National Committee on United States -China Relations Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
132566973
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2126459677
Rating
68
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Exchange, N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$6,999,621
Expenses
$7,578,986
Assets
$20,679,176
Liabilities
$434,510

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

Leadership & pay

73 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • STEPHEN ORLINS (PRESIDENT)
  • JAN C BERRIS (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • MEREDITHE MASTRELLA (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • MARGOT E LANDMAN (DEPUTY VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMS)
  • JONATHAN G LOWET (DEPUTY VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMS)

Highest reported compensation

  • STEPHEN ORLINS (PRESIDENT): $721,191 total reported compensation
  • MEREDITHE MASTRELLA (VICE PRESIDENT): $320,648 total reported compensation
  • JAN C BERRIS (VICE PRESIDENT): $293,534 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 o.

What it reported doing in 2024

During 2024, the committee organized programming relevant to the u.s.-china relationship that engaged a variety of u.s. And prc, people's republic of china, (and occasionally third-country) experts, policy influencers, and next generation leaders. 2024 programming included track ii dialogues on critical issues in the relationship, i.e., healthcare, maritime law, economics, digital economy, strategic security, climate finance, rule of law & human rights, people to people, conferences on cutting-edge issues, study visits to the prc and beyond for u.s. Experts, briefings for government officials and staff, and seminars and discussions for next generation leadership. In 2024, this programming was conducted both in-person and virtually. (continued on schedule o)continued: in 2024, the committee also held a variety of open- and closed-door education programs, both in-person and virtual, with audiences ranging in size from 20 to several hundred. These included briefings, consultations for official and private groups, panel discussions, and seminars; they were supplemented with newsletters, podcasts, and videos.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 81% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 51
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 69.8%; rating input score 70
  • Program expense ratio: 61.8%; rating input score 62
  • Fundraising efficiency: $17.7 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 56; 56th 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: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.3%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.73; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 29.4%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.5% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 69.8% of revenue deployed · 61.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 50 of 50 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $721K · 73 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $442K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 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.
  • 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 56/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 6/100.