Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Nour Foundation

EIN 95-3992053 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NOUR FOUNDATION EXPLORES MEANING AND COMMONALITY IN HUMAN EXPERIENCE THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND INTERGRATIVE APPROACH THAT BLENDS THE SCIENCES AND THE HUMANITIES IN ORDER TO PROMOTE A GREATER SPIRIT OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, TOLERANCE, AND UNITY.

Income
$11.4 million
Spending
$957,302
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 85%
Employees
2
Volunteers
4

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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 92% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 451% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    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 (4)
  1. $240,000 spent. THE NOUR FOUNDATION CONTRACTED WITH IBES, LLC TO DEVISE, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE TO EXPLORE THE SYSTEM OF THOUGHT OF THE LATE OSTAD ELAHI FROM A HISTORICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL AND METAPHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE. THE SITE FEATURES DIDACTIC MODULES AND EDUCATIONAL COURSES THAT PROMOTE DEEPER REFLECTION ON A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS, CASE STUDIES AND EXERCISES AIMED AT BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF OSTAD ELAHI'S PHILOSOPHY AND WRITTEN WORKS. IN ADDITION, IBES ORGANIZED AND PRESENTED A SERIES OF VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS ON THE BASIS OF THE DIDACTIC MODULES AND COURSES PRESENTED ON THE WEBSITE.
  2. $45,950 spent. THE FOUNDATION ORGANIZED AND PRESENTED A SERIES OF PROBING CONVERSATIONS AT THE MORGAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ON THE SUBJECT OF "SPIRITUALITY IN THE AGE OF SCIENCE: CONVERSATIONS ON GOD, TRANSCENDENCE, AND MORTALITY." THE THIRD EVENT IN THIS THREE-PART SERIES TOOK PLACE ON FEBRUARY 7, 2024, TITLED "RETHINKNG MORTALITY: EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF LIFE AND DEATH," WITH PHYSICIAN SAM PARNIA. A SECOND THREE-PART SERIES, "BECOMING HUMAN: AN ELUSIVE PURSUIT," LAUNCHED ON NOVEMBER 14, 2024 WITH "FROM BIOLOGY TO CULTURE: THE EVOLUTION OF GOODNESS," FEATURING EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST DAVID SLOAN WILSON. THE NEXT TWO INSTALLMENTS IN THE SERIES, ON FEBRUARY 11, 2025 AND APRIL 10, 2025, EXPLORE THE COGNITIVE REVOLUTION UNDERWAY AND THE NOTION OF HUMAN PERFECTIBILITY. ALL OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
  3. $13,267 spent. THE FOUNDATION ORGANIZED AND PRESENTED TWO MUSICAL PERFORMANCES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. ON MARCH 23, 2024, A PERFOMANCE ENTITLED "AN EVENING OF PERSIAN MYSTICAL MUSIC AT THE MET" FEATURED DEMONSTRATIONS AND RENDITIONS ON THE ANCIENT THREE-STRINGED LUTE, THE TANBUR, AND ON THE PERSIAN DAF OR HANDHELD DRUM. ON MAY 18, 2024, A SECOND DEMONSTRATIVE PERFOMANCE ENTITLED "AN EVENING OF PERSIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC AT THE MET" FEATURED RENDITIONS ON THE PERSIAN SETAR AND THE PERSIAN ZARB OR GOBLET DRUM. VIDEOS OF THESE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
  4. $408,545 spent. IN ADDITION TO PARTNERING WITH REPUTABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT THOUGHT-PROVOKING LECTURE SERIES ADDRESSING A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES CONCERNING THE PERENNIAL QUESTIONS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE, THE FOUNDATION ALSO REGULARLY ORGANIZES AND PRESENTS SEMINARS, CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS OF VARIOUS SIZES ON THE UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF ETHICS IN THE CONTEXT OF MODERN-DAY LIFE IN THE 21ST CENTURY. IN PARTICULAR, THE FOUNDATION EXPLORES SOME OF THE CORE PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE INCLUSIVE PHILOSOPHY AND THOUGHT OF THE LATE OSTAD ELAHI (1895-1974) AND HIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO THE PURSUIT OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND EXISTENTIAL MEANING.

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 December 1985.

    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.