Filter Of Hope 
The information on this page was last updated 12/3/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Bringing clean water and Christ's love to those in desperate need of both.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Filter Of Hope
1400 Jack Warner Pkwy NE
Tuscaloosa, AL 35404
Website: filterofhope.org
Phone: (205)310-4950
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 371751688
CEO/President: Bart Smelley
Chairman: Steve Hillis
Board size: 8
Founder: Bart Smelley
Ruling year: 2014
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2017
Purpose
Our goal is to see the end of the global water crisis. Beyond even that, we desire to see the fulfillment of Jesus' Great Commission.
Mission statement
Motivated by the compassion of Christ, Filter of Hope brings clean water to people who are thirsty.
Statement of faith
At Filter of Hope, we believe...
in the Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy; and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
in one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
in our Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, His virgin birth, His sinless human life, His divine miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory.
in salvation of lost and sinful man through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith apart from works, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
in the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling and ministry in the Christian enables believers to live a godly life and to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ.
in the unity of the Spirit of all true believers, the church, and the body of Christ.
in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life in heaven, the lost unto eternal separation from God.
Articles
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Community Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 118 of 1396 | 25 of 142 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 189 of 1396 | 25 of 142 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 134 of 1396 | 24 of 142 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 516 of 1397 | 55 of 142 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 6% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 4% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 91% | 99% | 83% | 79% | 56% | 64% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 9% | 1% | 17% | 21% | 44% | 36% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 95% | 95% | 89% | 90% | 84% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 89% | 86% | 75% | 87% | 86% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 80% | 84% | 82% | 67% | 78% | 73% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 11% | 14% | 25% | 13% | 14% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 4% | 22% | 27% | 42% | 22% | 29% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 4% | 5% | 9% | 8% | 13% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.01 | 1.34 | 1.37 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.64 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.88 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.15 | 1.34 | 1.37 | 1.25 | 1.26 | 1.65 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 10.99 | 4.84 | 4.80 | 42.96 | 8.16 | 45.38 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.08 | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.02 | 0.12 | 0.02 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.73 | 7.12 | 6.95 | 9.40 | 8.38 | 7.12 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 11% | 21% | 21% | 2% | 12% | 9% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 7% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 76% | 59% | 58% | 78% | 70% | 55% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $5,813,442 | $4,705,299 | $2,569,608 | $1,815,322 | $1,340,408 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $333,095 | $108,766 | $636,082 | $237,781 | $205,210 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $6,146,537 | $4,814,065 | $3,205,690 | $2,053,103 | $1,545,618 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $2,334 | $1,368 | $2,116 | $4,114 | $6,700 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,334 | $1,368 | $2,116 | $4,114 | $6,700 |
| Total assets | $6,148,871 | $4,815,433 | $3,207,806 | $2,057,217 | $1,552,318 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $162,520 | $117,497 | $74,622 | $251,456 | $34,056 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,107,359 | $885,887 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,269,879 | $1,003,384 | $74,622 | $251,456 | $34,056 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $105,300 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $105,300 |
| Total liabilities | $1,269,879 | $1,003,384 | $74,622 | $251,456 | $139,356 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $4,123,228 | $2,888,022 | $1,213,413 | $1,359,666 | $1,412,962 |
| With donor restrictions | $755,764 | $924,027 | $1,919,771 | $446,095 | $0 |
| Net assets | $4,878,992 | $3,812,049 | $3,133,184 | $1,805,761 | $1,412,962 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $9,169,631 | $6,332,836 | $4,226,940 | $1,652,063 | $1,875,123 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $1,286,733 | $1,099,297 | $1,320,797 | $1,074,986 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $120,004 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $120,004 | $1,286,733 | $1,099,297 | $1,320,797 | $1,074,986 |
| Total revenue | $9,289,635 | $7,619,569 | $5,326,237 | $2,972,860 | $2,950,109 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $7,784,427 | $6,223,781 | $3,568,688 | $2,312,046 | $2,143,534 |
| Management and general | $348,446 | $317,259 | $360,960 | $212,070 | $338,881 |
| Fundraising | $89,819 | $43,093 | $69,157 | $55,945 | $64,814 |
| Total expenses | $8,222,692 | $6,584,133 | $3,998,805 | $2,580,061 | $2,547,229 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $1,066,943 | $1,035,436 | $1,327,432 | $392,799 | $402,880 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $1,066,943 | $1,035,436 | $1,327,432 | $392,799 | $402,880 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Bart Smelley | Founder/Boar | $239,000 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2024
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 12/3/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Program accomplishments
In 2012, we distributed the first Filter of Hope water filters in the Dominican Republic. Since then, we've expanded to 11 additional countries in the Caribbean and Central America, and our partner organizations have taken our water filters to more than 70 countries worldwide.