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Potsdam Foundation

EIN 27-0450414 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceWeak38 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE POTSDAM FOUNDATION IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP HAS PROVIDED THE BASIS FOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY SINCE THE END OF WW II, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE 0)AND THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP CONTINUES TO BE THE CORNERSTONE OF US RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN, GERMANY AND EUROPE FOR MEETING THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD. ITS PURPOSE IS, THEREFORE, TO ADVANCE THE GOAL OF IMPROVED TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON BRITISH-AMERICAN AND GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS, AND PARTICULARLY RELATIONS WITH THE FORMER COMMUNIST STATES OF EAST GERMANY, THROUGH A SERIES OF PUBLIC DIALOGUE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ADVANCE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND COMMON INTERESTS.

Income
$6,545
Spending
$70,516
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
5.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0

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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 977% of income.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    0 of 25

    0 of 2 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (2)
  1. $46,665 spent. PUBLIC DIALOGUE & EDUCATION -- IMPROVING TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSSPECIFIC SUB-PROGRAM EVENTS OF PUBLIC DIALOG ARE:1)MONTHLY ONLINE ZOOM ROUNDTABLES HOSTED BY DR THERESA SANDWITH.ZOOM PROGRAM PROJECT MANAGEMENT, IT AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT COST 2500 PM, WITH EXCHANGE RATES VARYING ACROSS THE YEAR THESE PROGRAMS TYPICALLY COST $10,500 PER QUARTER.TOPICS INCLUDE:25 JANUARY - THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR 2024: WILL 2024 BE EUROPES YEAR OF ANXIETY?28 FEBRUARY - A SUMMARY & ANALYSIS OF THE 60TH MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE (MSC)21 MARCH - THE TAURUS DILEMMA: SHOULD GERMANY GIVE UKRAINE THE "BUNKER BUSTER"?25 APRIL - NATO AT 75: THE ALLIANCE'S FUTURE LIES IN UKRAINE'S VICTORY AGAINST RUSSIA23 MAY - UKRAINE'S STALEMATE IN NATO'S STALEMATE: HOW TO END THE PARALYSIS27 JUNE - IT'S TIME FOR DECISIVE ACTION: A LOOK AHEAD TO JULY'S NATO SUMMIT25 JULY - KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2024 NATO SUMMIT29 AUGUST - VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS'S REAL-WORLD SCHOOL OF FOREIGN POLICY: WHAT THIS MEANS FOR NATO AND THE UKRAINE26 SEPTEMBER - FROM CONVENTION SEASON TO THE FINAL CAMPAIGN STRETCH: A LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO MONTHS AHEAD28 OCTOBER - ECONOMISTS WARN GERMANY WILL SUFFER WITH A TRUMP RE-ELECTION: CAN ITS ECONOMIC CRISIS BE AVERTED?21 NOVEMBER - WILL THE TRUMP RESTORATION BE AN UN-MITIGATED DISASTER FOR GERMANY? HOW TARIFFS AND UKRAINE'S SURRENDER COULD SPELL DOOM19 DECEMBER - AUF WIDERSEHEN, GOODBYE... FOR THE TIME BEING
  2. $16,849 spent. THE 60TH ANNUAL MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE (MSC-2024), 16-18 FEBRUARY 2024, MUNICH, GERMANYPOTSDAM FOUNDATION COST SHARING WITH BEBRAND & MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE FOUNDATION MSC PROGRAM COSTS: $16,849 (THRU THE YEAR).INCLUDING THE VON KLEIST MEMORIAL DINNER (AT ZUM FRANZISKANER ON 16 FEB) FOR 20 PEOPLE AT 100/HEAD, THE COST OF WHICH WAS MET BY MUNCHNER ZEITUNGSVERLAG AS PART OF THE ONGOING CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 2009.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

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.