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Cleveland Council on World Affairs

EIN 34-0720549 · Cleveland, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO INSPIRE ENGAGEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND WORLD CULTURES THROUGH EDUCATION, PUBLIC DIALOGUE, AND CITIZEN DIPLOMACY.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
11
Volunteers
36
Highest pay
$157,499, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    36 of 36 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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)
  1. $198,885 spent. SPEAKER PROGRAMS TO BUILD BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WORLD AFFAIRS, GLOBAL ISSUES AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICYIN FISCAL 2025, THE COUNCIL ENGAGED WITH 1,260 ATTENDEES AND 187 STUDENT PARTICIPANTS THROUGH SIXTEEN SPEAKER FORUMS THAT IT ORGANIZED ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, GLOBAL ISSUES AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY. SPEAKERS INCLUDED LEADING EXPERTS FROM GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, THINK TANKS AND ACADEMIA. OUR ATTENDEES RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED THE WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS AND SUPPORTED THE PROGRAM OFFERINGS.OUR SPEAKER PROGRAMS FOSTER DIALOGUE BETWEEN SPEAKERS AND A WIDE AUDIENCE FROM ACROSS THE GREATER CLEVELAND AREA AND NORTHEAST OHIO.
  2. $360,513 spent. EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS GRADES 6-12 AND POST-SECONDARYTHE COUNCIL HAS ORGANIZED MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCES FOR STUDENTS SINCE 1946 MAKING CCWA'S MODEL UN PROGRAM ONE OF THE LONGEST CONTINUOUS PROGRAMS IN THE U.S. CCWA HOSTED FIVE CONFERENCES AND ENGAGED 1,910 STUDENTS FROM 58 HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE REGION. CCWA ALSO HOSTED 27 WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. MODEL UN OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE REAL-LIFE NEGOTIATIONS AND PRACTICE THEIR PUBLIC SPEAKING AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ON KEY GLOBAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEM SUCH AS INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE RESPONSE OR PREVENTING DEFORESTATION.
  3. $515,118 spent. INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAMS TO BUILD CITIZEN DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDINGCCWA IS A COMMUNITY-BASED MEMBER (CBM) WITH GLOBAL TIES U.S. AND HOSTS EXCHANGE PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.AS A CBM, CCWA VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON HOSTED OVER 456 INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE VISITORS FROM 110 COUNTRIES THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (IVLP).CCWA WAS ASSISTED IN MAKING OUR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS EXPERIENCE IN CLEVELAND MORE MEANINGFUL THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF OUR 186 CITIZEN DIPLOMATS (VOLUNTEERS) THAT WELCOME INTERNATIONAL VISITORS INTO THEIR HOMES FOR MEALS AND OCCASIONAL EXTENDED STAYS.
  4. $121,285 spent. CCWA ALSO OFFERS CONTINUING LEARNING INITIATIVES IN THE AREA OF GLOBAL EDUCATION AS PART OF ITS MAURA O'DONNELL-MCCARTHY CENTER FOR GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING. CCWA OFFERS A SUITE OF PROGRAMS TO ENGAGE LOCAL STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN DEEPENING THEIR INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOPING GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES FIND WAYS TO EXPLORE THEIR CURIOSITY THROUGH CCWA'S GLOBAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHICH INCLUDED DIPLOMACY SIMULATION TO EXPLORE NEGOTIATION, DIPLOMACY AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN PRACTICE. CCWA ALSO DISTRIBUTED GLOBAL COMPETENCE ASSESSMENTS TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GAUGE GLOBAL AWARENESS. OUR LEADS (LEADERSHIP, EXCHANGE, AND DIPLOMACY) PROGRAM, A EIGHT-WEEK INITIATIVE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO EXPLORE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEADER IN AN INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED WORLD, ATTRACTED 21 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING 9 "GLOBAL AMBASSADORS" WHO DO A YEAR LONG PROGRAM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1944.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.