Program, Livelihoods Program, Seasonal Islamic Giving, Sadaqah Jariyah, and Aqiqah services. Programs span 45+ countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and the Americas, delivering aid through trusted local partners. The organization has an A+ rating from CharityWatch and maintains top ratings from Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and BBB.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zakat Foundation Institute: An educational initiative offering solution-oriented educational experiences that accelerate success in the social good sectors.

Products and services

• Orphan Sponsorship Program A direct sponsorship program that enables individuals to sponsor orphaned children at $50/month or $600/year. Sponsorship provides food, education, hygiene, and urgent aid. Sponsors can choose by country and gender. Funds are auto-renewed monthly or annually.
• Water Wells Program (Sadaqah Jariyah) A clean water access program that constructs water wells in communities lacking safe drinking water. Each well costs $3,000, has a 30-year lifespan, and takes 8-12 weeks for location confirmation and 6-8 months for completion. The program has built 3,851 water projects across 23 countries serving 1,924,935 beneficiaries.
• Emergency Relief Program Provides life-saving emergency relief to disaster and conflict victims across 33+ countries, including food packages, medicine kits, hygiene packages, and temporary shelter. Active responses include Venezuela earthquake relief, Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Total beneficiaries: 3,795,754 with 296,407 relief packages distributed.
• Education Program Provides access to inclusive and equitable quality education for vulnerable children across 25 countries, covering tuition costs, school supplies distribution, and home-based support for orphans. The program has impacted 548,582 lives including 2,600 orphans sponsored in schools.
• Food Security Program Delivers hot meals, essential food packages, and year-round nutritional support across 30 countries, including emergency food relief, Ramadan initiatives, and Udhiyah-Qurbani meat distribution. Pricing: Rice for Sustenance at $50 for 50 kilos; Nutritious Food Package at $35 (feeds family of 5 for 10 days). The program has reached 3,068,619 beneficiaries with 299,373 packages and 25,802,077 meals.
• Health & Wellbeing Program Leads critical projects to heal bodies, minds, and souls through medical relief, health clinics, and psychosocial support services for vulnerable populations worldwide.
• Refugee Empowerment Program Alleviates the needs of vulnerable refugee families and children through education, vocational training, food, medicine, and essential supplies. Supports displaced populations including Syrian refugees and others in camps and temporary settlements.
• Livelihoods Program Lifts people out of poverty and ensures self-reliance through vocational training, livestock projects (Gift of Livestock at $300 per pair of sheep or goat), and income-generating initiatives.
• Seasonal Islamic Giving Program Provides additional giving opportunities during Ramadan and Hajj, including Ramadan food packages, Iftar meals, and Udhiyah/Qurbani sacrificial meat distribution for donors seeking to fulfill these seasonal religious obligations.
• Aqiqah Service Provides the Islamic Aqiqah sacrifice offering to welcome newborns into the faith at $300 per goat or sheep, performed on behalf of the family.
• Zakat Calculator An online tool that helps Muslims determine how much Zakat (obligatory Islamic charitable donation of 2.5% of qualifying wealth) they need to pay based on their comprehensive net assets, including cash, gold, stocks, retirement accounts, and business holdings.
• Zakat Foundation Institute An educational initiative offering solution-oriented educational experiences that accelerate the success of the social good sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of donations go directly to programs serving those in need
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Feed the ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZakat Foundation of America and Feed the Children united to fight food insecurity in Chicago, delivering food aid and hope to families in need across the city. This partnership combines resources and expertise from both organizations to address domestic food security challenges.
• Local Partners (per country)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization works with trusted local partners in each country where it operates to reach the most vulnerable populations. These partners assist with field operations, beneficiary identification, and program delivery.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ICNA Relief USA: Direct peer as a faith-based U.S. nonprofit providing humanitarian assistance including food pantries, disaster relief, and refugee support, serving a comparable donor base with similar Islamic charitable giving programs.
• Islamic Relief USA: Direct peer as a U.S.-based Islamic humanitarian nonprofit operating globally across emergency relief, food security, orphan sponsorship, and water programs with comparable Zakat-compliant donation infrastructure and donor base overlap.
• Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD): Direct peer as a U.S.-headquartered Islamic nonprofit delivering humanitarian aid, orphan sponsorship, and emergency relief with overlapping program portfolio in water, food, and disaster response across Muslim-majority regions.
• Muslim Aid USA: Direct peer delivering Islamic-compliant humanitarian programs including emergency relief, orphan care, and seasonal giving (Zakat, Sadaqah, Qurbani) targeting the same U.S. Muslim donor segment.
• Human Appeal USA: Direct peer as an Islamic humanitarian charity with U.S. presence delivering emergency relief, orphan sponsorship, food security, and water programs with similar Zakat-focused donation infrastructure.
• Penny Appeal USA: Direct peer operating as an Islamic charitable organization delivering emergency relief, orphan sponsorship, water wells, and seasonal Ramadan/Qurbani programs targeting similar Muslim donor demographics in the U.S.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Broad incumbent humanitarian organization serving refugees and displaced populations in conflict zones overlapping with Zakat Foundation's refugee empowerment and emergency relief programs in Syria, Sudan, and Afghanistan.
• Direct Relief: Broad incumbent humanitarian aid organization delivering medical and emergency relief globally; operates in similar geographies with overlapping emergency response capabilities but focuses on healthcare rather than multi-sector aid.
• UNICEF USA: Broad incumbent global humanitarian organization delivering children's programs including education, nutrition, and emergency relief across the same 45+ countries where Zakat Foundation operates.
• Mercy Corps: Broad incumbent humanitarian organization operating globally in emergency response, food security, and water/sanitation with comparable program categories but non-sectarian positioning and substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xzakat.org/twen
• YouTubezakat.org/yt
• Facebookzakat.org/fben
• Instagramzakat.org/ig
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zakat-foundation-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zakat Foundation of America