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Nonprofiteer
← AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$75,468,257
Total expenses
$73,616,491
Contributions and grants received
$41,995,631
Grants paid
$59,816,657
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$33,599,999
Other revenue
-$127,373
Total assets, end of year
$934,796,210
Total liabilities, end of year
$36,404,533
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$898,391,677
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$63,144,377
Management and general expenses
$6,594,929
Fundraising expenses
$3,877,185
Program service expenses (Part III)
$63,144,377

Program services were 85.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $444,921

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $41,550,710

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $765,190

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $14,420,048 · unrelated business -$125,749 · excluded $14,545,797

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $271,456,000

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $252,276,049

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $19,179,951

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $19,179,951 · excluded $19,179,951

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $21,070

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $444,921

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $148,443

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$127,373 · excluded -$127,373

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $59,816,657 · program services $59,816,657

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $2,038,801 · program services $700,934 · management and general $712,814 · fundraising $625,053

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $5,031,169 · program services $1,637,195 · management and general $1,424,452 · fundraising $1,969,522

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $252,212 · program services $82,039 · management and general $71,287 · fundraising $98,886

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $447,921 · program services $145,699 · management and general $126,604 · fundraising $175,618

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $387,514 · program services $126,050 · management and general $109,530 · fundraising $151,934

  • 11a · Fees: management

    total $960,448 · management and general $905,506 · fundraising $54,942

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $164,231 · program services $52,549 · management and general $111,682

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $248,861 · program services $29,863 · management and general $218,998

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $180,000 · fundraising $180,000

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $1,554,860 · management and general $1,554,860

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $501,637 · program services $218,124 · management and general $170,409 · fundraising $113,104

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $240,165 · program services $21,171 · management and general $204,880 · fundraising $14,114

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $236,968 · program services $18,958 · management and general $189,574 · fundraising $28,436

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $488,283 · program services $48,828 · management and general $366,213 · fundraising $73,242

  • 17 · Travel

    total $430,985 · program services $81,434 · management and general $114,007 · fundraising $235,544

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $377,805 · program services $157,875 · management and general $72,581 · fundraising $147,349

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $51,970 · management and general $51,970

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $77,268 · management and general $77,268

  • 24a · Other expenses: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

    total $74,261 · program services $6,683 · management and general $59,409 · fundraising $8,169

  • 24b · Other expenses: BAD DEBT EXPENSE

    total $52,435 · program services $0 · management and general $52,435 · fundraising $0

  • 24c · Other expenses: DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION

    total $1,590 · program services $318 · management and general $0 · fundraising $1,272

  • 24d · Other expenses: MISC. BUSINESS EXPENSES

    total $450 · program services $0 · management and general $450 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $120 · end of year $151

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $13,082,046 · end of year $14,110,118

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $45,073,317 · end of year $44,981,146

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $193,848 · end of year $446,912

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $720,163

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $701,398

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $31,834 · end of year $18,765

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $216,668,678 · end of year $259,925,733

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $598,572,054 · end of year $611,379,128

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $221,561 · end of year $182,462

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $4,294,660 · end of year $3,751,795

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,621,691 · end of year $2,850,934

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $36,737,262 · end of year $33,553,599

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $73,583,587 · end of year $81,409,552

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $766,195,578 · end of year $816,982,125

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

A4BGU ELEVATES AWARENESS, STRENGTHENS DONOR BONDS, AND RAISES FUNDS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV (BGU) ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. WE SHOWCASE BGU'S ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH TO INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE MEDIA.

Activities or mission (Part I)

AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OR "A4BGU" PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN CREATING A WORLD CLASS UNIVERSITY IN THE ISRAELI DESERT.

  • BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY (BGU) SUPPORT: A4BGU RAISES FUNDS WITHIN THE U.S. FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY. SUPPORT INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, GRANTS FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS (E.G. SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS, STUDENT ACTIVITIES), ACADEMIC RESEARCH (E.G. WATER/ENVIRONMENT, CYBER SECURITY, ROBOTICS/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS), FACULTY RECRUITMENT, CAPITAL PROJECTS (E.G. DORMITORIES, RESEARCH LABS, CLASSROOM BUILDINGS, CONFERENCE FACILITIES), COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISRAEL'S NEGEV REGION (E.G. VOLUNTEER AND SOCIAL ACTION TO UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS, BEDOUIN SUPPORT, YOUTH CLUBS, MENTORING/TUTORING, UNIVERSITY PREP PROGRAMS, ETC.).

    Expenses $60,974,830 · Grants $59,816,657

  • RAISING AWARENESS & EDUCATION PROGRAM: A4BGU RAISES AWARENESS IN THE U.S. TO POTENTIAL DONORS ABOUT BGU AND THE NEGEV REGION IN GENERAL. A4BGU ALSO EDUCATES CURRENT AND POTENTIAL DONORS ON VARIOUS RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVES CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS THE NEGEV REGION IN GENERAL. A4BGU SHOWCASES BGU'S ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH TO INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE MEDIA THROUGH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND INFORMATIVE DIGITAL AND PRINT COMMUNICATIONS FEATURING BGU'S WORLD-RENOWNED RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

    Expenses $1,737,260

  • ZIN FELLOWS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: THE A4BGU ZIN FELLOWS PROGRAM IS AN INSPIRING AND TRANSFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTSTANDING AMERICANS IN THEIR 30S-50S. THE EIGHTEEN MONTH PROGRAM CONSISTS OF TWO IN-PERSON GATHERINGS IN THE UNITED STATES FOLLOWED BY AN IMMERSIVE ISRAEL EXPERIENCE. ZIN FELLOWS REPRESENT THE BEST OF THE BEST IN TERMS OF THE NEXT GENERATION. THEY ARE CURRENT AND FUTURE AMERICAN COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE ROLE BGU PLAYS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEGEV AND THE FUTURE OF ISRAEL.

