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COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS OF NEW YORK

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 113450777 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE R30 · Civil Rights & Advocacy · Small ($100K-$1M) · cair-ny.org
revenue
$978K
expenses
$823K
net assets
$1.2M
employees
13
volunteers
20
program ratio
70%
mission · from form 990

THROUGH LEGAL ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, MEDIA RELATIONS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND GRASSROOTS MOBILZATION, CAIR-NY EMPOWERS THE AMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Council on American-Islamic Relations of New York (CAIR-NY) is a civil rights organization that defends the rights of American Muslims through legal advocacy, public education, media engagement, and community mobilization. It responds to incidents of anti-Muslim discrimination, hate crimes, and bigotry, while promoting civic engagement and interfaith solidarity across New York State.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety
Resource guide providing security recommendations for mosques and religious institutions to prevent and respond to threats and attacks.
Muslim Voter Project
Initiative aimed at increasing civic engagement and voter participation among American Muslims in New York.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Anti-Hate Incident Response & Support 4 activities
    • Advocacy against Islamophobia and hate incidents
      Responds to hate crimes and threats through public statements, calls for investigations, and collaboration with law enforcement, including incidents targeting mosques, community leaders, and public officials.
    • Legal advocacy and representation for Muslim New Yorkers
      Provides legal advocacy, defense, and civil rights protection for Muslims in New York who have experienced discrimination, harassment, and hate crimes.
    • Monitoring and reporting anti-Muslim bias
      Documents and publishes civil rights reports on anti-Muslim incidents, including 8,683 bias complaints in 2025.
    • Reward programs for hate crime investigations
      Offers monetary rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals responsible for anti-Muslim threats and attacks, such as the Queens bus incident.
  • Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 1 activity
    • Advocacy on U.S.-Israel policy and foreign officials
      Calls for U.S. authorities to bar or sanction Israeli officials, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, over statements and policies deemed discriminatory or inciting violence.
  • Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
    • Education and outreach on Islam and civil rights
      Conducts educational workshops and publishes materials, including a safety guide for religious facilities, to inform New Yorkers about Islam, civil rights, and community safety.
  • Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
    • Policy advocacy and civic engagement
      Advocates for fair legislation, promotes civic participation among American Muslims, and engages in media relations to shape public discourse on civil rights.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Media accountability campaigns
      Condemns media figures and outlets for racist or anti-Muslim remarks and calls for disciplinary action, including removal of radio hosts from broadcast platforms.
    • Public campaigns against anti-Palestinian rhetoric
      Condemns public figures and media for denying Palestinian existence or mocking Palestinian suffering, and calls for accountability, retractions, and institutional action.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$978K
Contributions & grants$991K101%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$-14K
expenses
Total expenses$823K
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising16%
Salaries & benefits$662K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.33M
Cash$1.30M
Investments$0
Liabilities$166K
Net assets$1.16M
Liquid reserves18.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +17.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
AFAF NASHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $87K
board members · 10
  • AFSHAN KHWAJA — PRESIDENT
  • IBAD WALI — BOARD MEMBER
  • IBRAHIM R MOSSALLAM — BOARD MEMBER
  • ISHAN KHWAJA — TREASURER
  • MASUM ALI — BOARD MEMBER
  • MELANIE ELTURK — BOARD MEMBER
  • NASIR MAHMOOD — BOARD MEMBER
  • OMAR JAMAL — BOARD MEMBER
  • SAHAR ALSAHLANI — BOARD MEMBER
  • ZEAD RAMADAN — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • CAIR Network — State chapter of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
  • CAIR Partner — CAIR-NY is a chapter of CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations Network — CAIR-NY is a chapter of the national CAIR organization, part of a network of 35 affiliates.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations Network — CAIR-NY is a chapter of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations Network — CAIR-NY is a chapter of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations Network — CAIR-NY is a chapter of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations Network — CAIR-NY is the New York chapter of the national CAIR organization.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations Network — CAIR-NY operates as the New York chapter of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations, issuing joint statements and aligning advocacy efforts.
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Network — CAIR-NY is a chapter of the national CAIR organization, participating in its civil rights reporting and advocacy efforts.
  • NYPD Partner — Engages with the New York Police Department in the context of honoring Muslim officers and promoting inclusion within public service institutions.
  • NYPD Hate Crime Task Force Government — Collaborates with CAIR-NY by investigating anti-Muslim incidents as suspected bias crimes.
  • NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force Government — CAIR-NY collaborates with and supports investigations conducted by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force regarding bias-motivated incidents.
  • New York City Police Department Partner — Collaborates with law enforcement on mosque safety and threat response, including reporting and investigation of hate threats.
  • New York Police Department Government — Collaborates with NYPD by urging public cooperation in hate crimes investigations and calling for protective measures for Muslim communities.
  • Sunnyside Muslim Center Partner — Stands in solidarity with and supports the mosque following a violent threat, coordinating public response and safety advocacy.
strategies · 4

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.

  • First-Line Civil Rights Defense
    methodology: first-line-defense
    By serving as a first line of defense for Muslims facing discrimination, the organization ensures immediate protection and legal support because timely intervention prevents escalation, empowers victims, and signals institutional accountability.
  • Identity Affirmation as Resistance to Dehumanization
    methodology: affirmative-identity-advocacy
    By affirming Palestinian identity, history, and rights as non-negotiable facts, the organization counters dehumanizing narratives because recognition of historical and cultural existence undermines erasure and builds psychological resilience in targeted communities.
  • Integrated Civil Rights Advocacy
    methodology: civil-rights-advocacy
    By combining legal advocacy, education, media engagement, and grassroots mobilization, the organization counters Islamophobia and protects civil rights because a multi-institutional approach amplifies impact, reaches diverse audiences, and creates systemic pressure for change.
  • Public Condemnation and Solidarity as Dehumanization Counter
    methodology: public_condemnation_and_solidarity
    By publicly condemning anti-Muslim hate and expressing interfaith or community solidarity, the organization counters the dehumanization of Muslim communities because visible moral rejection of bigotry reinforces social belonging and deters normalization of hate.