Funding

Working in the Middle East, where conspirancy theories abound, it is always prudent to be transparent about the "money trail". The reality is, there is no "money trail". Like any business, even if it is a non-for-profit one, there are sources of income and there are expenses. The latter are amply clarified by our Services and Our Activities. As for the former, they are developed hereafter.

Grants

Whenever possible, and there is no guarantee, we apply for grants from grant-making non-profit organizations, whether governmental, civil society-based or private. Consistant with our 501(c)(3) status (an educational non-profit organization), we can receive grants that will be expended on activities that are consistent with the mission statement and goals that are made stated in our by-laws. The reality of the matter is that funding for activities related to countries in transition, especially those involved in violent transitions, has its ebbs and flows. International relations can change in a matter of days, and so does the funding that goes with it.

In 2013 we secured a one-year grant from the American National Endowment for Democracy. The project was to produce and use teaching manuals for the training of future personnel for the Syrian Local Councils. Such grants are carefully monitored and serve a narrow intersection between the goals of the donor and those of the recepient. The margin of freedom to deviate from original proposal, in order to adapt to the changing times, is very narrow. Since or goal, namely "to study and support change in the Middle East", is subject to tens of local, regional, and international factors, it was our experience that grants (especially "restricted grants") are the least suited source of funding for our goals and strategies.

In 2014 we received a small grant from a Syrian party-under-construction that was unrestricted (meaning that can be spent at the discretion of the Center). This grant was also used in our multi-year effort to support the Syrian Local Councils. Since then, our funding depended mostly on fees for services rendered.

Fees for Services Rendered

The most common sources of funding for non-profits are either grants or private donations (fund-raising). However, ou Center values flexibility in deciding what particular strategy to pursue in order to achieve our goals and mission statement. We found that flexibilit in working as partners with other institutions (whether governmental or private), thus rendering specific services and receiving fees for them. A portion of these fees (60%) goes to the Center's personnel, as compensation for work done; and another portion (40%) goes to the Center for the purpose of financing its own internal projects.

Fund-Raising

As a 501(c)(3) organization, we can accept taxt-deductible donations from private individulas and entities. Whether crowd-funding or targeted funding, raising money from the general public is not the most scure funding source. However, funds raised this way, little as they can be, can help the Center maintain its public services such as lectures, newsletters, short journalistic articles. It can also help the Center acquire books, pay for its internet presence, and help the Center's personnel attend conferences and other informative meetings.

Public fund-raising is also the main source of support for our recently established scholarship program aimed at allowing student from the Middle East come to the United States in order to pursue studies in field that usually ignored in the Middle East such as Western and American history, Psychology, Sociology, Public Administration. Experience has proven to us that such specialties are direly needed in transitional phases.

Pro-Bono

True to its non-profit mission, the Center offers the wider community many services without any fee or compensation (pro-bono). These services take usually three forms: lectures and discussion sessions, short articles, and consultations. When invited by groups with a social-media platform to record a lecture, be part of an online discussion panel, or answer questions, we always oblige. Our blogs facebook page, where we write short analysis of current events, are active and widely followed. This site, as well as our blogs, make all of our written products available to the public for free.