    Expenses $310,541

  • THE MEDICAL SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL HEALTH (MSIH) PROGRAM: MSIH AT BGU IS A UNIQUE MEDICAL SCHOOL THAT INCORPORATES GLOBAL HEALTH COMPONENTS INTO ALL FOUR YEARS OF THE CORE M.D. CURRICULUM. AS A SMALL AND PRESTIGIOUS MEDICAL SCHOOL, MSIH OFFERS AN M.D. PROGRAM THAT PREPARES STUDENTS FOR A CAREER GOING FAR BEYOND THE HOSPITAL OR PRIVATE CLINIC. STUDENTS GAIN THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT BY PRACTICING MEDICINE WHILE MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL HEALTH.

    Expenses $121,746

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Alan Newman

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Bathsheva Rifkin

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Carol Saal

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Cindy Ingerman Balick

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Clive Miskin

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Craig Granowitz

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Craig Simon

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Danna Slusky

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • David Breslauer

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Donna Lam

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Ernest Simon

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Esther Foer

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Frank Parlato

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Hunter Reisner

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jacob Dayan

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeff Polak

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeffrey Kupfer

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeffrey Ullman

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jill Max

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Joanne Moore

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Joel Reinstein

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Joseph Rose

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Joshua Arnow

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Kenneth Bloom

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Leon Kaplan

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lewis Winarsky

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lisa Douglass

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lisa Field

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lisa Scheller

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lloyd Goldman

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Madeleine Arnow

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Max Gitter

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Melinda Goldrich

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Michael Ozer

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Neil Hockstein

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Noah Tratt

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Peter Schechter

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Riva Collins

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Robert Spitzer

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Seth Harlem

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Sherrie Savett

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Steven Finkelman

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Sylvia Brodsky

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Tara Kelleher

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Toni Young

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • William Handy

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Roy Zuckerberg

    HONORARY BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Gary Debode

    IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Andrea Goren

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Terri Alpert

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Marci Dollinger

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Elizabeth Grzebinski

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • David Wagonfeld

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Ellen Marcus

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Douglas Seserman

    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $773,153
    From this org
    $592,753
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $180,400
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $552,771
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $39,982
    Deferred
    $137,200
    Nontaxable benefits
    $43,200
    Filer's total
    $773,153
  • Timothy Greene Chief

    FINANCIAL OFFICER (THRU 07/31/25)

    Total calculated
    $267,155
    From this org
    $237,432
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,723
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $226,935
    Bonus
    $10,000
    Other
    $497
    Deferred
    $15,525
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,198
    Filer's total
    $267,155
  • Ari Steinberg

    PHILANTHROPIC RELATIONSHIP OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $330,164
    From this org
    $307,442
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,722
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $276,550
    Bonus
    $7,500
    Other
    $23,392
    Deferred
    $18,268
    Nontaxable benefits
    $4,454
    Filer's total
    $330,164
  • Keren Waranch Chief

    DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (THRU 06/14/24)

    Total calculated
    $330,073
    From this org
    $303,185
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,888
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $159,262
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $143,923
    Deferred
    $7,293
    Nontaxable benefits
    $19,595
    Filer's total
    $330,073
  • Nneka McPhee Chief Of Staff

    & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

    Total calculated
    $289,286
    From this org
    $250,884
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,402
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $230,662
    Bonus
    $20,000
    Other
    $222
    Deferred
    $14,538
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,864
    Filer's total
    $289,286
  • Andrew Hoffer Philanthropic

    RELATIONSHIP OFFICER (THRU 02/28/25)

    Total calculated
    $273,928
    From this org
    $225,102
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $48,826
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $220,171
    Bonus
    $3,600
    Other
    $1,331
    Deferred
    $13,969
    Nontaxable benefits
    $34,857
    Filer's total
    $273,928
  • Judith Alterman

    PHILANTHROPIC RELATIONSHIP OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $216,862
    From this org
    $199,561
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,301
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $185,381
    Bonus
    $13,100
    Other
    $1,080
    Deferred
    $13,194
    Nontaxable benefits
    $4,107
    Filer's total
    $216,862

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 1a · Housing allowance or residence for personal use
  • 1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan

Answered no

  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 1A
PER THE CEO'S EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, HE IS ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY HOUSING ALLOWANCE. ARI STEINBERG PHILANTHROPIC RELATIONSHIP OFFICER ALSO RECEIVED TAXABLE HOUSING ALLOWANCE. THE AMOUNT PAID DURING THE YEAR IS INCLUDED IN COLUMN B(III) AND REPORTED ON HIS W-2.
PART I, LINES 4A-B
THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL LEFT THEIR POSITIONS DURING THE YEAR AND RECEIVED SEVERANCE PAYMENTS REPORTED IN PART II, COLUMN (B)(III): KEREN WARANCH, CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, RECEIVED $143,650 THE FOLLOWING EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATED IN A NON-QUALIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLAN (SERP), WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION 457(F) OF THE IRC.: DOUGLAS SESERMAN - CEO THE ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED THE SERP FOR THE CEO, EFFECTIVE JULY 2022. THE ARRANGEMENT IS A FIVE YEAR ARRANGMENT THAT INCLUDES A SUBSTIANIAL RISK OF FORFEITURE BASED ON THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT. NO AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN, FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR ENDED 12/31/2024 PERIOD, WERE PAID TO THE CEO.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

Related corporations and trusts

Part IV: related organizations taxable as a corporation or trust.

  • CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS (4)

    CHARITABLE TRUST · NY · controlled entity

    Directly controlled by A4BGU

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
29 July 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202642169349302159

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