American Academy of Diplomacy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN U.S. DIPLOMACY AND ENHANCE PUBLIC APPRECIATION OF ITS CRITICAL ROLE IN ADVANCING THE NATIONAL INTEREST.
- Income
- $1.6 million
- Spending
- $856,503
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 38.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 39%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 111
- Highest pay
- $110,250, 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 38.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 46% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 39% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2531 of 38 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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)
- $572,119 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH - AAD conducts several outreach programs, which include an annual discussion of current topics, a series of speaking programs at five universities across the country and two high schools in Connecticut, a DC-based foreign policy seminar for University of California-Riverside students, and an annual forum on pertinent foreign policy themes. Furthermore, AAD regularly mentors undergraduate and graduate students through its internship and graduate fellowship programs. AAD also continues to be involved with the two podcast series that it created back in 2018 and that are implemented with support from Arizona State University, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a contribution from a private donor. Finally, AAD maintains a collection of diplomatic teaching resources (course syllabi, reading recommendations, supplemental guides, recorded panel discussions, and short courses), which are available on AADs website.
- $99,579 spent. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION - AAD presents annually the Walter & Leonore Annenberg Award for Excellence in Diplomacy, two Arthur Ross Media Awards for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis of Foreign Affairs, and the Douglas Dillon Book Award for a Book of Distinction on the Practice of American Diplomacy to individuals in recognition of their significant contributions to the field of diplomacy. In 2023, AAD also added a new annual award the Henrietta Fore Award for Excellence in Development, which recognizes an individual or a group who has made exemplary contributions to the field of development, either as a US Government official or in support of American developmental work. In 2024, Academy member Ambassador Charles E. Cobb transferred the management of the Ambassador Charles E. Cobb Award Fund to the Academy. While the Cobb Award itself is selected and presented annually by the U.S. Department of State, the Academy manages and provides the funds for this award, and several select members of the Academy are involved in the review and selection of the award recipient.
- $19,528 spent. Publications: AADs most recent publication is the Blueprint 2: Professional Education and Training, which is a chapter in the 2022 Report by Marc Grossman and Marcie Ries titled Blueprints for a More Modern US Diplomatic Service. The report as a whole, published by Arizona State University, offers an actionable guide for producing operationally significant change in the ways the United States organizes and executes its diplomacy. More specifically, Blueprint 2, written by AAD, develops concrete measures necessary to increase the professional capacities of U.S. diplomats by expanding opportunities for professional education and training. Other recent publications include Bringing Americas Multilateral Diplomacy into the 21st Century (2022), which proposes recommendations for bringing U.S. multilateral diplomacy into the mainstream of policymaking, diplomatic practice, and diplomatic training in order to deal effectively with the pressing international challenges;Changing the Risk Paradigm for U.S. Diplomats (2021), which offers the State Department a set of recommendations for addressing the growing risk aversion at its overseas missions, including the legislative change of the Accountability Review Boards; and Strengthening the Department of State (2019), which offers recommendations for how to enhance the structures and processes of the State Department.
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
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 October 13, 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 December 2024.
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 December 1989.
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 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.