Council On Foreign Relations Inc
Council On Foreign Relations maintains strong financial health with consistent revenue surpluses and growing assets.
EIN: 131628168 · New York, NY · NTEE: Q055 · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is Council On Foreign Relations Inc Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Council On Foreign Relations Inc directs 75% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Council On Foreign Relations Inc
Council On Foreign Relations Inc (EIN: 131628168) is a nonprofit organization based in New York, NY, classified under NTEE code Q055. The organization reported total revenue of $173.5M and total assets of $755.5M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Council On Foreign Relations Inc's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Council On Foreign Relations Inc with a Mission Score of 85 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 15%
- programs: 75%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, Council On Foreign Relations Inc allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 15%, programs: 75%, fundraising: 10%. With 75% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The reported officer compensation of 0% across all available filings suggests that executive compensation is either not reported as a percentage of revenue/expenses in this specific field, or that the organization has a unique compensation structure. Given the organization's size with assets exceeding $700 million, it is highly probable that executive compensation exists and is reported in other sections of the full 990 form, requiring further investigation beyond the summary data provided.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Council On Foreign Relations Inc's IRS 990 filings:
- Lack of detailed spending breakdown in summary data prevents full efficiency assessment
- Officer compensation reported as 0% in summary, requiring deeper investigation into full 990 for transparency
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Council On Foreign Relations Inc:
- Consistent revenue exceeding expenses, indicating financial sustainability (e.g., $106,930,600 revenue vs. $83,166,400 expenses in 202306)
- Significant and consistent growth in assets over the past decade, from $491,869,900 in 201406 to $719,707,600 in 202306
- Strong financial reserves with assets significantly outweighing liabilities (e.g., $719,707,600 assets vs. $65,178,900 liabilities in 202306)
- Large scale of operations with latest reported revenue of $173,497,100
Frequently Asked Questions about Council On Foreign Relations Inc
Is Council On Foreign Relations Inc a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Council On Foreign Relations Inc (EIN: 131628168) some concerns. Mission Score: 85/100. 2 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
How does Council On Foreign Relations Inc spend its money?
Council On Foreign Relations Inc directs 75% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Council On Foreign Relations Inc tax-deductible?
Council On Foreign Relations Inc is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 131628168). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Is Council On Foreign Relations Inc. financially stable?
Yes, the Council On Foreign Relations Inc. appears financially stable, consistently reporting revenues exceeding expenses (e.g., $106,930,600 revenue vs. $83,166,400 expenses in 202306) and demonstrating significant asset growth from $491,869,900 in 201406 to $719,707,600 in 202306.
How has the organization's revenue trended over the past decade?
The organization's revenue has shown significant growth and some fluctuations over the past decade, increasing from $61,050,100 in 201406 to $106,930,600 in 202306, with a peak of $140,136,300 in 201906.
What is the trend in the organization's assets?
The organization's assets have shown a consistent upward trend, growing from $491,869,900 in 201406 to $719,707,600 in 202306, indicating strong financial growth and accumulation of resources.
Is the organization efficient in its spending?
Based on the provided summary data, the organization consistently spends less than its revenue, indicating a surplus (e.g., $23,764,200 surplus in 202306). While this suggests overall financial prudence, a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses from the full 990 would be needed to fully assess spending efficiency across categories.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Council On Foreign Relations Inc showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Council On Foreign Relations Inc's revenue has grown by 79.3%, moving from $59.6M to $106.9M. Total assets increased by 64.2% over the same period, from $438.2M to $719.7M. Total functional expenses rose by 57.6%, from $52.8M to $83.2M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Council On Foreign Relations Inc reported a surplus of $23.8M, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $65.2M in liabilities against $719.7M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 9.1%), resulting in net assets of $654.5M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $106.9M | $83.2M | $719.7M | $65.2M | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $102.6M | $79.1M | $674.2M | $69.2M | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $105.3M | $71.9M | $732.9M | $76.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $82.0M | $76.9M | $624.2M | $81.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $140.1M | $76.4M | $626.3M | $80.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $94.2M | $73.7M | $597.2M | $77.7M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $83.8M | $69.3M | $562.8M | $82.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $101.6M | $69.9M | $507.6M | $86.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $77.5M | $64.8M | $502.1M | $85.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $61.1M | $64.7M | $491.9M | $85.0M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $54.2M | $61.6M | $461.9M | $85.0M | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $75.4M | $55.8M | $439.2M | $86.8M | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $59.6M | $52.8M | $438.2M | $81.1M | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $106.9M, expenses of $83.2M, and assets of $719.7M (revenue +4.2% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $102.6M, expenses of $79.1M, and assets of $674.2M (revenue -2.6% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $105.3M, expenses of $71.9M, and assets of $732.9M (revenue +28.4% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $82.0M, expenses of $76.9M, and assets of $624.2M (revenue -41.5% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $140.1M, expenses of $76.4M, and assets of $626.3M (revenue +48.8% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $94.2M, expenses of $73.7M, and assets of $597.2M (revenue +12.4% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $83.8M, expenses of $69.3M, and assets of $562.8M (revenue -17.5% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $101.6M, expenses of $69.9M, and assets of $507.6M (revenue +31.1% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $77.5M, expenses of $64.8M, and assets of $502.1M (revenue +26.9% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $61.1M, expenses of $64.7M, and assets of $491.9M (revenue +12.6% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $54.2M, expenses of $61.6M, and assets of $461.9M (revenue -28.1% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $75.4M, expenses of $55.8M, and assets of $439.2M (revenue +26.4% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $59.6M, expenses of $52.8M, and assets of $438.2M.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Council On Foreign Relations Inc is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.