2024-05-23T09:24:04-04:00 2023-12-31 474306215 Mullins PC 7625 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda MD 20814 990 2023-01-01 522223500 Education for Peace in Iraq Center EDUC 1140 3rd Street NE 2nd Floor Washington DC 20002 Erik Gustafson Executive Direc 2026709093 2024-05-23 true Erik Gustafson XXX-XX-XXXX true John Mullins P01429307 2027706371 2024-05-23 2 00 AAL2 IAL1 2023 2023-04-26 12:10:37Z Enabling Peace in Iraq Center 316321 false X www.epic-usa.org X 1999 DC To act as a rights-based development organization focused on climate and the environment, good governance, and human security in Iraq through groundbreaking field work, research, policy analysis, and advocacy. 8 8 2 72 0 0 404538 290738 1100 1327 24483 0 405865 316321 0 0 273994 250674 0 16958 100354 92792 374348 343466 31517 -27145 11972 9214 14615 39002 -2643 -29788 To act as a rights-based development organization focused on climate and the environment, good governance, and human security in Iraq through groundbreaking field work, research, policy analysis, and advocacy. false false 107996 19899 100 FIELD-BASED PROJECTS: Empowering Diversity and Democratic Participation in Ninewa: In 2023, EPIC continued to carry out a field project with SGP-International focused on supporting locally based policy research and advocacy in Iraqs Ninewa/Mosul region, an area still recovering after many years of war. Through a series of trainings and one-on-one mentoring, EPIC equipped eleven local activists with skills in research, policy writing, and advocacy. By empowering communities to better petition their own local government, EPIC is helping to enhance engagement with their elected officials to address local needs. With EPICs support, the 11 young activists organized themselves into 6 advocacy teams, with each team working on a locally focused issue. Those issues include life-threatening shortage of essential medicine and medical equipment at Sinjars Snuni General Hospital, the failures to enforce fire safety laws in Qaraqosh where a wedding fire in September 2023 killed 140 attendees, and the lack of available evening classes for intermediate school (grades 7 - 9) and secondary school (grades 10 - 12) youth who have to work during the day to support their families. More information about the project is available via: https://enablingpeace.org/advocacy-training // Field office in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Throughout the year, EPIC invested in the ongoing staffing, operations, and development of its field office in Erbil. The office played a role in supporting EPICs ground-breaking research, implementation of field projects, and building relationships with international donors, Iraqi activists and beneficiaries, civil society organizations, and potential new partners. 89765 RESEARCH & EDUCATION PROGRAM:Conducted groundbreaking research to better understand Iraq. In 2023, EPIC was commissioned by Lithuania Aid and our long-time partner, the Iraq Health Access Organization (IHAO), to conduct a research study on the current state of vocational education in Iraq. EPICs research will, in turn, guide a program to modernize infrastructure, curriculum development, and teaching methods at two select vocational schools. The goal is to better equip and empower local youth with skills for their districts job market. // Provided ongoing monitoring of developments in Iraq, including militia violence, kidnappings of environmental activists, and climate-related displacement. In 2023, EPIC published 46 weekly (and two bi-weekly) editions of the Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor (ISHM). Those updates reached thousands of journalists, aid workers, policy professionals and other readers in the U.S., Iraq, and around the world. // Podcasting, communications, and internships: EPICs Research and Policy Program also included promotion of EPICs Iraq Matters podcast; our internship program offering university undergraduate and graduate students with opportunities to spend a semester researching and writing for EPIC; and communications and public outreach to enhance understanding about the people and cultures of Iraq, the peace and development needs of the country, and the part that concerned Americans can all play to help make a difference. // Through all these activities, EPIC continued to educate policymakers, scholars, aid workers, journalists, and other Iraq watchers with a deeper understanding of Iraq, highlighting important developments and trends impacting the people of Iraq and the region, often with direct policy implications for the U.S. and international community. 