American Society of Overseas Research

Overview

Mission

Asor, founded in 1900, is an international organization whose mission is to initiate, encourage, and support research into, and public understanding of, the history and cultures of the near east and wider mediterranean, from the earliest times by: fostering original research, exploration and archaeological fieldwork; encouraging scholarship in the region's languages, texts, traditions, and histories; disseminating research results and conclusions in a timely manner, through a robust publication program, annual meetings and other venues; adhering to the highest ethical standards of scholarship and public discourse; upholding the highest academic standards in interdisciplinary research and teaching; promoting educational opportunities for undergraduates and graduates in institutions of higher education around the world; developing engaging programs of outreach for the general public; supporting and participating in efforts to protect, preserve, and present to the public the historic and

What it reported doing in 2024

Fostering original research, archaeological excavations and explorations. Encouraging scholarship in the basic languages, cultural histories and traditions of the near eastern world. Promoting the educational goals of near eastern studies and disciplines, and by advocating high academic standards in teaching and interdisciplinary research. Maintaining an active program of timely dissemination of research results and conclusions. Offering educational opportunities in near eastern history and archaelolgy to undergraduates and graduates in north american colleges and universities. Developing engaging programs of outreach for the general public. Supporting and participating in efforts to protect, preserve, and present to the public the historical and cultural heritage of the near east and the wider mediterranean and to raise awareness of its degradation.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 84% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
231352617
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Alexandria, VA, USA
Phone
7037899229
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Interdisciplinary Research

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 62
  • Accountability: 93
  • Sustainability: 43
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92.3%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 77.8%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $10.23 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96.8%; rating input score 97; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -10.1%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.52; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.7%; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.8% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.9% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 92.3% of revenue deployed · 77.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 30 of 31 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $201K · 39 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 34 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

39 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANDREW VAUGHN (EXECUTIVE DI): $200,905 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.