African Middle Eastern Leadership Project

“The organization's form 990 was prepared by outside accountants with assistance from the organization's executive management. The board of directors received the draft form 990 for comments and review. The board chair approved and signed the form 990.”

“In connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence of the financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the directors and members of committees with governing board delegated powers considering the proposed transaction or arrangement. An interested person is any director, principal officer, or member of a committee with governing board delegated powers, who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person. A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family: 1. An ownership or investment interest in any entity with which the corporation has a transaction or arrangement, 2. A compensation arrangement with the corporation or with any entity or individual with which the corporation has a transaction or arrangement, or 3. A potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which the corporation is negotiating a transaction or arrangement. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial. A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest. Under section 3, subsection 2, a person who has a financial interest may have a conflict of interest only if the appropriate governing board or committee decides that a conflict of interest exists. After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, he/she shall leave the governing board or committee meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining board or committee members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists.”

“The board determined the annual salaries of the president and the executive director when they were hired using data published by guidestar regarding compensation levels paid by similarly situated organizations for functionally comparable positions. The board uses guidestar compensation data and participates in a deliberative review and board approval process, to determine the compensation of the president and the executive director. The most recent compensation review of the president and the executive director took place in february 2020. The chair, secretary, and treasurer officer positions are not compensated.”

“The organization makes its financial statements, governing documents and conflict of interest policies available to the public upon request.”

“During 2019 the organization began the incubating innovative initiatives. Incubating innovative initiatives - amel helps innovative initiatives for positive change in the mea region and in related communities in the u.s. To grow from the start-up phase into independent organizations or social businesses. We provide innovative change-makers and initiatives with guidance, mentoring and fiscal sponsorship so that they can develop their unique initiatives into successful and sustainable entities. Currently, amel is incubating the inter jewish muslim alliance (ijma).”

“During 2019, the organization received in-kind legal services valued at $327,272.”

“In 2018, the organization received a noncash donation from google for security kits to disburse that were valued at $50,000. The security kits that were not disbursed in 2018, were put on the balance sheet as inventory. In 2019, the organization gave away the remaining security kits and at this time, the organization credited the inventory off the balance sheet and debited an expense account, program expense. This largely attributed to the total deficit in 2019 of -$50,590. Overall, the deficit created this year was not from a shortfall of cash but rather from using up the inventory from the noncash donation in 2018.”