American Institute for Contemporary German Studies John Hopkins Univ
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The American-German Institute is a center for policy research and scholarship dedicated to the most important political, economic, and security issues confronting Germany and the United States in the global arena. AGI anticipates challenges, proposes solutions, and bolsters the German-American partnership.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 18.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 9
- Highest pay
- $163,141, president
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 17% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.2 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 70% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 39 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 60% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 28 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $630,832 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS In FY25, AGI continued hosting researchers and scholars with the DAAD/AGI Research Fellowship Program. We also continued our partnership with the NRW School of Governance at the University Duisburg/Essen by hosting two fellows in FY25. The second year of the exchange program, Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United States, included study tours to New York City in September and Munich in March. The participants published articles and podcasts, and the output corresponded with World Pride in Washington. The Halle Foundation enabled AGI to host paid internships throughout the year. AGI experts continue to engage on The Zeitgeist podcast, in articles, and with the media in the U.S. and Germany.
- $302,998 spent. GEOECONOMICS PROGRAM In FY25, the Geoeconomics Program focused on economic security, the Draghi report, and the ways the German economic model is changing and how that will interact with the economic policies of the Trump administration and the transatlantic relationship. With the German Marshall Fund of the United States, we held an event on redefining economic security (which took place the day following President Trump s tariff announcement). We continued our cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation with the fifth annual Transatlantic Trade Week on the topic of economic security. The Geoconomics Program held a February symposium in Frankfurt, which featured two panels on the foreign policy and economic impact of the second Trump administration on transatlantic relations, along with the key international issues at stake in the German election. It also engaged stakeholders in Munich with an event in cooperation with Amerikahaus and the Technical University-Munich, focused on the economic relationship between the U.S. and Europe, particularly economic security and technology issues in the transatlantic relationship.
- $299,505 spent. FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY PROGRAM - In FY25, the Foreign & Security Policy Program focused on German international security commitments and how it is putting its defense Zeitenwende into practice. The program published a report with the U.S. Army War College assessing the implementation of Germany s defense transformation, analyzing changes in Germany s defense strategy, military capabilities, energy transformation, and international relationships since the sea change that Chancellor Scholz announced following Russia s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The report and subsequent conference analyzed the strides Germany has made in its defense policy since the full-scale invasion as well as the gaps that the new grand coalition must address in order to ensure Germany can defend itself from twenty-first century threats. At the Munich Security Conference, AGI hosted its transatlantic breakfast with the American Council on Germany, exploring the ways in which the U.S. and Germany can seek collaboration and manage disagreements as new governments in both countries set their course for the coming years.
- $259,807 spent. SOCIETY, CULTURE AND POLITICS - In FY25, the Society, Culture & Politics Program covered breaking political developments in Germany, the election, and coalition negotiations in articles, podcasts, and events, including a joint event with the Hertie School at AGI offices in Washington and webinars on the election and the new German government; it continues to monitor the new government performance, policies, and personnel. The Understanding the AfD project continues to track far-right politics in Germany, which after the AfD second-place finish has become even more important. The SCP program is also focusing on Germany s memory culture and hosted a conference on Germany s mnemonic Zeitenwende, co-funded by Georgetown University and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The conference examined how Germany?s approach to Holocaust memory has evolved as new attention is paid to the period of German colonialism. Throughout early 2025, AGI published articles and a podcast from conference participants, continuing to foster debate on Germany s memory landscape. The program continues to mark important milestones in German memory, including the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration in 2025.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1983.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.