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SOLAR ELECTRIC LIGHT FUND

EIN 52-1701564 WASHINGTON, DC

Browse the largest nonprofits in District of Columbia

Revenue 2024
$1,515,941
Expenses 2024
$1,510,876

Program services were 71.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
C300
Classification
1000
Street
2021 L ST NW STE 101 # 344

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 · 2024

Mission

Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) provides solar power and wireless communications to the fifth of the world's population living in energy poverty to meet global challenges of food and water scarcity, basic healthcare and poverty. SELF is working to assign greater priority to the importance of sustainable energy among international development banks, international development and aid agencies, foundations, and philanthropic individuals who are committed to improving the health, education, and economic prospects of the world's poorest citizens.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) provides solar power and wireless communications to the fifth of the world's population living without access to electricity to meet global challenges of food and water scarcity, health care, education, and poverty.

  • Completed installation of 4 solar powered irrigation systems and purchased equipment for a fifth system in Kalale, Benin. Those systems are now producing significant crop yields to address food scarcity and to be sold at market to earn sufficient revenue to maintain the systems long term. Brought water to a Micro-enterprise center in Kalale, Benin to install sanitation in the community and provide water to local business. In cooperation with BarefootLaw, completed the installation of a solar powered "Law Box" to provide much needed legal counsel for at risk communities in rural Uganda. Drilled boreholes in the Mara Maasai of Kenya that will be used to provide clean water to communities in the conservancy. Worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop, monitor and troubleshoot vaccine refrigerators throughout the world. Installed a battery bank at a large school near Port au Prince, Haiti to provide power and security.

    Expenses $1,075,806 · Revenue $1,491,253

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Robert Freling

    Executive Director

    Total calculated
    $237,245
    From this org
    $207,900
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,345
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $207,900
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $6,237
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,108
    Filer's total
    $237,245

  • Steve Swig

    Chairman

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jonathan W Postal

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mary Swig

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $1,515,941
    Expenses
    $1,510,876
    Contributions
    $1,491,253
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $971,372
    Expenses
    $1,073,143
    Contributions
    $921,767
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $1,245,355
    Expenses
    $1,735,202
    Contributions
    $1,048,546
    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
    $3,233,747
    Expenses
    $2,046,303
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,507,297

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,989,003
    Expenses
    $2,377,820
    Assets (EOY)
    $459,114

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 11 November 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 9 November 2026 and read 9 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.