Education for Peace in Iraq Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To act as a rights-based development organization focused on climate and the environment, good governance, and human security in Iraq through groundbreaking field work, research, policy analysis, and advocacy.
- Income
- $277,514
- Spending
- $254,781
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 75
- Highest pay
- $85,094, 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
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 120% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% 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
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $103,093 spent. RESEARCH & EDUCATION PROGRAM: Conducted Groundbreaking Research and Expanded Public Educational outreach: In 2024, EPIC strengthened its role as a leading source of independent analysis and education on Iraq, providing critical insights into the countrys evolving political, humanitarian, and economic landscape. // EPICs flagship publication, the Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor (ISHM), marked its tenth anniversary by producing 46 weekly editions. This vital service provided timely, reliable analysis to a global audience of policymakers, journalists, and researchers. Complementing this work, we launched a regular YouTube series Iraq Briefings, which distilled complex developments into clear, concise updates on key issues, significantly enhancing public accessibility. EPIC was also commissioned by its longtime partner, the Iraq Health Access Organization (IHAO), with support from Lithuania Aid, to conduct targeted research on youth unemployment through vocational education reform. The resulting Generation: NEXT study involved comprehensive field research, including key informant interviews and site visits to assess vocational systems in Baghdad and Mosul. The research identified critical gaps in infrastructure, curriculum, and training capacity, providing partners with actionable insights to modernize vocational training and align it with Iraqs job market, thereby addressing key economic drivers of instability and youth emigration. // Through these combined efforts, EPIC effectively bridged the gap between on-the-ground realities and the information needed by the international community to support a stable and prosperous Iraq.
- $80,304 spent. FIELD-BASED PROJECTS: Empowering Youth-Led Advocacy in Ninewa and Sinjar: In 2024, EPICs field office advanced a strategic initiative to equip a new generation of young activists with the skills to drive community-level change in Iraqs complex post-conflict landscape. Building on a foundation of previous training, the program, The Campaign for Better Governance and Public Safety in Sinjar and the Ninewa Plain, moved from capacity-building to direct, campaign-based advocacy. // A cohort of seven young leadersincluding EPIC alumni and new participants from Mosul, Sinjar, Al-Hamdaniyah, and a camp for displaced Yazidisformed five advocacy teams to address critical issues hindering recovery, such as education access, public health hazards, and the lack of basic municipal services. Under the mentorship of Professor Laith Al-Obeidi, these teams developed evidence-based policy papers and engaged directly with local authorities. // The impact of this approach is exemplified by Ali Kamil, a young leader from al-Namrud. Through EPICs training, Ali led a campaign to restore evening education for over 1,000 displaced and vulnerable students in his community. His formal proposal has progressed beyond the local level and is now under review by the Ministry of Education in Baghdad, demonstrating the potential for local advocacy to influence national policy. Concurrently, other teams secured tangible commitments from officials, including municipal pledges to address hazardous waste burning in Al-Hamdaniyah and to create safe play areas for children in Mosul. // This project, supported by SGP-International, validates a core tenet of EPICs mission: that sustainable recovery in post-conflict regions is advanced by empowering local youth with the tools for effective, professional advocacy, enabling them to become architects of their communities futures.
- $40,451 spent. POLICY ANALYSIS & ADVOCACY PROGRAM: Advancing Environmental Justice and Informed Policy on Iraq: EPIC intensified its advocacy on Iraqs acute climate and environmental crises. A major focus was the release of a landmark issue brief on gas flaring (https://enablingpeace.org/gas-flaring-2024/), which detailed the severe health and economic impacts and provided six concrete policy recommendations for the Iraqi government. The brief highlighted that this practice wastes a valuable resource, resulting in an estimated $2 billion annual revenue loss while forcing Iraq to spend billions more on energy imports. Furthermore, we underscored the dire human cost, where communities as close as two miles from flares suffer from high rates of cancer and respiratory diseases, as tragically illustrated by the story of young activist Ali Hussein Julood. EPIC worked closely with Iraqi partners to elevate these issues with national and international decision-makers, including advocating for the creation of a community support fund for those most impacted by flaring. Simultaneously, our policy program continued to provide expert analysis to U.S. and international policymakers, advocating for long-term strategies to support Iraqs stability, fight corruption, strengthen human rights, and address the needs of genocide survivors and other vulnerable populations.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.