International Institute of Buffalo Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUFFALO IS TO MAKE WESTERN NEW YORK A BETTER PLACE FOR, AND BECAUSE OF, IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES. WE WELCOME, CONNECT, AND EMPOWER THE FOREIGN BORN, AND ENCOURAGE THE REGION'S SUPPORT FOR DIFFERENT CULTURES.
- Income
- $6.9 million
- Spending
- $7.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 5.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 45%
- Employees
- 101
- Volunteers
- 1,432
- Highest pay
- $147,486, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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 October 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 (4)
- $3.1 million spent. REFUGEE INTEGRATION - IIB'S RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM ASSISTED 509 ARRIVALS TO BUFFALO IN FY24, ABOVE OUR EXPECTED TOTAL OF 468. ALL ARRIVALS IN THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM ARE PROVIDED CORE RESETTLEMENT SERVICES AFTER ARRIVAL. TRAINED INTERPRETERS ARE USED FOR ALL MEETINGS AND TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS ARE PROVIDED IN THE CLIENT'S OWN LANGUAGE. VITAL SERVICES INCLUDED RENTAL AND FOOD ASSISTANCE, CONNECTIONS TO AND ENROLLMENTS IN ALLOWABLE SOCIAL SERVICES, AND HEALTH SCREENINGS. ALL ADULT CLIENTS ARE CONNECTED TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAMS, WHILE ALL MINOR ARRIVALS ARE ENROLLED IN LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ALL ARRIVALS ALSO RECEIVE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ORIENTATION, LEARNING ABOUT LAWS AND CULTURE, HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. THE LARGEST GROUP OF RESETTLED INDIVIDUALS WAS FROM AFGHANISTAN, WITH 188 ARRIVALS, OR 37% OF THE TOTAL. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY MYANMAR (BURMA) WITH 103 (20%), THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO WITH 69 (14%), SYRIA WITH 37 (7%), AND COLOMBIA WITH 28 (6%). OTHER ARRIVALS CAME FROM VENEZUELA, IRAQ, SUDAN, SOMALIA, NICARAGUA, ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, ALGERIA, SRI LANKA, AND PAKISTAN. IIB'S EMPLOYMENT TEAM ASSISTED ALMOST 300 PEOPLE WITH EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE IN FY24. IIB'S MATCH GRANT TEAM WORKED WITH 117 CLIENTS IN FY24, HELPING OVER 60 INDIVIDUALS FIND JOBS IN BUFFALO AND WESTERN NEW YORK. ALMOST 90% OF ENROLLED ADULTS WERE SELF-SUFFICIENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF ARRIVAL AND ABLE TO PAY ALL BILLS WITHOUT EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE. IIB'S RSSP/BRIA EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM HELPED 54 INDIVIDUALS FIND JOBS IN FY24, OF WHICH 50 ACHIEVED SELF-SUFFICIENCY WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF STARTING WORK. IIB ALSO CREATED AND MANAGED TWO PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON PATHWAYS TO PROFESSIONAL CAREERS - ONE FUNDED BY NEW YORK STATE'S OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS, AND ONE BY THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT. COMBINED, THESE PROGRAMS HELPED OVER 200 PEOPLE IN FY24 BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY TO PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. OF THESE, OVER 50 PEOPLE WERE PLACED IN JOBS, WITH OVER 30 OF THEM PLACED IN PROFESSIONAL JOBS SIMILAR TO THOSE THEY LEFT BEHIND. ENROLLED CLIENTS INCLUDED ARCHITECTS, NURSES, DENTISTS, ACCOUNTANTS, SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS, AND THOSE IN SKILLED TRADES. IIB ALSO HOSTED JOB FAIRS WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS, CREATED AND MANAGED A JOB CLUB FOR JOB SEEKERS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE, INCLUDING WORKING ON RESUMES, JOB INTERVIEWS, AND OPENING BANK ACCOUNTS, AND A CAREER CLUB FOR MORE ADVANCED CANDIDATES. ROUGHLY 20 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN CAREER CLUB WERE ALSO MATCHED WITH PROFESSIONAL MENTORS IN THEIR CHOSEN CAREER FIELD. THE PREFERRED COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WORKED WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MEDICAL CONCERNS OR OTHER NEEDS THAT COULD PLACE THEM AT RISK IN BUFFALO. THIS INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS, SHORT TERM MEDICAL NEEDS, AND SINGLE MOTHERS. IIB'S LEGAL PROGRAM ASSISTED OVER 50 CLIENTS IN FY24 IN SECURING EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS, APPLYING FOR GREEN CARDS, AND SECURING CITIZENSHIP.
- $1.6 million spent. INTERPRETING/TRANSLATION SERVICES - PROVIDING TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING SERVICES IN MORE THAN 100 LANGUAGES WITH MORE THAN 200 TRAINED AND CERTIFIED TRANSLATORS AND QUALIFIED INTERPRETERS. SERVICES BEING PROVIDED TO LEGAL AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, CORPORATIONS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND MORE.
- $233,606 spent. EDUCATION & VISITORS - PROVIDING EDUCATION TO STUDENTS, CHILDREN, AND ADULT PROFESSIONALS ON GLOBAL CULTURES. SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND CHILDREN INCLUDE ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST, WHICH IS AN INTERNATIONAL TRIVIA COMPETITION, MODEL UNITED NATIONS SIMULATIONS, GLOBALKIDS, WHICHINCLUDES EDUCATING CHILDREN AND STUDENTS ON CULTURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (PEOPLE, LANGUAGE, FOOD, MUSIC, ANIMALS, ARTS & CRATFS, WORLD FASHION, HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD, ETC.) AND WHAT DISTINGUISHES A REFUGEE FROM AN IMMIGRANT. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES PROGRAM AIMS TO FOSTER PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDERS. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL VISITORS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (IVLP) AND OPEN WORLD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. IVLP IS A PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM WHEREBY U.S. EMBASSIES AROUND THE WORLD NOMINATE EMERGING LEADERS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES AS DELEGATES TO COME TO THE U.S. AND MEET WITH THEIR PROFESSIONAL COUNTERPARTS TO DISCUSS BEST PRACTICES IN THEIR FIELD OF WORK. DELEGATES ARE ALSO INTRODUCED TO THE TRADITIONAL CULTURE OF THE U.S. HOST CITY TO RECEIVE A WELL-ROUNDED EXPERIENCE IN THE U.S. THE OPEN WORLD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS MUCH LIKE IVLP, BUT ALLOWS FOR DELEGATES TO STAY IN AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS FOR THEIR NINE DAY STAY IN BUFFALO IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THEIR EXPERIENCE.
- $640,577 spent. SURVIVOR SUPPORT - ASSISTING APPROXIMATELY 300 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING FROM 30 DIFFERENT COUNTIES, INCLUDING THE U.S., ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, SHELTER AND HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHING, INTERPRETING,COURT ADVOCACY, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT, ENGLISH CLASSES, REFERRALS OR CONNECTIONS WITH AGENCIES WHO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES AND EDUCATION ADVOCACY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 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 October 13, 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 October 2025.
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 August 1954.
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 October 21, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Institute of International Education Inc (New York, NY), EIN 13-1624046. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.