irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $13.73MFOR OVER 100 YEARS, FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS BEEN THE LEADING FORUM FOR SERIOUS DISCUSSION OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS. IT IS NOW A MULTIPLATFORM MEDIA ORGANIZATION WITH A PRINT MAGAZINE, A WEBSITE, A MOBILE SITE, A PODCAST, APPS AND SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS. THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS STAYED TRUE TO ITS MISSION PUBLISHED IN THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE IN 1922: "FOREIGN AFFAIRS WILL DEAL WITH QUESTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL INTEREST TODAY. THEY WILL COVER A BROAD RANGE OF SUBJECTS, NOT ONLY POLITICAL BUT HISTORICAL AND ECONOMIC. IN PURSUANCE OF ITS IDEALS FOREIGN AFFAIRS WILL NOT DEVOTE ITSELF TO THE SUPPORT OF ANY ONE CAUSE, HOWEVER WORTHY. LIKE THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS FROM WHICH IT HAS SPRUNG IT WILL TOLERATE WIDE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) ITS ARTICLES WILL NOT REPRESENT ANY CONSENSUS OF BELIEFS. WHAT IS DEMANDED OF THEM IS THAT THEY SHALL BE COMPETENT AND WELL INFORMED, REPRESENTING HONEST OPINIONS SERIOUSLY HELD AND CONVINCINGLY EXPRESSED."
- #2 $11.97MPRODUCT, DESIGN, AND ENGINEERING (PDE) DESIGNS, DEVELOPS, AND MAINTAINS PRODUCTS THAT SERVE THE COUNCIL'S MISSION TO IMPART A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AMONG ITS MEMBERS AND OTHER INTERESTED CITIZENS. WE COLLABORATE WITH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNCIL TO SET AND EXECUTE THE DIGITAL VISION FOR CFR.ORG, AS WELL AS A MEMBER SERVICES PORTAL. WE ARE COMMITTED TO USER-CENTRICITY IN OUR APPROACH, ITERATION IN OUR IMPLEMENTATION, AND STABILITY IN OUR SITES AND SERVICES. CFR.ORG CONTINUES TO BE A LEADING SOURCE OF TIMELY ANALYSIS ON CRITICAL FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES. THE WEBSITE'S MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS INCLUDE INCLUDE THE GLOBAL CONFLICT TRACKER (GCT), AN NTERACTIVE DASHBOARD CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CENTER FOR PREVENTIVE ACTION, WHICH TRACKS AND ANALYZES ARMED CONFLICTS (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) AROUND THE WORLD IN REAL TIME, AND CFR BACKGROUNDERS, WHICH PROVIDE AUTHORITATIVE, ACCESSIBLE, AND REGULARLY UPDATED PRIMERS ON HUNDREDS OF FOREIGN POLICY TOPICS.
named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Climate Realism Initiative
Convenes experts and produces research on practical challenges in climate and energy policy, including the financing gap for energy innovation known as the "missing middle"
Missing Middle Workshop
Expert workshop series examining barriers to scaling emerging energy technologies, held under Chatham House rules to enable candid discussion among investors, policymakers, and industry leaders
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Leadership & Policy Dialogue Forums 1 activity
- Hosts expert forums, workshops, and symposia on international policy challengesConvenes policymakers, experts, and industry leaders for off-the-record discussions on critical global issues such as energy innovation financing, pharmaceutical supply chain resilience, and geopolitical developments. Includes bipartisan study groups and Chatham House rule events to foster candid dialogue.
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Conflict and Geopolitical Research Analysis 1 activity
- Produces in-depth research and analysis on U.S. and global foreign policy issuesConducts original research, data analysis, and policy-relevant studies on international affairs, including U.S. foreign policy history, Iran's political structure, pharmaceutical and critical minerals supply chains, and peace processes such as Colombia’s 2016 Peace Accords. Publishes findings in reports, case studies, and policy recommendations.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produces multimedia content to analyze and explain global affairsCreates podcast series—including one on 250 years of American foreign policy and another titled "The Spillover"—as well as videos and special multimedia projects to explore geopolitical, economic, and diplomatic issues for public and expert audiences.
