BBB Wise Giving Report for
Near East Foundation

BBB Wise Giving Report issued May 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires May 2013


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Near East Foundation
Address: 430-432 Crouse Hinds Hall, 900 S. Crouse Avenue
  Syracuse, NY 13244
Phone: 212-710-5588
Web Address: www.neareast.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1930, New York
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to organize highly vulnerable communities in the Middle East and Africa to achieve social well-being, economic security and good governance."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Near East Foundation (NEF) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

NEF implements programs targeted on natural resource management and adaptative agriculture to improve sustainability and output and provide economic development to rural communities. In addition, NEF has programs targeted at marginalized urban communities to strengthen both civic involvement and to provide economic opportunities. These include a youth development program in the peri-urban slums of Casablanca training young people and supporting youth groups, as well as a project working in 6 of the poorest regions of Jordan training local community associations in organization and the creation of community based businesses, harnessing the private sector to stimulate and sustain economic development. NEF’s programs also focus on improving education especially for women both formally and informally, and include a program in Southern Morocco to increase girls' primary school attendance and completion rates for all children.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, NEF's program expenses were:

  
Program services 4,663,351
Total Program Expenses: $4,663,351
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Charles Benjamin, President
Compensation*:
$117,000

Highest Paid Executive: Alexander Papachristou, Former President
Compensation*: $199,111

Chair of the Board: Shant Mardirossian
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Partner and Chief Financial Officer, Kohlberg & Company

Board Size: 9

Paid Staff Size: 57

*2010 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances. Mr. Benjamin started with NEF on January 1, 2010. The former President, Mr. Papachristou, was compensated for the time period of July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, grant proposals, and Internet appeals
Fund raising costs were 1% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $7,327,294, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on NEF's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 3,278,260
Government grants and contracts 2,173,566
Private grants 1,500,937
In-kind contributions 346,130
Program-related income 290,127
Special events revenue, net 28,401
Other 25,668
Investment income 10,640
Net change in fair value of investments 6,739
Total Income $7,660,468


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 87%  Fund Raising: 2%  Administrative: 11% 

Total income   $7,660,468
  Program expenses $4,663,351
  Fund raising expenses 100,817
  Administrative expenses 593,426
 
Total expenses   $5,357,594
Income in Excess of Expenses   2,302,874
Beginning net assets   1,743,236
Ending net assets   4,046,110
Total liabilities   503,410
Total assets   $4,549,520

Note: According to NEF's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, the organization received $346,130 in in-kind contributions including material and equipment for schools ($170,186), legal services ($152,785), and labor ($23,159).

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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