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Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations reported $99.1 million in revenue and $104.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $74.45 went to program services, $20.13 to management and general costs and $5.42 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 54.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,421,343 (PRESIDENT). 159 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 21% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $104MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $99MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 74.5% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.1% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.4% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 54.5% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 24.6% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,421,343 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.36% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 159 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 86.9 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 35 of 36 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe david rockefeller studies program: cfr's think tank analyzes pressing global challenges and offers actionable steps that policymakers and citizens can take to address them. The more than seventy full-time and adjunct fellows in studies cover all the world's major regions and significant foreign policy issues. In addition to producing books, articles, op-eds, blogs, podcasts, and interactives, the studies program administers eleven fellowship programs. Cfr strives to maintain robust diversity of viewpoints among its scholars and fellows. Cfr takes no institutional positions on matters of…
For 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…
Product, 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…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $1,352,711 | $0 | $68,632 | $1,421,343 |
| CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $588,095 | $0 | $72,694 | $660,789 |
| EDITOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $459,465 | $0 | $193,310 | $652,775 |
| SR. VP & DIR OF STUDIES (THRU 06/25) Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $496,081 | $0 | $72,694 | $568,775 |
| VP, GLOBAL COM & MEDIA RELATIONS Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $487,953 | $0 | $52,030 | $539,983 |
| VP, PHILANTHROPY & RELATION Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $454,584 | $0 | $61,645 | $516,229 |
| SENIOR VP, DIRECTOR OF STUDIES Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $421,358 | $0 | $71,723 | $493,081 |
| VP & CHIEF HR OFFICER (THRU 09/24) Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $381,197 | $0 | $50,193 | $431,390 |
159 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Council on Foreign Relations (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $7.0M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b36 · 35 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 51,046
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| APPNOVATION USA INC Website development | $1,643,401 |
| KALON EVENT FOOD DESIGN Catering services | $959,925 |
| SUNSTATES SECURITY Security personnel | $660,035 |
| SUSAN GAGE CATERERS Catering services | $615,691 |
| CLARITY INNOVATIONS Website development | $445,400 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 20 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
135 private foundations reported grants to Council on Foreign Relations totaling $29M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Council on Foreign Relations's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Council on Foreign Relations, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Council on Foreign Relations spent in FY2025, $74.45 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Halo Trust (USA)Washington, DC · revenue $97M · programs 96.7% · FY2025
- American Friends of Hebrew UniversityNew York, NY · revenue $100M · programs 84.1% · FY2025
- Central Fund of IsraelCedarhurst, NY · revenue $97M · programs 99.7% · FY2025
- Operation SmileVirginia Beach, VA · revenue $100M · programs 63.5% · FY2025
- United States Association for UNHCRWashington, DC · revenue $96M · programs 66.3% · 2025
All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Council on Foreign Relations's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Council on Foreign Relations reported that 74.5% of its $104.2 million in expenses went to program services, 20.1% to management and general and 5.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Council on Foreign Relations pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Council on Foreign Relations reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $1,421,343, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Council on Foreign Relations get its money?
Of $99.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 54.5% came from contributions and grants and 24.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Council on Foreign Relations a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-1628168 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202630759349300968 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510709349301901 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202430169349300598 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202320239349301607 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202103199349313740 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202013159349305586 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-1628168: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.