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International Foundation for Electoral Systems
International Foundation for Electoral Systems reported $54.1 million in revenue and $54.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $82.30 went to program services, $16.29 to management and general costs and $1.41 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.7% of the total. Government grants made up 58.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $544,221 (COUNTRY DIRECTOR, UKRAINE). 108 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 15% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $54MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $54M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$38.61 $21M
- Government grants$56.70 $31M
- Other revenue$4.69 $2.6M
Investment income was negative: −$1.4M. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.3% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.3% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.4% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.7% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 58.2% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $544,221 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.01% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 108 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 0.9 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 27 of 27 | 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 ukraine responsive and accountable politics program strives to ensure that political competition in ukraine is fairer and more transparent, and political actors are more representative of and accountable to citizens
Through the rise project, ifes provides technical assistance to election management bodies, works with domestic ngos to monitor government performance in the field of elections, promotes civic literacy and education among youth through in-school civic classes and training for instructors, supports professional political finance oversight and capacity for embs and oversight bodies on election dispute resolution, and works with local organizations to promote the rights of internally displaced persons
The drc program strengthens ceni's capacity to implement accountability measures and administer credible electoral processes. The program also promotes public participation and oversight, with a focus on women, youth, and marginalized groups. As part of this effort, ifes is piloting its "she leads women" leadership training to build participants' knowledge of elections and democracy, enhance their advocacy skills, and empower them to support greater inclusion in political and electoral processes
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COUNTRY DIRECTOR, UKRAINE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $523,053 | $0 | $21,168 | $544,221 |
| PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $402,337 | $0 | $62,038 | $464,375 |
| COUNTRY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $320,542 | $0 | $40,016 | $360,558 |
| SR. COUNTRY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $324,353 | $0 | $36,200 | $360,553 |
| COUNTRY DIRECTOR (UNTIL 09/25) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $304,707 | $0 | $16,513 | $321,220 |
| COUNTRY DIRECTOR, ARMENIA Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $307,178 | $0 | $3,833 | $311,011 |
| VP, GS & TECH LEAD (UNTIL 8/25) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $255,450 | $0 | $49,487 | $304,937 |
| VP, PROGRAMS (UNTIL 8/25) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $263,043 | $0 | $29,830 | $292,873 |
108 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from International Foundation for Electoral Systems (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.7M (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–1b27 · 27 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 2No
- 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 5244
- Volunteers Part I, line 627
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| VORYS SATER SEYMOUR & PEASE LLP Legal services | $130,537 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 20 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to International Foundation for Electoral Systems totaling $5,026 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 International Foundation for Electoral Systems's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for International Foundation for Electoral Systems, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 International Foundation for Electoral Systems spent in FY2025, $82.30 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of International Foundation for Electoral Systems's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, International Foundation for Electoral Systems reported that 82.3% of its $54.0 million in expenses went to program services, 16.3% to management and general and 1.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does International Foundation for Electoral Systems pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation International Foundation for Electoral Systems reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $544,221, for the role of COUNTRY DIRECTOR, UKRAINE (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does International Foundation for Electoral Systems get its money?
Of $54.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 97.7% came from contributions and grants (including 58.2% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is International Foundation for Electoral Systems a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1527835 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 September 30, 2025, object 202641959349300439 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202501839349300610 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202442139349301204 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202342279349302179 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202232279349303608 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202112259349302701 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1527835: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.