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FILTER OF HOPE INC

EIN 37-1751688 TUSCALOOSA, AL

Largest nonprofits in Alabama

Revenue 2025
$12,823,069
Expenses 2025
$10,497,197

Program services were 94.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
Classification
1000
Street
1400 JACK WARNER PARKWAY SUITE 34

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

OUR MISSION IS TO BRING CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO FAMILIES WORLDWIDE IN DESPERATE NEED OF BOTH. WE CARRY OUT THIS MISSION THROUGH SHORT-TERM TRIPS IN LATIN AMERICA AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHURCH PLANTERS REACHING UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS. FILTER OF HOPE EXISTS TO CREATE SOCIO-SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION FOR FAMILIES LIVING IN SEVERE POVERTY WORLDWIDE. THIS IS DONE BY PROVIDING CLEAN DRINKING WATER THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLD WATER FILTERS AND SHARING THE "LIVING WATER" OF JESUS CHRIST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL CHURCHES AND MINISTRIES AROUND THE GLOBE. THE FILTER OF HOPE MINISTRY MODEL ALLOWS FAMILIES IN DESPERATE NEED TO EXPERIENCE "HEALTH FOR TODAY AND HOPE FOR TOMORROW"

Activities or mission (Part I)

WE EXIST TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER AND SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO FAMILIES WORLDWIDE IN DESPERATE NEED OF BOTH (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)

  • FILTER OF HOPE RELIES ON FUNDING FROM INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, CHURCHES AND FOUNDATIONS TO FULFILL ITS MISSION. FILTER OF HOPE CARRIES OUT ITS MINISTRY THROUGH TWO PRIMARY STRATEGIES. FIRST, THE MINISTRY MOBILIZES THOUSANDS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AND CHURCH MEMBERS EACH YEAR FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ON SHORT-TERM MISSION TRIPS THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA. WITH 30 ESTABLISHED MINISTRY BASES, FILTER OF HOPE PARTNERS WITH LOCAL CHURCHES TO ENSURE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY, FOLLOW-UP, AND DISCIPLESHIP FOR NEW BELIEVERS. SECOND, FILTER OF HOPE WORKS WITH INDIGENOUS MISSIONARIES AND CHURCH PLANTERS TO BRING CLEAN WATER AND THE GOSPEL TO UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS IN AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND SOUTH ASIA, REACHING REMOTE COMMUNITIES WHERE MOST HAVE NEVER HEARD THE NAME OF JESUS. EVERY WATER FILTER DISTRIBUTION IS ACCOMPANIED BY A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH IS CENTRAL TO THE FILTER OF HOPE'S EVANGELISM, DISCIPLESHIP AND CHURCH PLANTING STRATEGY.

    Expenses $8,164,040

  • STAFF ASSISTS WITH TEAM COORDINATION, TRIP PLANNING, LOGISTICS AND LEADING SHORT TERM MISSION TRIPS. STAFF ALSO WORKS ON ALL GLOBAL MINISTRY INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS OF FILTER OF HOPE.

    Expenses $1,751,196

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Bart Smelley

    FOUNDER/BOAR

    Total calculated
    $283,272
    From this org
    $184,272
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $99,000
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $165,136
    Bonus
    $19,136
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    $24,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $75,000
    Filer's total
    $283,272

  • Robbie Barrineau

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0

  • Todd Cowart

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0

  • Steve Hillis

    BOARD CHAIRM

    Total calculated
    $0

  • Dr Jerry Palmer

    BOARD MEMBR/

    Total calculated
    $0

  • Louise Price

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2025
    Revenue
    $12,823,069
    Expenses
    $10,497,197
    Contributions
    $12,391,338
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2024
    Revenue
    $9,289,635
    Expenses
    $8,222,692
    Contributions
    $9,169,631
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2024
    Revenue
    $9,289,635
    Expenses
    $8,222,692
    Contributions
    $9,169,631
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $7,619,569
    Expenses
    $6,584,133
    Contributions
    $6,332,836
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $7,619,569
    Expenses
    $6,584,133
    Contributions
    $6,332,836
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $5,326,237
    Expenses
    $3,998,805
    Contributions
    $4,226,940
    Grants paid
    $0

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,012,595
    Expenses
    $2,580,061
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,057,217

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,972,860
    Expenses
    $2,580,061
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,057,217

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,950,109
    Expenses
    $2,547,229
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,552,318

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,011,251
    Expenses
    $2,677,710
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,044,910

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,882,556
    Expenses
    $1,681,582
    Assets (EOY)
    $443,351

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,259,363
    Expenses
    $1,146,851
    Assets (EOY)
    $311,929

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $618,715
    Expenses
    $505,614
    Assets (EOY)
    $120,820

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $618,715
    Expenses
    $505,614
    Assets (EOY)
    $120,820

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 1 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2025, the newest we have parsed for this organization.