Iranian Cultural Society of North Carolina Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
581794505
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Durham, NC, USA
Phone
9196230346
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$712,302
Expenses
$453,126
Assets
$2,862,336
Liabilities
$1,602,217

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARIA THOENEN (VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR)
  • MEHRNAZ MADADI (PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • JAVAD TAHERI (DIRECTOR)
  • MARIA THOENEN (VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR)
  • SHAHLA BAGHERI (TREASURER & DIRECTOR)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To preserve and promote the persian culture, language, and traditions by offering classes and cultural programs; enhance communication among members through various activities; and participate in charitable programs to benefit the membership and the greater community.

What it reported doing in 2025

The persian school continued its activities through regular weekly or biweekly classes, outdoor activities, and field trips. The school offers classes to children as young 3 years old to high school level and adults to learn the persian language and traditions. The school offered the montessori method of teaching for younger children. In addition, massnavi classes were held biweekly at the center, and attendance was solid. The playground was installed on the property in 2024 to enhance social interaction among children and strengthen community ties. A cafe serving traditional persian food was established on the property. It has gained popularity among our members and the greater community introducing our traditions to non-iranians community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and liabilities are high compared with assets.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 69
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 76
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 63.6%; rating input score 64
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 36.4%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.32; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.56; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 41% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 16.5% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 63.6% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $453K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2020 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 11/100.