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Academic Journal and Scholarly Publication 1 activity
- Publishes Foreign Affairs magazine and other public-facing foreign policy contentProduces and distributes Foreign Affairs magazine since 1922 as a forum for serious discussion of international relations and U.S. foreign policy. Also publishes essay collections and maintains public websites with educational content on major policy topics.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Advocates for strategic U.S. foreign policy engagement to counter Russian influenceRecommends and promotes a policy of “creeping independence” to support Belarusian autonomy and reduce Russian leverage, including gradual normalization of U.S.-Belarus relations without provoking annexation. Also conducts outreach to Central Asian nations to limit Russia’s reach in the former Soviet space.
- Supports U.S. policy engagement in Latin America, particularly Colombia’s peace processAdvocates for sustained U.S. involvement in Colombia, including past support for Plan Colombia and the 2016 Peace Accords with the FARC. Monitors post-accord implementation and reintegration of former combatants, citing third-party verification research to inform policy.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$99.08M
Contributions & grants$54.02M55%
Program service revenue$24.36M25%
Investment income$19.22M19%
Other revenue$1.48M
expenses
Total expenses$104.18M
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$58.21M
Grants paid out$2.07M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$816.71M
Cash$86.51M
Investments$639.26M
Liabilities$61.96M
Net assets$754.76M
Liquid reserves83.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +25.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 22
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL FROMAN | PRESIDENT | 35 | $1.42M |
| GIOVANNA M BAN | CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | 35 | $661K |
| DANIEL A KURTZ-PHELAN | EDITOR | 35 | $653K |
| JAMES M LINDSAY | SR. VP & DIR OF STUDIES (THRU 06/25) | 35 | $569K |
| IVA ZORIC THRU 1024 | VP, GLOBAL COM & MEDIA RELATIONS | 35 | $540K |
| SUZANNE E HELM THRU 1124 | VP, PHILANTHROPY & RELATION | 35 | $516K |
| SHANNON O'NEIL | SENIOR VP, DIRECTOR OF STUDIES | 35 | $493K |
| JAN MOWDER HUGHES | VP & CHIEF HR OFFICER (THRU 09/24) | 35 | $431K |
| MIRIAM S HIGGINS | GENERAL COUNSEL | 35 | $430K |
| NANCY D BODURTHA | VP, MEETINGS & MEMBERSHIP | 35 | $430K |
| IRINA FASKIANOS | VP, NATIONAL PROGRAM & OUTREACH | 35 | $429K |
| CAROLINE NETCHVOLODOFF | VP, EDUCATION | 35 | $408K |
| STEPHANIE SOLOMON | VP, CHIEF REV OFF., FOREIGN AFFAIRS | 35 | $406K |
| JENNIFER PEREZ | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & TREASURER | 35 | $397K |
| MATTHEW GOODMAN | DISTING. FELLOW/DIR. OF REALECON | 35 | $369K |
| STEVEN BENNETT | EXEC. VP & CHIEF ADMIN. OFFICER | 35 | $357K |
| FRANK ALVAREZ - MANAGING | DIR., FACILITY, EVENT, & SECURITY MGMT | 35 | $349K |
| CHRISTOPHER TUTTLE | SENIOR FELLOW/DEPUTY DIR. OF STUDIES | 35 | $330K |
| MILLIE TRAN | VP & CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER | 35 | $241K |
| JEFFREY A REINKE | FORMER SECRETARY | 0 | $221K |
| LAYLA NAFICY AS OF 0924 | CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER | 35 | $85K |
| BEN CHANG AS OF 112024 | VP, GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS | 35 | $32K |
board members · 2
- AFSANEH MASHAYEKHI BESCHLOSS — DIRECTOR
- AMY ZEGART — DIRECTOR
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Funder — Provided support for the Council on Foreign Relations’ Climate Realism Initiative workshop on the missing middle in energy financing.
