Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
465392694
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2028540828
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Research Institutes and Public Policy Analysis

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,258,680
Expenses
$3,776,584
Assets
$5,969,948
Liabilities
$244,610

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

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AMB DOUGLAS SILLIMAN (PRESIDENT)
  • AMB MARCELLE WABHA (PRESIDENT EMERITUS)
  • WILLIAM ROEBUCK (EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • AMB DOUGLAS SILLIMAN (PRESIDENT): $301,915 total reported compensation
  • WILLIAM ROEBUCK (EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT): $220,197 total reported compensation
  • KRISTIN S DIWAN (SENIOR SCHOLAR): $171,301 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Agsiw's central mission is to provide expert research and analysis of the social, economic, and political dimensions of the gulf arab states and how they impact how they impact u.s. And gulf domestic and foreign policy. To accomplish this goal, the strategy of the organization will include:- providing the institute staff and research assistants with travel opportunities to the region to exchange views and stay abreast of issues and trends;- sponsor guest fellowships for scholars from the gulf and promote scholarly exchanges between gulf and american organizations, and;- mentor young scholars through internships at the institute to broaden the interest in the region and increase the pool of regional experts.

What it reported doing in 2024

Programs and outreach: agsiw conducted workshops, in-person and virtual public and private panels, and conferences to increase the understanding of the social, economic, and political importance and diversity of the gulf arab states. These events helped inform the Washington policy community regarding this critical geostrategic region. Programs included conferences, which were followed by the release of reports with key findings and policy recommendations. Additionally, the institute held workshops and roundtables as well as off the record discussions with u.s. And gulf policymakers, scholars, media representatives, and business leaders. Lastly, the institute held in-person and virtual public panels to engage with statekholders, the media, and the broader public on timely and critical developments and trends in the region. Agsiw employs a chief program and development officer and a program manager to develop and implement programs.

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.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 94.7%; rating input score 95
  • Program expense ratio: 81.5%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $16.23 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

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: Pass
    • 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: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: -15.9%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.58; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 38.8%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.3% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.1% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 94.7% of revenue deployed · 81.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 15 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $3.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $302K · 23 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $147K reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 9/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 53/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 54/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 3/100.