THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE

EIN 53-0204608 · International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (Q052)

What they do

to INCREASE KNOWLEDGE of THE MIDDLE EAST AMONG CITIZENS of THE UNITED STATES and to PROMOTE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE PEOPLE of THESE TWO AREAS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $80.50 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders48 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

92.72%of revenue went to mission work80.5% of expenses · Program services

6.75%of revenue went to fundraising5.9% of expenses

$115.17spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

15.71%of revenue went to management and office costs13.6% of expenses

$3.38in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

87.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,273,058 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $310,412 for PAUL ERNEST SALEM (SENIOR FELLOW). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$8,389,421

Mission workProgram services$7,778,53292.72% of revenue80.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,317,81515.71% of revenue13.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$566,1326.75% of revenue5.9% of expenses

Total expenses$9,662,479115.17% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 80.5% mission · 13.6% management · 5.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 115.17% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 73.0% mission · 16.7% management · 10.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 125.83% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 78.2% mission · 13.5% management · 8.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.44% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 79.0% mission · 12.0% management · 9.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.43% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 75.5% mission · 14.0% management · 10.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 108.57% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 76.1% mission · 14.4% management · 9.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 119.79% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 78.2% mission · 12.3% management · 9.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 130.28% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 83.5% mission · 9.6% management · 6.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.97% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$8,389,421

Expenses$9,662,479

Annual shortfall $1,273,058 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$7,778,532 · 80.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,317,815 · 13.6% of expenses

Fundraising$566,132 · 5.9% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$8,389,421

Expenses$9,662,479

Assets$32,659,653

Income$10,028,267

Contributions$7,314,119

Mission work (program services)$7,778,532

Fundraising$566,132

Management and general$1,317,815

Executive compensation (total)$1,004,933

Stocks and bonds$16,442,142

Accounting fees$154,077

Investing fees$50,134

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

PAUL ERNEST SALEMSENIOR FELLOW · 40 hrs/week $310,412Base $272,791 · Other $37,621

COURTNEY LOBELCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $272,204Base $257,774 · Other $14,430

BRIAN KATULISVICE PRESIDENT, POLICY CENTER · 40 hrs/week $258,698Base $245,200 · Other $13,498

SUSAN E SAXTONINTERIM PRESIDENT/COO · 40 hrs/week $254,440Base $245,736 · Other $8,704

KATE SEELYESENIOR VICE PRESIDENT · 40 hrs/week $242,233Base $226,997 · Other $15,236

BAINDU CONTE-HARVEYVP OF FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $237,172Base $223,977 · Other $13,195

MIRETTE F MABROUKPROGRAM DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $182,978Base $165,160 · Other $17,818

CHARLES LISTERSENIOR FELLOW/PROGRAM DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $175,289Base $155,014 · Other $20,275

GONUL TOLSENIOR FELLOW/PROGRAM DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $161,406Base $151,326 · Other $10,080

THOMAS HALVORSENSECRETARY · 40 hrs/week $93,489Base $82,951 · Other $10,538

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (48)

PAUL ERNEST SALEMSENIOR FELLOW

COURTNEY LOBELCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

BRIAN KATULISVICE PRESIDENT, POLICY CENTER

SUSAN E SAXTONINTERIM PRESIDENT/COO

KATE SEELYESENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

BAINDU CONTE-HARVEYVP OF FINANCE

MIRETTE F MABROUKPROGRAM DIRECTOR

CHARLES LISTERSENIOR FELLOW/PROGRAM DIRECTOR

GONUL TOLSENIOR FELLOW/PROGRAM DIRECTOR

THOMAS HALVORSENSECRETARY

ROBERT JORDANVICE CHAIRMAN

MARJORIE ADAMSVICE-CHAIRMAN

MICHAEL LEVYDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

NADA HAMADEHDIRECTOR

NIJAD FARESDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

PATRICK BARRYDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

BRIAN HENDERSON VICE CHAIRMANUNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

PAULA DOBRIANSKYDIRECTOR UNTIL MARCH 2024

ROBERT FARDIDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

LOUIS HUGHESDIRECTOR

ROBERT KAPLADIRECTOR

ROCHDI YOUNSIDIRECTOR

SAMIA FAROUKIDIRECTOR UNTIL MARCH 2024

SUSAN ZIADEHDIRECTOR

ANNE KEISERDIRECTOR

THOMAS CAMPBELLDIRECTOR

TONI VERSTANDIGDIRECTOR

WALEED AL MUHAIRIDIRECTOR UNTIL MARCH 2024

JOHN ABIZAIDCHAIRMAN

DEBORAH LEHRDIRECTOR UNTIL MARCH 2024

FADI GHANDOURDIRECTOR UNTIL APRIL 2024

GAIL DADYDIRECTOR

GEORGE HOGUETDIRECTOR

GEORGE SALEMDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

HUDA ALKHAMIS KANOODIRECTOR UNTIL MARCH 2024

HUNTER HUNTDIRECTOR

JAMES QUIGLEYDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

JEFFREY FELTMANDIRECTOR

MAGNUS SCHOLDTZDIRECTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2024

JOHN HURLEYDIRECTOR

JOHN PEARSONDIRECTOR

JOHN SERAFINIDIRECTOR AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024

JOMANA AL RASHIDDIRECTOR

JOSEPH GEAGEADIRECTOR

KARL HOPKINSDIRECTOR

KERRY PROPPERDIRECTOR AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024

KEVIN TAWEELDIRECTOR

DAVID WELCHDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1949
Location: 1763 N ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036-2801
County: District of Columbia
In care of: % TAMAR KALANDIYA
Primary officer: FRANCISCO RICARDO SOMARRIBA, CURRENT CFO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailmej@mei.edu Phone(202) 785-1141

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: JM&M
NTEE classification: International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (Q052)
IRS tax category: Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities