There are 204 US-based Islamic charities in the Zakat+ database, all verified against publicly available IRS Form 990 filings — our guide to vetting any Muslim charity explains exactly what to check and where to find it. The 990 is the closest thing the US has to a financial x-ray for nonprofits: it shows total revenue, programme spend, admin costs, and fundraising expenses in black and white, filed annually and available to anyone. That is where these rankings come from, not from charity self-reporting, not from marketing copy.
The ten charities below were selected for their combination of Halal Score, programme efficiency, transparency, and meaningful scale. They span humanitarian relief, domestic social services, education, housing, and community development, covering the range of causes Muslim donors care about.
1. Helping Hand for Relief and Development
Affiliated with ICNA, Helping Hand operates in over 40 countries with emergency relief, food security, clean water, and orphan support programmes. Its 2024 IRS 990 shows $89.3 million in revenue, with $82.5 million reaching programmes directly: a 92% efficiency rate. Admin costs of $2.1 million represent just 2.4% of expenditure, and fundraising takes a further 5.9%. Disaster response within 72 hours is a documented operational commitment. For a US-based organisation of this scale, 92% to programmes is a strong result.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024 · EIN 38-3337741
2. Muslim Aid America
Muslim Aid America directs 94% of its expenditure to humanitarian programmes, with only 2.1% going to admin and 4.2% to fundraising. Its 2024 IRS 990 reports $27 million in revenue, supported by an asset base of $6.6 million that provides financial stability between campaigns. The organisation works across food, water, health, and emergency response. At this overhead level, a $100 donation delivers approximately $94 to field operations.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
3. Muslim Hands USA
Muslim Hands USA operates in over 40 countries and holds UN consultative status, a marker of international accountability. Its 2024 annual report shows $78.4 million in revenue with 94% reaching programmes. Domestic food and winter relief are particular strengths alongside international humanitarian work. Admin costs of $2.96 million and fundraising costs of $907,000 are both low relative to revenue, giving the organisation a combined overhead of under 5%.
Source: Annual Report 2024
4. Islamic Relief USA
The largest Muslim charity in the US by revenue, Islamic Relief USA raised $147.2 million in 2024 and directed $124.2 million to programmes, an 80% programme rate — see our full Islamic Relief USA deep dive for a breakdown of every dollar. The organisation scores the highest transparency rating in this list at 90/100, reflecting the depth of its public disclosures. The 20% overhead is accounted for almost entirely by fundraising costs ($27.4M), not administration ($3.5M). Its global network spanning 40 countries and $228 million in assets make it the most established US-based Islamic humanitarian operation.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024 · EIN 95-4453134
5. Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)
IMAN is Chicago-based and entirely focused on domestic work: a free health clinic, arts and culture programming, re-entry support for formerly incarcerated individuals, and community organising in under-resourced neighbourhoods. Its 2024 IRS 990 reports zero admin and zero fundraising costs, with all $18.5 million in revenue flowing to programmes. This is a rare result for an organisation at this scale and reflects a specific funding model, primarily grants and institutional support, rather than individual donor fundraising.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
6. Seeds of Change Foundation
Seeds of Change Foundation focuses on Islamic environmental stewardship: community gardens, green spaces, and sustainability education. At $15.9 million revenue with 100% directed to programmes per its 2024 IRS 990, it is one of the most financially efficient organisations in the US Muslim charity sector. For donors whose giving priorities include environmental causes alongside the traditional humanitarian categories, this represents a high-scoring option with verified data.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
7. Muslim Community Center (Chicago)
MCC Chicago earns the joint-highest Halal Score in this list at 8.5/10. Its 2024 IRS 990 shows $10.75 million in revenue with 93% to programmes and a 7% overhead rate. With $19.4 million in assets, the organisation maintains the financial reserves necessary for long-term community infrastructure. It provides a broad range of Islamic programming, education, and social services across the Chicago area.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
8. Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)
ICNA is one of the oldest Islamic organisations in North America, founded in 1968. Its 2024 IRS 990 reports $5.4 million in revenue with 100% directed to programmes. The organisation focuses on Islamic education, national conventions, dawah outreach, and community development. As the parent organisation of Helping Hand for Relief and Development, its network reach extends well beyond the direct revenue figure.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
9. Al Arqam Islamic School
Al Arqam Islamic School earns 8.5/10, tied for the highest Halal Score in this list, with 98% of expenditure going directly to educational programmes. Its 2024 IRS 990 shows a financial surplus of over $850,000 on $4.3 million in revenue, a healthy position for a school-focused organisation. The 2% overhead is exceptionally low for an educational institution with ongoing staffing and facility costs.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
10. Muslim Housing Services
Muslim Housing Services addresses a gap few Islamic charities target: affordable housing and tenancy support for Muslim communities in the Pacific Northwest. Its 2024 IRS 990 shows $2.7 million in revenue with 93% to programmes and $4.17 million in total assets. For donors focused on domestic need and community infrastructure rather than overseas relief, this is one of the strongest-scoring options in the US database.
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
How to verify any US charity yourself
Every organisation on this list files a public IRS Form 990. For a data-based ranking of which Islamic charities score highest on verified transparency, see our analysis of the most trusted Islamic charities. You can look up any of them for free at ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (search by name or EIN) or directly through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. The key numbers to check: total revenue, programme service expenses (line 4b on the 990), and management and general expenses (line 4c). Divide programme expenses by total expenses to get the programme ratio yourself.
One caveat worth noting: a 100% programme ratio on a 990 does not always mean zero operational costs. Some organisations fund admin through restricted grants or separate legal entities that are not consolidated in the 990 you are looking at. The 990 is the best publicly available data source, but it is a snapshot of one legal entity in one year. That is why Halal Score combines financial data with governance, transparency, and Shariah compliance checks rather than using a single ratio as the final word.
All data from IRS Form 990 filings. Scores calculated by Zakat+ using publicly available financial filings, governance data, and Shariah compliance assessments. No charity paid for inclusion.
