Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Institute of World Politics

EIN 52-1699641 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak27 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE INSTITUTE OF WORLD POLITICS IS A GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEDICATED TO DEVELOPING LEADERS WITH A SOUND UNDERSTANDING OF INTERNATIONAL REALITIES AND THE ETHICAL CONDUCT OF STATECRAFT, BASED ON KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL ECONOMY AND THE WESTERN MORAL TRADITION.

Income
$11.1 million
Spending
$12.0 million
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
-1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
95
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$270,640, chancellor & president emeritus

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 27 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    24 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

    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

    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 July 31, 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 (3)
  1. $5.3 million spent. THE INSTITUTE OFFERS THREE M.A. DEGREES IN ITS MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM, EIGHT CERTIFICATES OF GRADUATE STUDY, AND A CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM, ALL WITH A PROFESSIONAL CURRICULUM COVERING THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF STATECRAFT. THIS CURRICULUM IS BASED UPON AN INTERDISCIPLINARY FOUNDATIONAL COURSE OF STUDY THAT INCLUDES RELEVANT ELEMENTS OF COMPARITIVE POLITICAL CULTURE, WESTERN MORAL PRECEPTS, PRACTICAL POLITICAL ECONOMICS, AND A POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC HISTORY.
  2. $1.6 million spent. THE INSTITUTE HAS A PROGRAM OF EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL COUNSELING FOR IT'S STUDENTS FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSTITUTE, INCLUDING THE FACULTY CHAIRMAN, THE ADMISSIONS COORDINATOR, AND OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS. THE INSTITUTE ASSISTS ITS STUDENTS WITH FINDING EMPLOYMENT OPPURTUNITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY FIELDS.
  3. $406,040 spent. THE LIBRARY OFFERS SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE INSTITUTE'S CURRICULUM AND EXPAND STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO OUR PRINT COLLECTIONS, ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTIONS, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO PARTNER LIBRARIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1991.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.