Center for European Policy Analysis

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
208247530
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2020
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2025519200
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Research Institutes and Public Policy Analysis

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,121,505
Expenses
$5,073,291
Assets
$3,873,041
Liabilities
$1,979,704

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

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ALINA POLYAKOVA (PRESIDENT & CEO, TREASURER)

Highest reported compensation

  • ALINA POLYAKOVA (PRESIDENT & CEO, TREASURER): $392,158 total reported compensation
  • GEYSHA GONZALEZ (CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, SECRETARY): $234,061 total reported compensation
  • CATHERINE SENDAK (DIR TRANSATLANTIC DEFENSE & SECURITY): $167,246 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

See schedule othe center for european policy analysis (cepa) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public policy institution headquartered in Washington, dc with hubs in london and brussels, focused on strengthening the transatlantic alliance through cutting-edge research, analysis, and programs. Cepa provides innovative insight on trends affecting democracy, security, and defense to government officials and agencies; helps transatlantic businesses navigate changing strategic landscapes; and builds networks of future leaders versed in atlanticism.

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule othrough its analysis and fellowship projects, the democratic resilience program delivers cutting-edge research and actionable, evidence-based analysis on the challenges policymakers face, including russian shadow-warfare, sino-russian strategic alignment, european energy security, and ukraine's recovery and reconstruction, among others.the transatlantic defense and security program at cepa shapes policy debates, builds communities of interest, and develops innovative policy solutions to the 21st century's most pressing transatlantic security issues. Our goal is to ensure the united states and its closest allies can maintain their strategic edge in an increasingly contested world. We focus on strengthening euro-atlantic institutions, promoting us engagement in european security, and deepening transatlantic cooperation. We bring a forward-looking approach to our analysis, with insight formed across generations, backgrounds, and borders. By bringing together key stakeholders, pioneering new ideas, and publishing substantive content, we help governments, businesses, institutions, and the public understand and navigate today's uncertain security environment.digital innovation initiative - cepa's digital innovation initiative (dii) explores trends in tech-policy in europe and the united states to advocate for transatlantic unity on digital regulation and ensure that democracies maintain the competitive edge on tech innovation.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% 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 - 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 a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 54
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 55.6%; rating input score 56
  • Program expense ratio: 56.2%; rating input score 56
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 41; 41st 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: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 0.9%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.76; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.51; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.8%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 23.7% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 55.6% of revenue deployed · 56.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $392K · 12 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $292K reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 56/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 56/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 41/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 37/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 28/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 21/100.