Skip to the page content
Your donations
Check before you give

Institute for China-America Studies

EIN 46-4867689 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyCautionRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceGood79 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO FACILITATE BETTER INTERACTION AND EXCHANGE BETWEEN CHINA AND UNITED STATES BY CARRYING OUT ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AND STRENGTHENING DIALOGUE WITH AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS AND THE MEDIA AS WELL AS PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.

Income
$865,630
Spending
$716,201
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
3.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
6
Highest pay
$108,000, director acting exec director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    2 of 3 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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 December 31, 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 (6)
  1. $300,000 spent. GENERAL RESEARCH RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION OF REPORTS, ISSUE BRIEFS, COMMENTARIES AND BI-WEEKLY BULLETINS ON U.S.-CHINA DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT, TRADE, MARITIME POLICY, DOMESTIC POLITICS, CLIMATE POLICY, AND SECURITY.
  2. $140,000 spent. ICAS 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON OCTOBER 30, THE INSTITUTE FOR CHINA-AMERICA STUDIESICAS ORGANIZED ITS 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN FULL, WELL-ATTENDED, IN-PERSON FORMAT AT THE GEORGETOWN MARRIOTT HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, D.C. DR. HONG NONG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ICAS, OPENED THE CONFERENCE AND DR. WU SHICUN, CHAIRMAN OF ICAS ADVISORY BOARD, DELIVERED THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. THE CONFERENC HOSTED KEYNOTE REMARKS DELIVERED BY MR. QIU WENXING, MINISTER AT THE EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN U.S. THE SESSION WAS MODERATED BY PROFESSOR GORDEN HOULDEN, DIRECTOR EMERITUS OF THE CHINA INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, CANADA AND A MEMBER OF ICAS ADVISORY BOARD. THE CONFERENCE ALSO HOSTED TWO PANELS OF DISCUSSIONS OVER U.S.-CHINA STRATEGIC COMPITITION AND GLOBAL CONFLICT, AND TRADE, TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL FRAGMENTATION. THE CONFERENCE ALSO DELIVERED A LUNCHEON DIALOGUE BETWEEN AMBASSADOR DAVID BALTON, SENIOR FELLOW AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY KENNEDY SCHOOLS BELFER CENTER ARCTIC INITIATIVE AND A FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR FOR OCEAN AND FISHERIES AND DR. HONG.
  3. $80,000 spent. TRADE N TECHNOLOGY TnT PROGRAM THE PROGRAM CHRONICLES AND ANALYZES THE EVOLVING DYNAMICS OF U.S.-CHINA TRADE AND TECHNOLOGY AFFAIRS AS THEY OCCUR. THE PROGRAM PRODUCED 1 REPORT, 6 ISSUE BRIEFS, 22 COMMENTARIES, AND 25 BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS - THE TnT DISPATCH, AND HOSTED 2 EVENTS IN 2025.
  4. Program Service Expenses 80,000, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 MARITIME AFFAIRS PROGRAM MAPTHE PROGRAM GATHERS, DISPLAYS, AND DEBATES BOTH THE HISTORIC AND THE NEWLY DEVELOPED MARITIME RELATED ISSUES, INCLUDING U.S.-CHINA INTERACTION ON MARITIME AFFAIRS. THE PROGRAM PRODUCED 1 REPORT, 1 ISSUE BRIEF, 30 COMMENTARIES, AND 12 MARITIME SPOTLIGHTS. THE PROGRAM ALSO PRODUCED 12 MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS - THE MAP HANDBILL, AND HOSTED 1 EVENT IN 2025. THE PROGRAM HOSTED A BREAKOUT SESSION AT THE 2025 ARCTIC CIRCLE ASSEMBLY IN ICELAND TO PROMOTE GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC STUDIES AND COOPERATION.
  5. Program Service Expenses 35,000, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 BLUE CARBON AND CLIMATE CHANGE BCCC PROGRAMTHE BCCC PROGRAM EXPLORES NEW POLICY PATHWAYS FOR SUSTAINABLY DEVELOPING THE BLUE CARBON ECONOMY AND COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE. THE PROGRAM PRODUCED 4 QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS - THE BCCC QUARTERLY, 1 CO-AUTHORED BOOK, 1 ISSUE BRIEF, 14 COMMENTARIES IN 2025.
  6. Program Service Expenses 24,400, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 U.S.-CHINA LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE ACTIONS DIRECTORY LEAD PROJECT THE LEAD PROJECT TRACKS AND SUMMARIZES TRENDING CRITICAL ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS ON CHINA, EMANATING FROM BOTH THE WHITE HOUSE AND CAPITAL HILL. THE LEAD PROJECT PRODUCED 4 ISSUE BRIEFS IN 2025.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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? Caution.

    The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(3) charitable organization as not deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 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 2016.

    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 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.