Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

International Institute of Wisconsin Inc

EIN 39-0806350 · Milwaukee, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF WISCONSIN (IIW) ASPIRES TO BE THE STEADFAST GUARDIAN OF CULTURE AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, OFFERING HUMAN SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. IIW'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR SAFE AND LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR IMMIGRATION AND UNITED STATES NATURALIZATION, PASSIONATELY CHAMPIONING THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL IDENTITY, CREATING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, AND CELEBRATING THE RICH TAPESTRY OF OUR VARIED CULTURAL AND MULTIETHNIC HERITAGE.IIW'S MISSION IS FULFILLED THOUGH PROVIDING IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICES, PROVIDING INTERNATIONAL VISITOR'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDING INTERPRETATION & TRANSLATION SERVICES, PROVIDING REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, AND PROVIDING A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY, REFUGEES, AND IMMIGRANTS AS THEY INTEGRATE INTO THEIR NEW COMMUNITIES.

Income
$4.9 million
Spending
$5.0 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 71%
Employees
55
Volunteers
450
Highest pay
$151,255, president & 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

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 51% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 66% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 12 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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. $3.1 million spent. EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS:IIW DESIGNS AND DELIVERS COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, WORKFORCE READINESS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL ORIENTATION, AND LIFE SKILLS. THESE INITIATIVES AIM TO EMPOWER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND REFUGEES TO THRIVE IN THEIR NEW ENVIRONMENTS AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN SOCIETY.
  2. $1.3 million spent. INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES:IIW OFFERS PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES IN A WIDE RANGE OF LANGUAGES TO FACILITATE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AND INSTITUTIONS, BUSINESSES, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND LEGAL ENTITIES.
  3. $130,823 spent. LEGAL SERVICES:IIW PROVIDES LEGAL SERVICES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES NAVIGATE SAFE, LEGAL PATHWAYS TO IMMIGRATION AND UNITED STATES NATURALIZATION. THESE SERVICES ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS WHILE EMPOWERING CLIENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL STATUS ADJUSTMENT AND CITIZENSHIP.
  4. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS:THROUGH ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND OTHER GLOBAL INITIATIVES, IIW HOSTS A RANGE OF INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE DIPLOMACY, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION.THE INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (IVLP) WELCOMES EMERGING GLOBAL LEADERS TO WISCONSIN FOR SHORT-TERM PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES THAT FOSTER MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND BUILD INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS. IIW ALSO SUPPORTS PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC FELLOW EXCHANGES, INCLUDING LONG-TERM PLACEMENTS THAT BRING GLOBAL FELLOWS TO ENGAGE WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY, INSTITUTIONS, BUSINESSES, AND NONPROFITS IN AREAS SUCH AS EDUCATION, HUMAN RIGHTS, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND CIVIL SOCIETY. HOLIDAY FOLK FAIR INTERNATIONAL AS THE PROUD PRODUCER OF THE HOLIDAY FOLK FAIR INTERNATIONAL, IIW CELEBRATES THE RICH MOSAIC OF WORLD CULTURES THROUGH THIS ANNUAL EVENT. THE FAIR BRINGS TOGETHER ETHNIC COMMUNITIES FROM ACROSS WISCONSIN AND BEYOND TO SHARE MUSIC, DANCE, FOOD, CRAFTS, AND CUSTOMS, PROMOTING MUTUAL RESPECT, CULTURAL APPRECIATION, AND INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING.THESE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE PLATFORMS FOR DIALOGUE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND LEADERSHIP GROWTH, STRENGTHENING GLOBAL TIES AND BROADENING LOCAL PERSPECTIVES.

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 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 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 February 1953.

    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.