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Asian University for Women -Auw- Support Foundation

EIN 36-4483980 · Cambridge, MA

Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.

LegitimacyCautionRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ASIAN UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN (AUW) SEEKS TO OFFER HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO YOUNG WOMEN OF EXTRAORDINARY TALENTS DRAWN FROM DIVERSE NATIONAL, ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION.IT IS OPEN TO YOUNG WOMEN OF TALENT AND COMMITMENT FROM ALL SECTIONS OF SOCIETY WHO WOULD CHOOSE TO WORK FOR A JUST AND PEACEFUL WORLD. AUW SETS AS A GOAL TO RECRUIT AT LEAST HALF ITS STUDENT BODY FROM UNDERSERVED GROUPS ACROSS ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST, ESPECIALLY THOSE DISPLACED BY WAR OR POLITICAL UPHEAVAL. AUW SEEKS TO GRADUATE WOMEN WHO WILL BE SKILLED AND INNOVATIVE PROFESSIONALS, SERVICE-ORIENTED LEADERS IN THE BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY WILL WORK AND LIVE, AND PROMOTERS OF INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Income
$23.2 million
Spending
$8.1 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
29.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 73%
Employees
7
Volunteers
9
Highest pay
$379,009, president and ceo

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 29.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 65% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 183% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (1)
  1. $7.2 million spent. ASIAN UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN SUPPORT FOUNDATION EXISTS SOLELY TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE ASIAN UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN (AUW) WHICH IS IN CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH. AUW WAS FOUNDED IN 2008 WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING A PATHWAY FOR WOMEN FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TO EMERGE AS EFFECTIVE LEADERS THROUGH AN UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION IN THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES. TODAY AUW ALSO OFFERS GRADUATE EDUCATION IN A SELECT SET OF FIELDS. AUW WELCOMES TALENTED AND MOTIVATED YOUNG WOMEN FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TO ENROLL AT THE UNIVERSITY. IT PARTICULARLY STRIVES TO ATTRACT AND SUPPORT WOMEN OF UNCOMMON MERIT DRAWN FROM CHALLENGING SOCIETAL OR ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS TO GET AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION AND PREPARE TO SERVE AS ETHICAL LEADERS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION.OVER 85% OF AUW STUDENTS ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY ON FULL SCHOLARSHIP WITH PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT PROVIDED TO THE INSTITUTION COVERING ALL COSTS OF ROOM, BOARD, TUITION, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL (WHERE NEEDED), PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, BOOKS AND SUPPLIES AND OTHER ASSOCIATED COSTS. IT RELIES ON GLOBAL PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT TO FUND ITS OPERATIONS AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.THIS YEAR SAW ENROLLMENT RISE TO 1,960 STUDENTS. AT A TIME WHEN EDUCATION IS BEING DENIED TO GIRLS AND WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN, AUW CHOSE TO OFFER MORE EXTENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO AFGHAN WOMEN SEEKING AN EDUCATION. WITH NEARLY 600 AFGHAN WOMEN ENROLLED AT AUW, IT HAS BECOME THE SINGLE LARGEST HOST OF AFGHAN WOMEN AT ANY UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD. SIMILARLY, AUW HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO OFFER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ROHINGYA GIRLS AND WOMEN.IN 2025, AUW INTRODUCED A NEW UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR IN APPLIED MATH AND DATA SCIENCES, AN ADDITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IS EXPECTED TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2026-2027.MEANWHILE, THE MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH WAS INAUGURATED AS THE FIRST GRADUATE PROGRAM IN JANUARY 2022, SAW ITS FOURTH CLASS ENTER IN 2025. THE TWO-YEAR PROGRAM IS DELIVERED IN COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY FROM JOHN'S HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND OTHER COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS.THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN APPAREL AND FASHION BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, LAUNCHED AS THE SECOND GRADUATE PROGRAM IN JANUARY 2023, WELCOMED ITS THIRD COHORT IN 2026. THE ONE-YEAR PROGRAM IS TAUGHT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FACULTY FROM VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE FIELD. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SPONSORED BY HSBC BANGLADESH.GRADUATES OF THE MASTER'S IN EDUCATION PROGRAM ARE LEADING AN INITIATIVE TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE CAMPS IN COX'S BAZAR. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNICEF, AUW HAS DEPLOYED 16 MASTER'S GRADUATES TO TRAIN OVER 1,100 UPPER PRIMARY TEACHERS AND TRAINERS IN THE CAMPS. THESE EDUCATORS WILL GO ON TO TEACH THOUSANDS OF ROHINGYA CHILDREN, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE TO PURSUE THEIR ASPIRATIONS.THE AUW LABORATORY SCHOOL, INAUGURATED AS A PILOT IN 2024, IS GROWING AND IS EXPECTED TO OFFER K-12 CLASSES IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. ALONGSIDE LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATION AND STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS) SUBJECTS, THE SCHOOL PROVIDES A STRONG CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM INCLUDING LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH AND WRITING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND STUDENT WELLNESS. AUW ALSO SAW SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL EXPANSION. A THIRD CAMPUS AREA WAS INAUGURATED AT THE KOREAN EXPORT PROCESSING ZONE (KEPZ), WHICH INCLUDES DORMITORIES, A DINING HALL, AND A LIBRARY. CURRENTLY, 250 STUDENTS RESIDE AT KEPZ. CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN ON AUW'S FIRST MAJOR BUILDING ON ITS PERMANENT CAMPUS: THE CAMPUS CENTER, WITH EXPECTED COMPLETION IN 2027. THIS NEW BUILDING, WHOSE STRUCTURE IS ALMOST DONE, WILL OFFER STATE-OF-THE-ART SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING LABS AS WELL AS TEACHING AND LEARNING SPACES FOR UP TO 1800 STUDENTS. THE FACILITIES WILL BE EXPANDED OVER TIME IN THREE EARMARKED PHASES. IN THE MEANTIME, AUW HAS RETAINED THE ARCHITECT RENZO PIANO TO REVISE THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN FOR THE AUW CAMPUS IN ORDER TO ULTIMATELY ACCOMMODATE AND SERVE 6,000 RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS.THE AUW MENTAL WELLNESS CENTER NOW REACHES MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS EACH SEMESTER FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS, HELPING STUDENTS MANAGE TRAUMA, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND ACADEMIC STRESS. IN PARALLEL, THE TEAM TRAINED 260 PEER WELLNESS AMBASSADORS, ENSURING THAT EVERY 10 STUDENTS HAVE A TRUSTED PEER TO TURN TO. AT THE HEART OF THIS WORK IS THE GOODLIFE CENTER, INAUGURATED IN 2024 AND MODELED AFTER MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMING AT YALE UNIVERSITY. THE CENTER IS A WELCOMING HUB WHERE STUDENTS CAN PAUSE, REFLECT, AND RECHARGE; IT SERVES AS A SYMBOL OF SAFETY AND RENEWAL ON CAMPUS.

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 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 November 6, 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 June 2025.

    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 April 2002.

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

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Caution.

    California's Attorney General lists its registration as revoked as of December 31, 1990. Organizations on this list may not solicit donations in California.

    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.