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Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

EIN 46-5392694 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood73 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AGSIW'S CENTRAL MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXPERT RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS OF THE GULF ARAB STATES AND HOW THEY IMPACT HOW THEY IMPACT U.S. AND GULF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, THE STRATEGY OF THE ORGANIZATION WILL INCLUDE:- PROVIDING THE INSTITUTE STAFF AND RESEARCH ASSISTANTS WITH TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES TO THE REGION TO EXCHANGE VIEWS AND STAY ABREAST OF ISSUES AND TRENDS;- SPONSOR GUEST FELLOWSHIPS FOR SCHOLARS FROM THE GULF AND PROMOTE SCHOLARLY EXCHANGES BETWEEN GULF AND AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS, AND;- MENTOR YOUNG SCHOLARS THROUGH INTERNSHIPS AT THE INSTITUTE TO BROADEN THE INTEREST IN THE REGION AND INCREASE THE POOL OF REGIONAL EXPERTS.

Income
$3.3 million
Spending
$3.8 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
8.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
28
Volunteers
17
Highest pay
$301,915, president

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

Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 15 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 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 (3)
  1. $1.3 million spent. SCHOLARS: THE INSTITUTE EMPLOYS THREE RESIDENT SCHOLARS TO PROVIDE IN-DEPTH RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS ON THE GULF REGION AND THE BROADER MIDDLE EAST. THE SCHOLARS HOLD RELEVANT PHDS AND HAVE BUILT CONSIDERABLE EXPERTISE AND RECOGNITION IN ACADEMIC AND POLICY CIRCLES. THEY HAVE ALL BEEN WELL-PUBLISHED, INCLUDING BY REPUTABLE BOOK PUBLISHERS, ACADEMIC JOURNALS, AND RESPECTED MEDIA OUTLETS. FOR AGSIW, THE SCHOLARS PRODUCED POLICY BRIEFS, ANALYTICAL BLOG POSTS, AND ORGANIZED AND MODERATED MANY OF AGSIW'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROGRAMS. AGSIW ADDITIONALY EMPLOYS ONE SENIOR FELLOW, ONE VISITING FELLOW, ONE ROTATING VISITING SCHOLAR, AND THREE RESEARCH ASSOCIATES TO ASSIST THE SCHOLARS. AGSIW ALSO DEVELOPED SCHOLARLY EXPERTISE THROUGH A NETWORK OF NON-RESIDENT FELLOWS.
  2. $961,999 spent. PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH: AGSIW CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS, IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PANELS, AND CONFERENCES TO INCREASE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL IMPORTANCE AND DIVERSITY OF THE GULF ARAB STATES. THESE EVENTS HELPED INFORM THE WASHINGTON POLICY COMMUNITY REGARDING THIS CRITICAL GEOSTRATEGIC REGION. PROGRAMS INCLUDED CONFERENCES, WHICH WERE FOLLOWED BY THE RELEASE OF REPORTS WITH KEY FINDINGS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTITUTE HELD WORKSHOPS AND ROUNDTABLES AS WELL AS OFF THE RECORD DISCUSSIONS WITH U.S. AND GULF POLICYMAKERS, SCHOLARS, MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES, AND BUSINESS LEADERS. LASTLY, THE INSTITUTE HELD IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC PANELS TO ENGAGE WITH STATEKHOLDERS, THE MEDIA, AND THE BROADER PUBLIC ON TIMELY AND CRITICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN THE REGION. AGSIW EMPLOYS A CHIEF PROGRAM AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AND A PROGRAM MANAGER TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS.
  3. $805,744 spent. PUBLICATIONS & DIGITAL MEDIA: AGSIW MAINTAINED A ROBUST DIGITAL OUTREACH TO ITS TARGET AUDIENCES OF U.S. AND GULF POLICYMAKERSS, ACADEMICS, AND MEDIA THROUGH ITS WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA. AGSIW HAS A PROFESSIONALLY DEVELOPED ENGLISH WEBSITE, AS WELL AS A MIRROR ARABIC-LANGUAGE WEBSITE. THE INSTITUTE WAS HIGHLY ACTIVE ON MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS BY PUBLISHING A VARIETY OF WRITTEN AND AUDIO/VISUAL CONTENT. AGSIW EMPLOYS A CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND A DIGITAL COORDINATOR TO MAINTAIN THE WEBSITE, AND PRODUCE, PUBLISH, MARKET, AND DISSEMINATE AGSIW CONTENT. THE INSITUTE ALSO ENGAGED ASSOCIATED NON-RESIDENT FELLOWS AND EXTERNAL CONTRIUBUTORS TO WRITE REPORTS AND ANALYTICAL BLOG POSTS. AGSIW CONTRACTED WITH A PROFESSIONAL WEB AND MARKETING COMPANY TO MODERNIZE AND INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT OF OUR WEBSITE, AS WELL AS OUR WRITTEN AND SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCTS.

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 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 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 November 2014.

    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.