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COMITAS INST FOR ANTHROP STUDY INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 320078139 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE V05 · Social Science · Small ($100K-$1M)
revenue
$401K
expenses
$187K
net assets
$2.2M
employees
1
volunteers
8
program ratio
61%
mission · from form 990

Based at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, where Lambros Comitas taught for over 50 years, The Comitas Institute has a collaborative mission: (1) to train and prepare researchers in the use of ethnographic field methods, (2) to recognize and support research and applied projects that advance the Institutes vision, and (3) to curate and offer access to the rich body of ethnographic research created by its founder, his colleagues and students. All these objectives endeavor collectively to advance and expand the public face of anthropology.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Comitas Institute for Anthropological Study, based at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, advances public anthropology through training researchers in ethnographic methods, supporting applied research projects, and curating ethnographic work by its founder and associates. It collaborates with the Society for Applied Anthropology to recognize scholarship addressing contemporary social issues and is enhancing its public outreach through website development and communications initiatives.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $35K
    COMITAS INSTITUTE AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY:The Institute and its collaborating partner, the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA), invited applications from scholars and practitioners whose work demonstrated relevance to contemporary social problems and was designed to reach public audiences. This was the first year that the Awards Program was implemented. Three awards of $3,000 each were made. The Executive Director devoted significant time to the application process, the review of applications, and the selection process by a joint committee with two SfAA representatuves.
  2. #2 $21K
    COMMUNICATIONS, OUTREACH, AND NETWORKING:The Institute formed a Communications Committee and a Networking Committee, both comprising members of its Board of Directors, with staff support provided by the Executive Director. Both Committees provided input to the redesign and enhancement of the cifas.us website, and work on this project by an outside specialist was planned and scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.
named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Comitas Institute Awards
Annual awards program in collaboration with the Society for Applied Anthropology recognizing scholars and practitioners whose work addresses contemporary social problems and reaches public audiences; three $3,000 awards were granted in the reported year.
Communications, Outreach, and Networking
Initiative to enhance public engagement through a redesigned website, supported by a Communications Committee and Networking Committee of the Board, with external specialist input planned for 2026.
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
    • Awarding grants to scholars and practitioners
      Awards grants to scholars and practitioners whose work addresses contemporary social problems and reaches public audiences. In the reporting period, awarded three grants of $3,000 each.
  • Digital Infrastructure Development 1 activity
    • Building organizational capacity through committee development
      Established internal Communications and Networking Committees to guide the redesign and enhancement of the organization's website, improving its public engagement and information-sharing capabilities.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$401K
Contributions & grants$301K75%
Program service revenue$28K7%
Investment income$73K18%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$187K
Program expenses61%
Admin / overhead39%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$104K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.19M
Cash$153K
Investments$2.04M
Liabilities$151
Net assets$2.19M
Liquid reserves140.9 mo
7 years on record · 2019–2025 · YoY revenue +671.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 8
  • ALBERT BARCLAY PHD — Vice President
  • AMINA TAWASIL PHD — Director
  • ELLEN SCHNEPEL PHD — Director
  • JAKE HOMIAK PHD — Secretary
  • KENNETH BROAD PHD — Director
  • KIRAN JAYARAM PHD — Director
  • MELANIE DREHER PHD — President & SEC
  • RENZO TADDEI PHD — Director
relationships · 1

Who they work with

  • Society for Applied Anthropology Partner — Collaborates with SfAA on an awards program recognizing applied anthropological work relevant to contemporary social problems.
strategies · 1

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Research Training and Curation
    methodology: research-training-and-curation
    By training researchers in ethnographic methods and supporting applied research, COMITAS advances anthropology because building methodological capacity and preserving access to research collections strengthens the field’s scholarly and practical impact.