The American Palestinian Relief Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
871451008
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2021, Form 990-N 2025
Location
Richmond, CA, USA
Rating
65
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Relief

Reported finances

Revenue
$936,304
Expenses
$1,063,331
Assets
$405,651
Liabilities
$268,978

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

Leadership & pay

2 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MAHMOUD ARAFAT (President & CEO)

People named in this filing

  • VIVA HABBIT VAN ASSEN (Treasurer)
  • MAHMOUD ARAFAT (President & CEO)

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

Our organization goal is to support as many impoverished families and children in devastated areas as possible by providing their most critical needs. Our primary focus is on ensuring access to food, followed by securing shelters for homeless families.In addition to addressing immediate needs, we also aim to empower the disadvantaged areas by offering long-term solutions, such as access to education and employment opportunities. We strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by hardship and adversity.

What it reported doing in 2025

We successfully executed numerous projects aimed at supporting disadvantaged families. Among the permanent initiatives:1.1300 RAMADAN FOOD & VEGETABLE PARCELS2. 300 FAMILIES ZAKAT CASH DISTRIBUTION3.2500 IFTAR MEALS4. 300 RAMADAN FOOD LARGE POTS WITH VEGETABLES5. 400 EID GITS AND TOYS6. 12 SHEEP EID SACRIFICE7. 900 RICE AND OR BEANS LARGE POTS8. 10 SHELTERS (100 TENTS)9.2000 BREAD BAGS10.180 ORPHANS ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP FOR 12 MONTHS11. 1200 WINTER BLANKETS12. 2500 FLOUR BAGS13. 90 CLEAN WATER LARGE TRUCKS

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 89
  • Transparency & Controls: 78
  • Accountability: 0
  • Sustainability: 21
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 99.2%; rating input score 99
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 81.8%; rating input score 82; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 0 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -13.6%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.38; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.66; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 52.8% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 43.8% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 63.2% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 99.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 2 board members independent · 0 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 2 people listed
  • Consistency: 17 of 18 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2022 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.

  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 6 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 10/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign grants require schedule f did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 19/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 9/100.