Universal Peace Federation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
522199888
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Tarrytown, NY, USA
Phone
8622008190
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Peace and Security

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,249,701
Expenses
$1,903,956
Assets
$8,968,904
Liabilities
$37,564

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Dr Chang Shik Yang (Chairman & CEO)
  • Michael Jenkins (Director & President)
  • Taj Ibrahim Hamad (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Dr Chang Shik Yang (Chairman & CEO): $59,351 total reported compensation
  • Dr Thomas G Walsh (Director): $23,052 total reported compensation
  • Taj Ibrahim Hamad (Vice President): $2,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Development of a global culture of service and cooperation, guided by the principle of "living for the sake of others". Peacebuilding efforts among governmental, religious, cultural, education and civil society representatives working together with mutual respect and a shared commitment to cooperation and good governance. Renewal of the United Nations, including a recommendation that the UN create an interreligious council within its structures.

What it reported doing in 2024

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS 2024The International Leadership Conference 2024 UPF organized the International Leadership Conference in Seoul, Korea on April 24, 2024 on the theme: 'Religious Harmony and the Peaceful Unification of the Korean Peninsula". More than 500 top level world leaders attended from 80 nations. REGIONAL, NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND EVENTS were held by UPF's Regional offices and national headquarters as follows: UPF EUME and UPF Canada Conference organized a program on the theme "View of DPRK from Within" on November 28, 2024 UPF EUME International Leadership Conference was convened in Austria on the theme: "Ukraine Prospects for a Common Future" on December 13. 2024. The Asia Pacific Union Project, sponsored by UPF Philippines, took place on May 13, 2024. pointing out peacebuilding potential.The UPF Peace Education Seminar was conducted on November 9, 2024 by UPF Thailand on the "Role of Marriage and Family involving 20 Asia Pacific nations. There were 306 participants from 20 nations.The International Leadership Conference organized by UPF Cambodia, in cooperation the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace, was convened on November 26, 2024 in support of the proposal for an international Peace Charter.UPF Korea National Leadership Conferences were organized to draw attention to crucial national interests. The following events drew large audiences: Japan Peace Tunnel Forum, held on April 23 2024Conference on "Korean Unification: Our Destiny", which was organized on October 12, 2024, in partnership with the Korea Re-unification Committee, and was attended by 800 participants. National Peace Ambassadors Conference, held on the theme: Vision of a "United Korea", from November 22 to 28, 2024.Virtual Webinars In Partnership With The Washington Times And UPF USA featured five virtual Webinars for global attendees, highlighting crucial topics as follows: "Catalyst for Conflict on the Korean Peninsula" on January 1, 2024; "Viewing the DPRK from Within" on January 25, 2024; "International Religious Freedom Summit" on February 1, 2024; "Making Peace with North Korea" on April 2, 2024; "Bering Straits Tunnel Project" on May 21, 2024EUME National Leadership Seminars convened by UPF EUME were organized in the following nations:19th Anniversary of Kosovo Independence, organized by UPF Albania on February 24, 2024, touched on the theme: "Kosovo: A Success Story for Peace"Adoption of the International Peace Charter, was the theme of a meeting of the Hungary National Assembly, which UPF Hungary was invited to collaborate with on September 19, 2024.13th Conference of Head of Religions, was held in Jerusalem, which invited participation of UPF Israel on December 12, 2024.OTHER ACTIVITIES - UPF ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS Asia Pacific Union Project The IAPP of UPF Malaysia partnered with the Parliament on May 2, 2024 to collaborate for the Asia Pacific Union Project. Africa Spiritual Day Celebration The IAPD of UPF Africa partnered with the CIF of African Union to organize the Africa Spiritual Day on May 22, 2024, which was participated in person and virtually by 24,500 participants. Religion and the Media IMAP of UPF USA convened a conference on May 28, 2024 on the theme: " Religion and the Media, Harmony or Discord?"UPF STATEMENTSUPF issued statements on timely and critical issues, in particular statements related to the UN International Days. WORK AT THE UNITED NATIONS: UPF UN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES IN 20242024.03.24 UPF Co-sponsored the UN New York Session of the Conference on the State of Women and Family, with the NGO Committee on Family- NY. In addition, 6 nations celebrated the International Day of Families.2024.02.02 UPF Austria commemorated World Interfaith Harmony Week, along with 11 nations globally, at UN Vienna on "Building a Peace Narrative at a Time of Global Crisis".2024.02.20 UPF Italy engaged in an event at the UN Interreligious Crime and Justice Research Institute related to the SDG's.2024.03.11-22

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 73% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 71% 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. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 67
  • Accountability: 78
  • Sustainability: 41
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 87.5%; rating input score 88
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Pass
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 48.9%; rating input score 49; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 77.8%; rating input score 78; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -52.4%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.71; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.5%; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.8% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 22% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 87.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 9 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $59K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 34 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and grants
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 6 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 49/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 3/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 54/100.