AMERICAN LATVIAN ASSOCIATION IN THE UNIT Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

AMERICAN LATVIAN ASSOCIATION IN THE UNIT

EIN 53-0215408 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A230)

What they do

THE AMERICAN LATVIAN ASSOCIATION (ALA) is THE MAIN REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATION for THE LATVIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. THROUGH 100 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES, CLUBS and SOME 4,000 INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WE REPRESENT OVER 90,000 PEOPLE of LATVIAN DESCENT LIVING IN THE US. WE ARE A NONPROFIT, TAX EXEMPT EDUCATIONAL and CULTUAL ORGANIZATION. ALA SUPPORTS CULTURAL ACTIVITIES and FACILITATES COOPERATION WITHIN THE LATVIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. WE PROMOTE THE STUDY of LATVIAN LANGUAGE, HISTORY and CULTURE. WE ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY of LATVIAN SCHOOLS, BOOKS and TEACHING MATERIALS for OUR CHILDREN. WE ASSIST NEWLY ARRIVED IMMIGRANTS WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE USA and WE PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AID to PEOPLE IN LATVIA. ALA SEEKS to FACILITATE THE PEACEFUL and DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT of LATVIA BY PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING and SUPPORT for LATVIA THROUGH INFORMATIONAL EFFORTS IN THE USA.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $78.50 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 leaders17 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

79.53%of revenue went to mission work78.5% of expenses · Program services

1.30%of revenue went to fundraising1.3% of expenses

$101.29spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

20.45%of revenue went to management and office costs20.2% of expenses

$7.94in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

36.5%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 $14,447 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $96,394 for MARISA GUDRAIS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 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$1,121,349

Mission workProgram services$891,83379.53% of revenue78.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$229,33120.45% of revenue20.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$14,6321.30% of revenue1.3% of expenses

Total expenses$1,135,796101.29% 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: 78.5% mission · 20.2% management · 1.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.29% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 73.7% mission · 24.9% management · 1.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 141.16% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 77.5% mission · 21.4% management · 1.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 127.70% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 76.9% mission · 21.3% management · 1.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 114.77% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.2% mission · 22.4% management · 1.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 34.16% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 83.4% mission · 15.9% management · 0.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 65.92% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 86.0% mission · 12.9% management · 1.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 109.30% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 82.5% mission · 16.6% management · 0.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.69% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$1,121,349

Expenses$1,135,796

Annual shortfall $14,447 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)$891,833 · 78.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$229,331 · 20.2% of expenses

Fundraising$14,632 · 1.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$1,121,349

Expenses$1,135,796

Assets$9,023,610

Income$6,896,236

Contributions$409,040

Mission work (program services)$891,833

Fundraising$14,632

Grants given$878,155

Average grant$17,219

Management and general$229,331

Executive compensation (total)$80,233

Stocks and bonds$7,856,281

Accounting fees$28,572

Investing fees$19,304

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

MARISA GUDRAISEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $96,394Base $87,934 · Other $8,460

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 (17)

MARISA GUDRAISEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

INESE STRAVELLI NONVOTINGDIRECTOR OF ALA CULTURAL F

VALDA GRINBERGSDIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF CULT

RENATE GRAVERS NONVOTINGALA LATVIAN MUSEUM VISITOR

MIKELIS GIGADIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF SPOR

MARTINS ANDERSONSPRESIDENT

LINDA ZALITE - THROUGH OCT 2024DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION OF

KRISTINE GIGA THROUGH OCT 2024FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR, MEMB

INGRIDA HEINZESECRETARY

ALEKSANDRA MALINOVSKISMEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

IEVA DEXTER - THROUGH OCT 2024SECRETARY

IEVA DEXTERDIRECTOR OF INFORMATION OFFICE

ELISA FREIMANISDIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF EDUC

DZINTARS DZILNADIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

DIANA KARKLINSDIRECTOR OF OFFICE FOR SUP

ANITA GRIVINSTREASURER

ANDREJS KANCSVICE PRESIDENT

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1952
Location: 400 HURLEY AVE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20850-3121
County: Montgomery
In care of: ANITA GRIVINS
Primary officer: ANITA GRIVINS, TREASURER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(301) 340-1914

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: SNYDER COHN PC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A230)
Grant-giving organization: Yes