American Swiss Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
453857464
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2017, Form 990-N 2014
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2127540130
Rating
67
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Academic Exchange

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,163,571
Expenses
$1,159,530
Assets
$3,094,891
Liabilities
$32,365

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

38 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DAN CASSERLY (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • VANESSA E BEARY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • VANESSA E BEARY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $235,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The foundation promotes friendship and mutual good will between the united states of america and the swiss confederation through exchange of knowledge and dissemination of information about these two countries. (see schedule o).including by connecting and engaging leaders to identify solutions to common issues of global concern and to strengthen our shared values.

What it reported doing in 2024

The foundation's programs focus on the promising young people of both nations who will shape public opinion and policy in the years to come. Our goal is to inspire them to preserve the centuries-long friendship through active engagement with one another and with the senior leaders in our extensive network. The main program of the american swiss foundation is the young leaders conference, held annually in switzerland since 1990. The conference provides a unique platform for shared experiences and respectful dialogue among leaders of diverse cultural, political, and professional backgrounds. (see schedule o for continuation). Alumni of the past 34 conferences now number approximately 1,500 leaders who shape the future of the two countries by sharing insights, fostering constructive dialogue, and building bridges.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 40
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 77
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 28%; rating input score 28
  • Program expense ratio: 73.6%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 63.3%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.67; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 20.3%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 14.2% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 29% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 35.9% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 28% of revenue deployed · 73.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 36 of 36 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $853K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $235K · 38 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $243K reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 28/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 12/100.