- Arab Gulf States Institute Partner — Shares expertise with nonresident fellows from the Arab Gulf States Institute
- CFR study group Coalition — Bipartisan study group convened by CFR to inform analysis on pharmaceutical supply chain vulnerabilities
- Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University Partner — Collaborates with senior research scholars from Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy
- Clean Economy Project Partner — Engaged with the Council on Foreign Relations through workshop participation, offering perspectives on regional collaboration to scale clean energy companies.
- EFI Foundation Partner — Participated in the Council on Foreign Relations’ workshop and contributed an essay on demand-side policy solutions to bridge the missing middle in energy financing.
- Foreign Affairs Network — Magazine published by the Council on Foreign Relations since 1922.
- National Energy Dominance Council Partner — Identified as the coordinating body for advancing federal critical minerals policy under the Trump administration.
- RMI Partner — Collaborated with the Council on Foreign Relations through workshop participation, contributing regional economic development strategies for energy innovation.
- Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Partner — Collaborated with SHAFR members to conduct a survey on best and worst U.S. foreign policy decisions.
- Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Partner — Collaborates with the Society to assess best and worst U.S. foreign policy decisions
- State Department Office of Sports Diplomacy Government — Acknowledged collaboration with the State Department Office of Sports Diplomacy in advancing sports diplomacy initiatives.
- Telemundo Partner — Collaborated with Telemundo, the Spanish-language broadcast partner for the FIFA World Cup, in hosting a Council on Foreign Relations event.
- Teneo Partner — Engages Middle East advisors from Teneo in policy discussions
- Trump administration Government — Collaborates with the Council on Foreign Relations in shaping U.S. foreign policy toward Belarus
- U.S. Soccer Foundation Partner — Recognized the U.S. Soccer Foundation as a partner organization during a Council on Foreign Relations event on soccer and global engagement.
- U.S. policymakers Government — Primary audience for the Council on Foreign Relations' analysis and recommendations on Iran's leadership transition.
- UN Verification Mission in Colombia Government — References data and findings from the UN Verification Mission regarding the reintegration of former combatants in Colombia.
- University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Partner — Cites research and monitoring data from the Kroc Institute on the implementation of the 2016 Peace Accords in Colombia.
- Washington Spirit Partner — Featured the Washington Spirit, a National Women’s Soccer League team, in a panel discussion on soccer’s role in global engagement.
- West Point Partner — Collaborates with the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point on counterterrorism issues
- White House Task Force on the World Cup Partner — Co-hosted an event with the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup to discuss the global implications of the upcoming tournament.
strategies · 5
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.
- Expert Convening Under Chatham House Rulesmethodology: chatham_house_dialogueBy convening diverse experts in confidential, off-the-record settings, the organization enables candid dialogue that generates novel insights on complex international issues, leading to more informed and actionable policy recommendations because open discussion among competitors and officials is otherwise constrained.
- Regional Stability via Diplomatic and Peacebuilding Engagementmethodology: diplomatic-engagement-for-peaceBy advocating early diplomatic engagement and support for peace agreements, the organization seeks to prevent conflict recurrence and regional destabilization because stabilizing key states like Colombia creates positive spillover effects that contain crises such as those in Venezuela.
- Sports Diplomacy for People-to-People Engagementmethodology: sports_diplomacyBy leveraging globally resonant cultural platforms like soccer, the organization enables informal diplomacy that transcends state boundaries and fosters mutual understanding because shared cultural experiences can build trust where formal diplomacy is constrained.
- Strategic Foresight and Incremental Policy Influencemethodology: strategic_foresight_and_policy_preparednessBy analyzing historical patterns and advocating for gradual, non-provocative policy shifts—such as "creeping independence" or pre-emptive engagement during leadership transitions—the organization seeks to shape long-term geopolitical outcomes by avoiding escalation while enabling systemic change because incremental actions are less likely to trigger backlash than direct confrontation.
- Supply Chain Resilience Through Innovation and Substitutionmethodology: innovation-leapfroggingBy promoting innovation-driven alternatives—such as materials substitution, waste-to-resource recovery, and leapfrogging technologies—the organization aims to reduce strategic dependencies on adversarial nations in critical supply chains because bypassing reliance is more sustainable and less vulnerable than direct competition in resource extraction.