Meridian International Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $43.7 million
- Spending
- $38.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 4.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 63%
- Employees
- 196
- Volunteers
- 41
- Highest pay
- $564,015, ceo
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
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 28 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
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 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)
- $19.6 million spent. CENTER FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP - INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAMFOR MORE THAN 65 YEARS, MERIDIAN HAS BEEN A PRINCIPAL PARTNER IN IMPLEMENTING THE INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (IVLP), THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S PREMIER PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM. BETWEEN OCTOBER 1, 2024, AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2025, MERIDIAN DEVELOPED 114 IVLP PROJECTS FOR 1,081 EMERGING INTERNATIONAL LEADERS. TOPICS RANGED FROM SPORTS DIPLOMACY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY TO AI. 1) IN MERIDIAN'S 30TH YEAR ADMINISTERING THE BRITISH AMERICAN PARLIAMENTARY GROUP (BAPG), EIGHT MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT BEGAN THEIR PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WITH MEETINGS AT KEY POLICY INSTITUTIONS AND A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY MERIDIAN'S CORPORATE COUNCIL. THEY THEN COMPLETED BIPARTISAN DISTRICT SHADOWING VISITS IN NEBRASKA, ALABAMA, NEW YORK, AND ILLINOIS BEFORE RECONVENING IN BOSTON TO CONCLUDE THE PROJECT. 2) MERIDIAN ALSO DESIGNED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS IN HONOR OF THE NATION'S SEMI-QUINCENTENNIAL, INCLUDING WE THE PEOPLE: MILITARY EDUCATION IN AMERICA, WHICH EXAMINED THE U.S. MILITARY EDUCATION SYSTEM AND ITS ROLE IN STRENGTHENING EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE ARMED FORCES WHILE STRENGTHENING THE MILITARY CAPACITY OF KEY PARTNERS AND ALLIES IN SUPPORT OF U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITIES. 3) IN 2025, MERIDIAN ALSO ADMINISTERED THE IVLP IMPACT AWARDS, WHICH HELP ALUMNI TURN THEIR U.S. EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES INTO COMMUNITY-BASED ACTION IN MORE THAN 22 COUNTRIES. THAT YEAR, MERIDIAN SUPPORTED 25 AWARDEES ADVANCING INITIATIVES ALIGNED WITH U.S. DIPLOMATIC GOALS.
- $6.8 million spent. CENTER FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP - CUSTOMIZED EXCHANGESBEYOND IVLP, MERIDIAN IMPLEMENTED 62 PROJECTS FOR 403 PARTICIPANTS FROM 104 COUNTRIES. THESE PARTNERSHIPS GIVE GLOBAL CHANGEMAKERS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS, DRIVE INNOVATION, AND CREATE LASTING IMPACT. 1) SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY: THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE NEA SPACE EXCHANGE PROGRAM, MERIDIAN CONVENED EMERGING LEADERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND TECHNICAL EXPERTS FROM ACROSS THE NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION IN SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, BUILD REGIONAL CAPACITY, AND EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS WITH U.S. INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRY. 2) YOUTH & LEADERSHIP: MERIDIAN'S THREE FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE-THE STUDY OF THE U.S. INSTITUTES FOR GLOBAL STUDENT LEADERS, THE PAN AFRICA YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, AND THE U.S. CONGRESS-REPUBLIC OF KOREA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY EXCHANGE-BROUGHT TOGETHER EMERGING LEADERS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD FOR IMMERSIVE EXCHANGES FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS AND CULTURES. THROUGH ACADEMIC RESIDENCIES, TRAVEL, SKILLS TRAINING, AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS, PARTICIPANTS BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS AND RETURN HOME BETTER PREPARED TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. 3) JOURNALISM & MEDIA: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S FOREIGN PRESS CENTER, MERIDIAN CONNECTED INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTS WITH U.S. POLICYMAKERS, EXPERTS, AND INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE FIRSTHAND INSIGHT INTO AMERICAN POLICY, SOCIETY, AND INNOVATION.
