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Top Rated

HIAS

CharityWatch report issued
May 2023

Top-Rated Charity
A
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
84%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$6
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

HIAS
1300 Spring Street
Suite 500
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Other Names

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.hias.org

Stated Mission

International Jewish nonprofit that stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity. Provides vital services to refugees & asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 12/31/2021

Program Percentage: 84%

The percentage of HIAS's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$102,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $6

How many dollars HIAS spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$80,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

25% to 49%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
HIAS IRS Form 990 13-5633307
HIAS Audited Consolidated Financial Statements multiple
Entity: HIAS
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 13-5633307
Entity: HIAS
Document Type: Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Tax ID: multiple

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
HIAS
meets governance benchmarks.
 
HIAS
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy

  Name Title Compensation
1 Mark Hetfield President/CEO $343,781
2 Farhan Irshad Chief Finance & Innovation Officer $256,142
3 Melanie Nezer Senior VP, Public Affairs $232,913
1
Name: Mark Hetfield
Title: President/CEO
Compensation: $343,781
2
Name: Farhan Irshad
Title: Chief Finance & Innovation Officer
Compensation: $256,142
3
Name: Melanie Nezer
Title: Senior VP, Public Affairs
Compensation: $232,913

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch's rating of HIAS includes the financial activities of the HIAS U.S. headquarters, foreign branch offices, and foreign legal subsidiaries that are consolidated in the HIAS audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in the audit consolidation.


According to the HIAS consolidated audit of December 31, 2021 (Note 1, Organization):

"HIAS operates in the United States, Asia, Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Europe. The [audited] consolidated financial statements of HIAS included certain related entities in these geographical locations."

According to the HIAS consolidated audit of December 31, 2021 (Note 2 re: Governmental and Operating Grants and Contributions), HIAS received in-kind contributed legal services in 2021 on which it placed a total value of $590,876.

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to the HIAS consolidated audit of December 31, 2021 (Note 9, Concentration Risk):

"The most significant source of HIAS's revenue are grants from the U.S. Government. In 2021, HIAS received $36,935,679 and $3,921,471 from the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, respectively, accounting for approximately 30% and 3%, respectively, of total revenues and other support."

According to the HIAS consolidated audit of December 31, 2021 (Note 2 re: Investments):

"Investments are stated at quoted market values or values provided by the respective fund manager or general partner as of the measurement date. ... Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, credit and overall market volatility changes. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and such changes could materially affect the amounts reported on the accompanying [audited] consolidated financial statements."


According to the HIAS consolidated audit of December 31, 2021 (Note 2 re: Venezuela – Foreign Currency and Inflation):

"HIAS has been adversely impacted by developments in Venezuela, including the significant devaluation of the Venezuelan Bolivar that have occurred in recent years, hyperinflation and restrictive exchange control regulations which reduced access to U.S. dollars through the official currency exchange mechanisms.

"For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, there was no official currency exchanges in Venezuela and the available exchange information available did not account for inflation. The exchange rate used in translating the local currency to U.S. dollars are the actual rates HIAS received on the exchanges."

According to the HIAS consolidated audit of December 31, 2021 (Note 15, Risks and Uncertainties):

"On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a global health emergency because of a new strain of coronavirus... In March 2020, the WHO classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic...

"The full impact of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve as of the date of this report [July 14, 2022]. As such, it is uncertain as to the full magnitude that the pandemic will have on HIAS's financial condition, liquidity, and delivery of operations. Management is actively monitoring the effect of this pandemic on its operations globally and its effects on refugees, financial condition, and workforce. Given the daily evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak and the global responses to curb its spread, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact the Organization's future consolidated financial position and changes in net assets and cash flows is uncertain."

According to the HIAS 2021 tax filing, HIAS reports re: Compensation, Supplemental Information (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part III):

Regarding nonfixed payments to officers, directors, trustees, key employees and highest compensated employees (Schedule J, Part I, line 7):

"In calendar year 2021, HIAS provided bonuses to various individuals reported on the Form 990 upon meeting certain objective performance-based criteria as outlined in the Organization's compensation policy."


HIAS reports "Bonus & incentive compensation" payments to three individuals, each in the amount of $1,200, in 2021. The reported total compensation for those three individuals in 2021 ranges from $343,781 to $167,233 (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part II).


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