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Washington Institute for Near East Policy

EIN 52-1376034 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF U.S. POLICY TOWARD THE NEAR EAST THROUGH INSIGHT, ANALYSIS AND IDEAS.

Income
$21.5 million
Spending
$19.9 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
47.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 82%
Employees
102
Volunteers
33
Highest pay
$710,230, executive director

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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 47.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    31 of 31 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 (9)
  1. $3.2 million spent. THE KORET PROJECT ON ARAB-ISRAEL RELATIONS: THE KORET PROJECT ON ARAB-ISRAEL RELATIONS FOCUSES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ISRAEL AND ARAB COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT. PROGRAM DIRECTOR, DAVID MAKOVSKY WORKS WITH AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS AND GHAITH AL-OMARI AND IN CROSS-COLLABORATION WITH FELLOWS FROM OTHER PROGRAMS, VISITING FELLOWS, AND NON-RESIDENT ASSOCIATES.PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS APPEARED FREQUENTLY ON TELEVISION AND RADIO. THE INSTITUTE PUBLISHED MORE THAN 75 ARTICLES PUBLICATIONS BY PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ON ITS WEBSITE AND MANY OF THE ARTICLES ALSO APPEARED ON OTHER ONLINE PUBLICATION SITES AND NEWS OUTLETS. THE PROGRAM HELD 4 ONLINE POLICY FORUMS, 16 IN-HOUSE ROUNDTABLES, AND CONVENED 2 IN-PERSON STRATEGIC DIALOGUES, BRINGING TOGETHER THOUGHT LEADERS AND EXPERTS FROM THE U.S., ISRAEL, AND THE MIDEAST REGION FOR WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSIONS ON MIDEAST FOREIGN POLICY. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM PRODUCED A PODCAST SERIES WITH OVER 216,581 TOTAL DOWNLOADS (97,574 OF WHICH WERE IN 2024 ALONE).
  2. $3.0 million spent. LINDA AND TONY RUBIN PROGRAM ON ARAB POLITICS: THE LINDA AND TONY RUBIN PROGRAM ON ARAB POLITICS FOCUSES ON POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND SECURITY-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ARAB WORLD, A GEOGRAPHIC AREA STRETCHING FROM NORTH AFRICA TO IRAQ. IN 2024, THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THE HEZBOLLAH-ISRAEL WAR AND CEASEFIRE; CHANGES IN LEBANON'S POLITICAL LEADERSHIP; THE REGIONAL IMPACT OF THE GAZA WAR; CONFLICT BETWEEN JORDAN AND THE KINGDOM'S ISLAMISTS; THE HOUTHI THREAT IN THE RED SEA; THE WAR IN SYRIA AND THE FALL OF THE ASSAD REGIME; US RELATIONS WITH IRAQ AND THE FUTURE OF THE US MILITARY DEPLOYMENT THERE; ELECTIONS IN KURDISTAN; EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS AND EGYPT'S ECONOMIC CRISIS; LIBYA'S ONGOING POLITICAL STALEMATE; PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC BACKSLIDING IN TUNISIA, AND; POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN MOROCCO.DAVID SCHENKER DIRECTED THE PROGRAM WITH THE SUPPORT OF 5 FULL-TIME SENIOR FELLOWS, CROSS-COLLABORATION WITH FELLOWS FROM OTHER PROGRAMS, VISITING FELLOWS, AND NON-RESIDENT ASSOCIATES. ALL TOLD, IN 2024, 18 INSTITUTE SCHOLARS, ASSOCIATES, AND CONSULTANTS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE WORK OF THE ARAB POLITICS PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM'S SCHOLARS APPEARED FREQUENTLY ON U.S. AND REGIONAL TELEVISION AND RADIO, AS WELL AS IN MEDIA OUTLETS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE INSTITUTE PUBLISHED 85 ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS BY PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND ASSOCIATES ON ITS WEBSITE, MANY OF WHICH FIRST APPEARED IN OTHER ONLINE PUBLICATION SITES AND MAJOR NEWS OUTLETS. THE PROGRAM HELD FREQUENT EVENTS AND CONVENED 20 PRIVATE ROUNDTABLES ON A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS ATTENDED BY EXECUTIVE BRANCH PERSONNEL, NGO STAKEHOLDERS, INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS, AND THE WASHINGTON POLICYMAKING COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, THE INSTITUTE ALSO HOSTED 8 VIRTUAL POLICY FORUM PANELS AND PRODUCED 6 VIDEOS FOCUSED ON IMPORTANT POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO SYRIA.