- $2.8 million spent. CENTER FOR CULTURE AND SPORTS DIPLOMACYTHROUGH MUSIC DIPLOMACY EXCHANGES, VISUAL ART EXHIBITIONS, AND HIGH IMPACT CONVENINGS, MERIDIAN'S CENTER FOR CULTURE AND SPORTS DIPLOMACY BUILDS CONNECTIONS AMONG GLOBAL COMMUNITIES BY USING CULTURE AND SPORTS TO BRIDGE DIVIDES AND HIGHLIGHT SHARED VALUES. IN 2025, KEY PROGRAMS INCLUDE 1) THE ANNUAL FLAGSHIP CULTURAL DIPLOMACY CONVENING, CULTUREFIX, BROUGHT TOGETHER THE CULTURE AND SPORTS DIPLOMACY COMMUNITY THROUGH A DIALOGUE SERIES AND AWARDS CEREMONY CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP. THE 2025 HONOREES INCLUDED NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL, PLAYWRIGHT AND ACTOR ANNA DEAVERE SMITH, AND VISUAL ARTIST SANFORD BIGGERS. 2) MERIDIAN PARTNERED WITH THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND THE U.S. CONSULATE IN CHENNAI, INDIA, TO MANAGE THE TRAVELING EXHIBITION CITY OF HOPE, WHICH HIGHLIGHTED CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND INDIA. 3) MERIDIAN LED THE INTERNATIONAL HIP-HOP ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM IN URUGUAY THROUGH NEXT LEVEL, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS. 4) MERIDIAN MANAGED THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR VISITORS FROM PANAMA. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED EIGHT GUNA TRIBAL LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF THE GUNA CULTURAL CONGRESS, WHO TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO CONSULT WITH MUSEUM STAFF ON THE CARE AND IDENTIFICATION OF GUNA OBJECTS IN THE COLLECTION. DURING THE VISIT, THE DELEGATION ALSO SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO CONTINUE COLLABORATION WITH THE MUSEUM DIRECTOR. 5) MERIDIAN RECRUITED AND DEPLOYED CULTURAL PERFORMERS TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES AT THE USA PAVILION AT THE OSAKA WORLD EXPOSITION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 6) MERIDIAN PARTNERED WITH CAF DEVELOPMENT BANK TO HOST AN EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICAN ART IN MERIDIAN'S HISTORIC GALLERIES.
- $2.5 million spent. ALSO DURING 2025, MERIDIAN'S CENTER FOR DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT HOSTED MORE THAN 70 DIALOGUES, WORKSHOPS, AND ROUNDTABLES, ENGAGING OVER 800 DIPLOMATS FROM 129 EMBASSIES, ALONG WITH LEADERS FROM GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY. TOPICS INCLUDED SECURITY ALLIANCES, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AEROSPACE INNOVATION, AND FEDERALISM. THE FLAGSHIP MERIDIAN SUMMIT FOCUSED ON MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES SUCH AS GREAT-POWER COMPETITION, CYBERSECURITY, AI, ENERGY RESILIENCE, AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. THE NORTH CAPITAL MERIDIAN DIPLOMACY FORUM BROUGHT TOGETHER MORE THAN 200 LEADERS FROM BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, AND CIVIL SOCIETY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO, AND CANADA TO EXPLORE TRILATERAL COOPERATION.DIPLOMACYRISE, MERIDIAN'S INITIATIVE TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS, OFFERS CAREER TRAINING, MENTORSHIP, AND FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. IN 2025, THE MERIDIAN COX FOREIGN SERVICE FELLOWSHIP INTRODUCED 30 COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN DIPLOMACY THROUGH A WEEK-LONG IMMERSION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IN ADDITION, A SEVEN-PART HYBRID DIPLOMATIC SKILLS COURSE TRAINED 15 EMERGING SCIENTISTS IN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, CULTURAL COMPETENCE, PROTOCOL, AND NEGOTIATION.MERIDIAN'S CENTER FOR CORPORATE DIPLOMACY CONTINUED ITS FORUMS AND MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLES, HOSTING 129 AMBASSADORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS CENTERED ON CRITICAL BILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS AND US FOREIGN AND ECONOMIC POLICY.
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
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 November 6, 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 September 2025.
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 October 1962.
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 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.