Mission: The Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) was founded in 1988 in response to a devastating earthquake. FAR provides short-term emergency relief and implements long-term pro ... (More)
Fund for Armenian Relief is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1993, and donations are tax-deductible.
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Important note on the timeliness of ratings
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Financial and Accountability & Transparency score for Fund for Armenian Relief is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
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Star Rating System by Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator evaluates a nonprofit organization’s financial health including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability. We also track accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization.
Exceptional
This charity's score is 94.75, earning it a 4-Star rating. Donors can "Give with Confidence" to this charity.
This score is calculated from two sub-scores:
Finance: 93.75 View details
Accountability & Transparency: 96.00 View details
This score represents Form 990 data from 2019, the latest year published by the IRS.
View this organization’s historical ratings.
Star Rated Report
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Program Expense Ratio
86.3%
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expenses
8.3%
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expenses
5.3%
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Liabilities to Assets Ratio
0.8%
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency
$0.04
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio
3.03 years
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth
2.75%
We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
Governance
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Governance: | |
|---|---|
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) | |
| Compensates Board ... (More) |
Policies
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Policies: | |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) |
Transparency
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Transparency: | |
|---|---|
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Audited Financial Statements on Website ... (More) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) |
Additional Information
Unscored
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Total Revenue and Expenses
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Garnik Nanagoulian, Executive Director
$134,751 (2.72% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Business Master File Data
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Domestic organization with activities outside U.S. (BMF activity code: 910)
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
Data Sources: IRS Forms 990
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to view this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available).
Pandemic Response
Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Fund for Armenian Relief reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Revenue
Administrative Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
As all in-person fundraising activities had to be cancelled, this had its negative impact n the revenue generation. More, because of the stock markets poor performance, we lost the value of some of our endowments
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Some of our programs had to be completely restructured, like soup kitchens, child malnutrition programs, continuing medical education, etc...For example, to continue feeding our patrons in the 5 soup kitchens, we had to deliver meals to the residences of the patrons, as they could not come t dine at the sup kitchen premises.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
In the case of soup kitchens (see in the previous segment), for example, we commissioned many volunteers from other FAR programs, mainly - from the body of students who are FAR scholars - to deliver meals to the elderly in their residences. In the case of all our training and civic education programs, for example, we had to move them on-line, which required additional efforts to equip the beneficiaries with tablets, secure access to internet using public facilities, etc...etc...
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Training and civic education programs will continue to be delivered in hybrid modes, as it proved to be effective. Many of the meetings with donors, beneficiaries, even Board members - are tp be moved to the Zoom format, as it turned out to be time saving and efficient. However, we are careful in combining in-person and on-line options adequate to the needs - in some cases, like meeting with our major donors, there is no substitution to in-person meeting.
Historical Ratings
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 2/1/2022 | 2019 | 94.75 | |
| 3/1/2021 | 2019 | 92.82 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 7/1/2020 | 2018 | 90.94 | |
| 6/1/2020 | 2018 | 89.48 |  |
| 4/1/2020 | 2018 | 87.25 | |
| 12/21/2018 | 2017 | 88.89 | |
| 4/1/2018 | 2016 | 89.39 | |
| 2/1/2017 | 2015 | 89.39 | |
| 6/1/2016 | 2014 | 89.39 | |
| Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
| 2/1/2016 | 2014 | 89.35 | |
| 6/1/2015 | 2013 | 85.46 | |
| 12/20/2013 | 2012 | 86.51 | |
| 3/1/2013 | 2011 | 80.84 | |
| 4/1/2012 | 2010 | 81.06 | |
| 9/20/2011 | 2009 | 80.85 | |
| Rating Version: 1.0 | |||
| 2/1/2011 | 2009 | 75.26 |  |
| 5/1/2010 | 2008 | 78.65 | |
| 12/17/2008 | 2007 | 88.12 | |
| 2/1/2008 | 2006 | 93.06 | |
| 2/1/2007 | 2005 | 93.21 | |
| 10/1/2005 | 2004 | 76.65 | |
| 1/5/2005 | 2003 | 63.09 |  |
| 6/1/2004 | 2002 | 71.99 | |
| 2/5/2003 | 2001 | 71.26 | |
Previous: Finance & Accountability / Next: Leadership & Adaptability
Impact & Results
This score estimates the actual impact a nonprofit has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Impact & Results Score
Not Currently Scored
Fund for Armenian Relief cannot currently be evaluated by our Encompass Rating Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Do you work at Fund for Armenian Relief? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
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Largest Programs
Fund for Armenian Relief reported its three largest programs on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
$1,875,991
Spent in most recent FY
42%
Percent of program expenses
Humanitarian Programs
$1,334,560
Spent in most recent FY
30%
Percent of program expenses
Social and Educational Programs
$1,072,889
Spent in most recent FY
24%
Percent of program expenses
Agriculture and Economic Development
Previous: Impact & Results / Next: Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
This score provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Leadership & Adaptability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by Fund for Armenian Relief is a passing score. This score has no effect on the organization's Star Rating.
