Armenian General Benevolent Union
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ENSURING THE PROSPERITY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL ARMENIANS.
- Income
- $34.6 million
- Spending
- $29.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -14.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 102
- Volunteers
- 1,520
- Highest pay
- $304,751, chief financial officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $10.2 million spent. EDUCATIONAL - A LIFETIME OF GROWTH AND DISCOVERY - AGBU TAKES A 360 APPROACH TO EDUCATION, INCLUDING TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE LEARNING PLATFORMS AND PROGRAMS. WE PARTNER WITH REPUTABLE WORLD CLASS LEARNING INSTITUTIONS TO ELEVATE AND EXPAND THE REACH OF ARMENIAN STUDIES. IN ADDITION, WE STRIVE TO EXPOSE THE WORLD TO THE UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES OF THE ARMENIAN NATION AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CIVILIZED WORLD SINCE ANCIENT TIMES. BY EMBRACING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, AGBU IS A GATEWAY TO RICH EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR LEARNERS AT EACH STAGE OF LIFE.
- $10.4 million spent. CULTURAL-ENRICHING THE MULTIFACETED ARMENIAN EXPERIENCE ARMENIAN CULTURE THRIVES ACROSS THE WORLD AS A KEY MARKER OF OUR UNIQUE NATIONAL IDENTITY. MUSIC AND THE ARTS, LITERATURE AND ARCHITECTURE, AS WELL AS ANCIENT, FOLK AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS HELP DRIVE THE AGBU MISSION TO UPLIFT ARMENIAN LIVES THROUGH CREATIVE EXPRESSION. OVER THE DECADES, AGBU HAS LAUNCHED AN ARRAY OF CULTURAL INITIATIVES THAT CONNECT ARMENIANS IN EVERY GENERATION ACROSS THE WORLD. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE RISING TALENTS TO EXPLORE THEIR POTENTIALS, AND WE PARTNER WITH WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTIONS TO SHARE OUR GIFTS WITH GLOBAL AUDIENCES.
- $2.3 million spent. SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE HOMELAND IN THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA, THE STAKES FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROGRESS ARE FOREMOST TO ENSURE A LIVING MANIFESTATION OF OUR COLLECTIVE IDENTITY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF A LAND THAT IS AT ONCE A SOVEREIGN NATION STATE AND AN ANCESTRAL HOMELAND. AGBU WORKS TO STRENGTHEN THE COUNTRY BY PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURES AND RESOURCES TO CARVE A PATH TO UPWARD MOBILITY. THESE NATION-BUILDING STRATEGIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO FUELING THE ECONOMIC GROWTH CRITICAL TO LONG-TERM NATIONAL VIABILITY. WITH OUR SAFETY NETS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, OUR STEPPING STONES FOR JOB SEEKERS AND AMBITIOUS ENTREPRENEURS, AND OUR BRIDGES THAT CONNECT KEY INDUSTRIES TO WORLD MARKETS, AGBU'S COMMITMENT TO HELPING ARMENIA IS REFLECTED IN WELL-DESIGNED STRATEGIC PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS AIMED AT STEADY ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1959.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.