CharityWatch is unable to provide a letter grade rating for American Jewish Committee and Affiliates (AJC) at this time due to our specific concerns about AJC's financial reporting. For this reason we have assigned it a "?" rating for its 2024 fiscal year based on our analysis of the AJC's IRS Tax Form 990 and audited financial statements for that period. CharityWatch is concerned that the charity could be including certain fundraising expenses in its reported program expenses in its IRS Form 990 and consolidated audited financial statements. CharityWatch contacted AJC on March 24, 2026, via email and U.S. mail with questions about its financial reporting for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. CharityWatch requested a general breakout of services rendered in relation to the $24,236,105 of reported Other Professional Fees (line 11g) allocated to program expense. Specifically, CharityWatch asked for: - The types of services provided (e.g., legal, communications, research, consulting, IT, fundraising campaign support, etc.)
- The approximate dollar amounts allocated to each service category
- Whether any payments were made to professional fundraising companies or third-party development vendors, even if not reported under “Professional Fundraising Services”
- An indication of whether any of these expenses included any joint costs or fundraising components
Additionally, CharityWatch requested a general breakout of services rendered in relation to the $6,950,000, $4,624,091, and $3,446,650 paid to "Talbot Digital LLC," "Attn: Inc.," and "Global Strategy Group," respectively, for "Media Communications" per IRS Form 990, Part VII, Section B (Independent Contractors). Specifically, CharityWatch asked for: - The types of services provided (e.g., legal, communications, research, consulting, IT, fundraising campaign support, etc.) along with approximate dollar amounts allocated to each service category
- A breakout displaying how this amount was allocated across functional expense categories in IRS Form 990, Part IX, Statement of Functional Expenses
- Whether any payments were made to professional fundraising companies or third-party development vendors, even if not reported under “Professional Fundraising Services”
- An indication of whether any of these expenses included any joint costs or fundraising components
- Please define how "Media Communications" is being used in this context
Lastly, CharityWatch requested a general breakout of services rendered in relation to the $7,853,745 of reported "Conferences, conventions, and meetings" (line 19) allocated to program expense per IRS Form 990, Part IX, Statement of Functional Expenses. Specifically, CharityWatch asked for: - The types of services provided (e.g., legal, communications, research, consulting, IT, fundraising campaign support, etc.)
- The approximate dollar amounts allocated to each service category
- Whether any payments were made to professional fundraising companies or third-party development vendors, even if not reported under “Professional Fundraising Services”
- An indication of whether any of these expenses included any joint costs or fundraising components
As of the date of this note, April 13, 2026, we have not yet received a response. If AJC provides an adequate response to the above questions in the future, CharityWatch may update AJC's fiscal 2024 rating at that time. CharityWatch's most recent letter grade rating of AJC was a "B+" on our "A+" to "F" rating scale based on our analysis of its fiscal 2021 IRS Form 990 and consolidated audited financial statements. |