  3. $1.7 million spent. JEANETTE AND ELI REINHARD PROGRAM ON COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE: THE JEANETTE AND ELI REINHARD PROGRAM ON COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE (CTI) FOCUSES ON PROVIDING POLICY-RELEVANT ANALYSIS OF KEY TERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE ISSUES AND TRENDS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY RELATE TO U.S. POLICY TOWARD THE MIDDLE EAST. THE RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION PLAN OF CTI IS FOCUSED ON FIVE KEY ISSUE AREAS: (1) GLOBAL JIHADIST MOVEMENT TERRORISM (AL QAEDA, ISLAMIC STATE); (2) TERRORISM IN THE ARAB-ISRAELI ARENA (HAMAS, PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD, JEWISH EXTREMISTS); (3) IRANIAN SPONSORSHIP OF TERRORISM (HEZBOLLAH, IRAN'S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD AND QODS FORCE); (4) COMBATING THE FINANCING OF TRANSNATIONAL THREATS (TERROR FINANCE, PROLIFERATION FINANCE, IRAN SANCTIONS, JCPOA); (5) COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM (COUNTER-RADICALIZATION). OVER THE COURSE OF 2024, THE CTI TEAM PRODUCED A REGULAR FLOW OF TIMELY WRITTEN ANALYSES, MAINTAINED REGULAR CONTACT WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ENGAGED WITH THE MEDIA, BRIEFED U.S. AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, HOSTED BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENTS, AND TRAVELED ABROAD TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND ATTEND CONFERENCES.THE CTI PROGRAM IS LED BY DR. MATTHEW LEVITT, THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM WHO CAME TO THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FROM THE FBI, WHERE HE HAD SERVED AS A COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST AND PLAYED LEADING ROLES IN THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE MILLENNIAL BOMB PLOT AND SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS. THE PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES FELLOWS AARON ZELIN, WHO FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON TRENDS IN GLOBAL SALAFI JIHADISM, AND DEVORAH MARGOLIN, WHO WORKS ON ISSUES SURROUNDING REPATRIATION AND THE IMPACT OF EXTREMISM ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN.IN ADDITION, IN 2024, 11 INSTITUTE SCHOLARS AND 6 ASSOCIATES AND CONSULTANTS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE WORK OF THE CTI PROGRAM. CTI SENIOR FELLOWS APPEARED FREQUENTLY ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, ESPECIALLY IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING ISRAELI OPERATIONS IN LEBANON AND THE FALL OF PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD IN SYRIA, AND TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS ON ONE OCCASION. THE INSTITUTE PUBLISHED MORE THAN 32 ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS BY PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ON ITS WEBSITE, WITH MANY OF THE ARTICLES APPEARING IN OTHER ONLINE PUBLICATION SITES AND NEWS OUTLETS.ADDITIONALLY, BOTH SEASONS OF MATTHEW LEVITT'S PODCAST, "BREAKING HEZBOLLAH'S GOLDEN RULE," COMBINED RECEIVED OVER 37,000 DOWNLOADS BETWEEN JANUARY AND DECEMBER 2024. THE PROGRAM HELD 4 POLICY FORUMS, 28 COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM ROUNDTABLES, AND 18 COMBATING FINANCING OF TERRORISM ROUNDTABLES. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED THE IRANIAN EXTERNAL OPERATIONS INTERACTIVE MAP.
  4. $1.7 million spent. VITERBI PROGRAM ON IRAN AND U.S. POLICY
  5. $1.4 million spent. DIANE AND GUILFORD GLAZER FOUNDATION PROGRAM ON GREAT POWER COMPETITION AND THE MIDDLE EAST
  6. $1.3 million spent. BERNSTEIN PROGRAM ON GULF AND ENERGY POLICY
  7. $1.3 million spent. MILITARY AND SECURITY STUDIES PROGRAM
  8. $1.1 million spent. TURKISH RESEARCH PROGRAM
  9. $955,315 spent. PROJECT FIKRA (DEFEATING EXTREMISM THROUGH THE POWER OF IDEAS)

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 January 1991.

    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.