Encompass Rating V4 provides an evaluation of the organization's Leadership & Adaptability through the nonprofit organization submitting a survey response directly to Charity Navigator.
Leadership & Adaptability Report
100
of 100 points
Mission
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s mission
FAR is dedicated to honoring the past, empowering the present, and ensuring the future for people in Armenia and Artsakh. Transforming lives, FAR gives hope, guidance, opportunity and empowerment to people in need, so that they become active citizens of a free, independent and democratic nation.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Developing an equitable, sustainable, and resilient Armenian homeland, where people are thriving. They are leading dignified lives with universal access to opportunities to realize their full potential through education, healthcare and decent work. They are proud members of a progressive nation making indispensable contributions to the betterment of their local communities and the world at large.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Youth empowerment through education
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Two: Improving health and well-being of citizens
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Three: Develop skilled labor for growth industries, using modern technologies, sustainable practices and strategic partnerships
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
1. monthly leadership training provided to FAR employees by a specialized NGO - FocalChange 2. invested in continuing education of key FAR project managers (paid webinars, and in-person course in Europe and USA) 3.Monthly on-line staff meetings dedicated to leadership skills development 4. Annually - leadership skills performance evaluation, in conjunction with a general performance evaluation 5. Each PM is assigned to a group of volunteers delivering elements of civic education and leadership skills development 6.Selected PM participated in international conferences sharing their experience with colleagues from NGOs 7. Conducted multiple public outdoor fundraising activities engaging volunteers and local communities, beneficiaries themselves
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Mobilizing for Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Strategic Partnerships
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
FAR is partnering with other NGOs (like Armenia Tree Project, Focus in Children, UNICEF, Paros, Armenian Agrarian Academy, Associations of Healthcare professionals, etc...etc..) to support community engagement in sustainable practices, reaching out to people in need, children at risk, etc... FAR is a leader in advocating for children's rights together with the network of child protection organizations, through social media, seminars and conferences, TV presentation etc... FAR is partnering with local schools and municipalities to support developing youth actions in support of critical problems that their communities and parishes are facing.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Story of Adaptability
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
All in-service activities in child protection have operated in the same way, even though the external conditions worsened dramatically due to COVID-19 pandemic and a war in Artsakh. Of course additional measures were implemented to ensure the safety of the staff and children. Our Child Protection Center, for example, had to resort to alternative ways to offer services to children through Skype/Zoom and other online communication platforms. However, this was challenging especially in case of domestic abuses/violence and the need for protection. In the meantime, we were able to mobilize a team of volunteer social workers who supported our children and displaced families at the most critical time. While implementing social services programs (support to parentless children and their guardians, families of fallen soldiers, soup kitchens, Old Age Home, combatting child malnutrition, etc..), we expanded our cooperation with local authorities, churches, volunteers, as well as beneficiaries themselves. Overall, in this new unfavorable environment, FAR was able to rapidly learn and develop alternative structures and tools to make sure most of our projects’ continuity. At out Gyumri IT Center, we have developed an on-line course for yoing people at the hospitality sector, who were at the highest risk to lose their jobs, so that they could learn basic IT elements and consider shifting to the other industry. Our healthcare sector modified its traditional continuing medical education to include rapid distribution of newly acquired knowledge on COVID to all doctors in the remote rural areas.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Additional Information
Unscored
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Organization Leadership
Garnik A. Nanagoulian
Executive Director
Daniel Findikyan
Chairman
Previous: Leadership & Adaptability
Culture & Community
This score provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves. Learn more about how and why we rate Culture & Community.
Culture & Community Score
Not Currently Scored
Fund for Armenian Relief is currently not eligible for a Culture & Community score because we have not received its Constituent Feedback or Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion data. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the How We Listen and Equity Practices sections of their Candid profile.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Culture & Community Report
Unscored
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
This organization has not provided information regarding the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective DEI policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Methodology
We are utilizing data collected by Candid to document and assess the DEI practices implemented by the organization. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the Equity Strategies section of their Candid profiles to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Constituent Feedback
Constituent Feedback and Listening Practice data are not available for this organization. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Methodology
We've partnered with Candid to survey organizations about their feedback practices. Nonprofit organizations can fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Analysis and Research
Like the overall Encompass Rating System, the Culture & Community Beacon is designed to evolve as metrics are developed and ready for integration. Below you can find more information about the metrics we currently evaluate in this beacon and their relevance to nonprofit performance.
Constituent Feedback
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
