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International Republican Institute

EIN 52-1340267 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak29 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE ADVANCES DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM GLOBALLY. WE LINK PEOPLE WITH THEIR GOVERNMENTS, GUIDE POLITICIANS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO CITIZENS, AND MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

Income
$72.2 million
Spending
$71.0 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
-0.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 94%
Employees
517
Volunteers
26
Highest pay
$498,756, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 29 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 94% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 43% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 26 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 September 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. $2.5 million spent. UKRAINE: SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE WORKING WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS, POLITICAL PARTIES, AND EMERGING LEADERS TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL TRAINING ON SERVICE DELIVERY, RECOVERY PLANNING, AND ELECTION PREPAREDNESS WHILE STRENGTHENING CIVIC KNOWLEDGE AND LEADERSHIP AMONG RISING LEADERS TO BROADEN PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES.
  2. $1.9 million spent. VENEZUELA: IRI SUPPORTS DEMOCRATIC ACTORS ACROSS VENEZUELA AND THE VENEZUELAN DIASPORA BY STRENGTHENING POLITICAL COORDINATION, CIVIC LEADERSHIP, INDEPENDENT MEDIA, AND INCLUSIVE PARTICIPATION IN TRANSITION PLANNING. IRI WORKS WITH POLITICAL PARTIES AND COALITIONS TO BUILD CONSENSUS AROUND NATIONAL PRIORITIES, SUPPORTS DIASPORA LEADERS IN ADVANCING COORDINATED ADVOCACY EFFORTS, STRENGTHENS THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF INDEPENDENT MEDIA OUTLETS, AND ELEVATES WOMEN AS LEADERS IN PEACEBUILDING AND DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION PROCESSES. COLLECTIVELY, THESE EFFORTS HELP PRESERVE DEMOCRATIC SPACE, EXPAND ACCESS TO RELIABLE INFORMATION, STRENGTHEN CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, AND BUILD THE NETWORKS, LEADERSHIP, AND INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS NECESSARY FOR A PEACEFUL AND SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN VENEZUELA.
  3. $1.2 million spent. MALDIVES: IRI'S MALDIVES PROGRAM BUILDS THE RESILIENCE OF THE COUNTRY'S YOUNG DEMOCRACY BY INCREASING THE ABILITY OF ELECTED LEADERS TO PRACTICE INCLUSIVE, CITIZEN-CENTERED GOVERNANCE AND ACCOMPLISH POLICY GOALS, INCLUDING THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF DECENTRALIZATION REFORMS. IRI BOLSTERS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND STATE INSTITUTIONS TO ENSURE THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE TO CITIZENS, OPERATE TRANSPARENTLY AND ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOCIETY. BY EMPOWERING LOCAL OFFICIALS AND BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF CIVIL SERVANTS, IRI WORKS WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE ACROSS THE MALDIVES' 200 ISLAND AND ATOLL COMMUNITIES. IRI ALSO SUPPORTS LOCALLY ELECTED WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES TO PROMOTE WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL PROCESSES, FURTHER EMPOWERING ISLAND COMMUNITIES.
  4. $55.0 million spent. OTHER PROGRAMS

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 September 1984.

    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.