Islamic Scholarship Fund

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
208540050
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Berkeley, CA, USA
Phone
6509956782
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Scholarships, Student Financial Aid Services, Awards
Affiliation
Islam

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,922,887
Expenses
$1,329,513
Assets
$3,445,836
Liabilities
$63,533

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Somayeh Nikooei (Executive Dir.): $140,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Islamic Scholarship Fund's mission is to support American Muslim storytelling & increase representation in fields & occupations that make public policy & influence public opinion by providing scholarships, internships, fellowships, film grants, & mentorship opportunities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Islamic Scholarship Fund has provided critical access and opportunities to over 661 individuals, with 746 prestigious awards since our launch in 2009, including over $3.67 million in funding. In 2024 alone, we awarded over $557,550 to our latest cohort. ISF awarded 58 scholarships to students totaling $259,500; awarded film grants totaling $118,250 to support Muslim storytelling; provided 14 screenwriters the opportunity to have their scripts produced, acted, and directed; advanced the ISF Artist Support program that provides filmmakers with unique script writing and production support; placed and funded thirteen trailblazing emerging leaders as congressional interns on Capitol Hill; placed four judicial interns with judges to give them access to the judicial system, and provided 6 bar scholarships.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 86% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 42% for direct work, and 58% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of total spending goes to programs. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 60
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 73
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 56.7%; rating input score 57
  • Program expense ratio: 71.8%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.69 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 30.9%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.59; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.5%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 13.8% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.5% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 19.2% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 56.7% of revenue deployed · 71.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $955K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $140K · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2013 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 57/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 37/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 35/100.