American Jewish World Service

What it reported doing in 2024

Programs division: the programs division (pd) oversees and implements ajws's international grantmaking. In fy2025, ajws awarded 647 grants to 499 human rights organizations in 17 countries working to defend civil and political rights, advance sexual health and rights, protect land and water rights and promote climate justice, and respond to disasters. In fy2025, ajws also supported an additional 21 grantees in 5 countries via a donor-advised fund. In fy 2025, ajws-funded partners in thailand led a campaign that legalized same sex marriage in the country. Through a case filed by partners in uganda, several sections of the 2023 anti-homosexuality act were annulled. We continued supporting partners in (see schedule o) kenya to prevent the passage of a similar law. In india, kenya, and the dominican republic ajws funded movements to champion the rights of adolescent girls and young women to self-determination, including their right to resist early and child marriage.the programs division also made meaningful new investments in supporting youth- and women-led organizations defending land and water rights and advocating for climate justice in countries like kenya, el salvador, and india. This included funding emerging national-level networks and coalitions with significant engagement by women and youth.in the area of civil and political rights, ajws funded partners seeking to promote democratic ideals and advance justice. This support ranged from funding collectives of mothers searching for their disappeared loved ones in mexico to community organizations working toward more inclusive and representative governance in senegal, guatemala and haiti.the division also provided immediate humanitarian response support to partners facing climate disasters or public health emergency crises in the countries where we work. Specific support included grants allocated for response to flooding in burma, el salvasor, kenya, haiti, india, sri lanka, thailand and uganda, as well as to outbreaks of ebola and mpox in uganda. Grants were also made to support climate disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts in haiti and kenya. Ajws's advocacy efforts prioritized bringing accountability to those who violated rule of law and human rights in haiti and elsewhere. Ajws also emphasized the importance of robust foreign assistance funding and human rights regulations and policies in the u.s., adequate funding for global health, and u.s. Foreign aid policies that support sexual health and rights for lgbtqi+ people, women, and girls.finally, the programs division collaborated with the strategic learning, research and evaluation division to monitor and evaluate the progress of ajws's grantees using thematic and regional strategies and collaborative multi-year benchmarks.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76.6%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 77.2%; rating input score 77
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.04 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Pass
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Pass
  • Requires grant agreements: Pass
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.7%; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 96.4%; rating input score 96; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 4.5%; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.84; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10.4%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -5.2% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -1.6% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.2% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings