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Salaam Cultural Center

EIN 91-1481782 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceGood81 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Salamm cultural meuseum mission is to gather and publish information on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and to promote understanding of the people, cultures, languages, religions, and lands of this region.

Income
$714,540
Spending
$540,462
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
1
Volunteers
25

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

Good: 86 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes -9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 81 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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 (5)
  1. $75,701 spent. Medical Mission; In 2016 SCM conducted one mission to Jordan and then moved our operations to Greece. An assessment team was sent to the island of Lesbos in late August of 2015 to see what services SCM could provide. The team consisted of several past members of our missions, including doctors, first responders, humanitarians, and logistics personnel. From the beginning of October 2015 SCM maintained a continuous presence on the island of Lesbos to aid the refugees making the dangerous crossing from Turkey to Greece. Our expenditures for this operation included the cost of sending the initial assessment team, then the expenses to maintain one coordinator on the ground at all times transportation, lodging, food a van for the team to get around in, fuel, medical and humanitarian supplies, food for the refugees, medications, etc. We also had expenses of excess baggage to transport as much as we could to excess baggage to transport as much as we could to of excess baggage to transport as much as we could to the teams with incoming volunteers. Nonmedical team members provided psychosocial relief to various locations for women and children
  2. $207,903 spent. Humanitarian Aid Shipments SCM sent several containers to Jordan in 2018 containing humanitarian supplies donated to SCM by our supporters. Items included medical equipment, school supplies, clothing, new blankets and handmade quilts, toys, and other miscellaneous items needed in the camps or at clinics we are in contact with. Additional items were sent to Jordan and Greece in the suitcases of volunteers traveling to those countries. SCM helped pay for some of the excess baggage fees for those carrying SCM supplies. These supplies included medications and other urgently needed items that would not endure transoceanic shipping in a container.
  3. $6,000 spent. Food Drive; In 2016 SCM continued its food aid program, doing several distributions in Jordan and also partnering with another organization in Lebanon to provide Over 10,000 tons of flour were purchased and distributed to community bakeries to make bread for the needy food aid there and at the border region to Syrian refugees. The World Food Program has seen severe cuts to its programs and this has resulted in a significant reduction in the food aid the UN is able to provide to refugees. SCM will continue to work to supplement the needs of the refugees through distributions of packages of food and partnering with other organizations to maximize our reach in getting food to the most vulnerable refugees. We also provided some food on a limited basis to refugees arriving on the island of Lesbos through the end of the year.
  4. $60,271 spent. Other Humaniterian projects; undertaken in 2018 include partnering with IHR in Lebanon to provide a school building at a refugee camp there, emergency medical procedure funding for refugees in need of emergency/urgent lifesaving treatments, coordinating donations of medications from our partner Direct Relief to clinics and hospitals in Jordan, supporting educational programs at Zaatari refugee camp, and promoting awareness of the refugee crisis through social media, our website, and presentations.SCM also provide help & support to Syrian refugees residing in state of Washington.
  5. Other Humaniterian projects; 60271. 0. 0.

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 October 13, 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 September 1990.

    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 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.