Association of American Railroads

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
536000125
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2026392100
Rating confidence
Limited

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$70,167,327
Expenses
$68,311,159
Assets
$52,287,380
Liabilities
$32,110,896

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

Leadership & pay

21 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • IAN N JEFFERIES (PRESIDENT, CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • IAN N JEFFERIES (PRESIDENT, CEO): $2,776,996 total reported compensation
  • KATHRYN D KIRMAYER (SVP-LAW & GENERAL COUNSEL): $822,708 total reported compensation
  • ADRIAN ARNAKIS (SVP-GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS): $736,552 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Aar promotes a safe and efficient north american rail system with principal activities in areas such as standards, operations, safety, security, public affairs and public policy.

What it reported doing in 2024

Integrated communications campaign: a program of media outreach, public affairs, advertising, and content development that focuses on (1) how the freight rail industry consistently and efficiently delivers economic and environmental benefits to americans, (2) how railroads use modern technology to improve safety and provide public benefits including a safe, fuel efficient way to move goods and connect us to the global economy, and (3) preserving balanced regulation of the freight rail industry.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 98% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent spending detail to tell whether the nonprofit works directly or through others.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

- The available evidence is not sufficient to produce an overall rating for this filing. This is not a warning sign.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: NotEnoughData
  • Transparency & Controls: 91
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 34
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: Limited
  • Program expense ratio: Limited
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 8th 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: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 95.3%; rating input score 95; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th 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: 2.6%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.77; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.61; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.3%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: 0.5% per year; rating input score 100; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: Financial trends and filed revenue, expense, asset, and liability detail
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments
  • Leadership: top reported pay $2.8M · 21 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $33.6M reported
  • Consistency: 14 of 15 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 24 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 18 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 46/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 30/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 27/100.