76289 1000 POLICY ANALYSIS & ADVOCACY PROGRAM: Advance Iraqi-led climate action and environmental justice. Iraq is acutely vulnerable to climate change and poor resource management, resulting in displacement, lost livelihoods, and disease. That is why climate action and environmental justice are central to EPICs mission of peace. In early 2023, EPIC published a report on Water Diplomacy in the Land of Two Rivers. The product of months of intensive research and insightful interviews with top experts in the field, the report explored Iraqs intricate relationships with its riparian neighbors Trkiye, Iran, and Syria and how ongoing water disputes are unfolding amidst climate change and growing water insecurity. Within the framework of international law on shared watercourses, the report examined the various paths that Iraq has either pursued or overlooked in its efforts to safeguard its water rights, and provided recommendations on how Iraq can leverage its influence, and potential, as a trade partner, energy producer, and key ally to reach more equitable water-sharing agreements with its upstream neighbors. A copy of the report and a link to the event is available at: https://enablingpeace.org/water-diplomacy/ // In addition, EPIC is working closely with Iraqi environmental justice organizations like Iraq Waterkeepers and Humat Dijalh to end gas flaring in Iraq by 2030. EPIC is also working on new research, publications, podcasts, and advocacy campaigns to encourage both the private and public sectors to do more to respect, protect, and fulfill the right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment in Iraq. // Public policy analysis and advocacy: Throughout 2023, EPIC worked to improve the quality of information and policy options on Iraq being considered by U.S. policy-makers and other key decision makers. Through our website and regular communications to our extensive network of e-mail subscribers and social media followers around the world, EPIC is campaigning to strengthen U.S. and international support for Iraqs recovery from years of war; encouraging policy makers to articulate a clear, long-term strategy for advancing Iraqs peace and development, including efforts to advance urgently needed reforms to fight corruption, end militia violence, strengthen human rights protections, and improve governance; and focusing attention on the plight of genocide survivors and other vulnerable populations in Iraq. EPIC also devoted resources on monitoring and reporting on changes to Iraqs election laws, including positive reforms adopted under public pressure that are being overturned by the countrys corrupt ruling parties. 274050 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 1 0 true 2 true false false false false false false false false false false false false X 8 8 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X X Education for Peace in Iraq Center 2026709093 1140 3rd Street NE 2nd Floor Washington DC 20002 Erik Gustafson Executive Director 40.00 0.00 X 83955 0 0 Soren Sudhof Board Member 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dennis Eoghan Clancey Board Member 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Gheed Saeed Board Member 7.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Bilal Wahab Board Member 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Zeena Rahman President 7.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 David Slater Secretary 7.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Hussein Al-Baya Treasurer 7.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Kate Phillips-Barrasso Vice President 7.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 83955 0 0 0 false false false 19799 270939 290738 Program Services 900099 1100 1100 1100 284 284 24199 24199 24199 24199 316321 1100 0 24483 83955 73461 5877 4617 126071 110312 8825 6934 28217 24690 1975 1552 12431 10877 870 684 8223 7195 576 452 17386 15213 1217 956 1487 1395 51 41 265 232 18 15 1934 1692 136 106 3698 3280 234 184 10689 9353 748 588 10122 9252 487 383 2644 2314 185 145 Taxes Penalties & Other 30876 30876 Bank and Merchant Fees 4729 4138 331 260 Memberships 739 646 52 41 343466 274050 52458 16958 11972 9214 13747 13747 11972 9214 12615 39002 2000 14615 39002 X -2643 -29788 -2643 -29788 11972 9214 -27145 0 X false false false X 454797 376529 337701 404538 290738 1864303 454797 376529 337701 404538 290738 1864303 878116 986187 6 5 894 1229 284 2418 117 117 1866838 0.52830 0.52910 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 343466 343466 68693 17173 81852 84801 74870 68693 310216 465324 1280 1495 2775 20463 21200 18718 17173 77554 116331 432 332 764 13747 13747 true Middle East and North Africa 1 3 Program services Program Services 94251 1 3 1 3 94251 94251 false false false false false false Supplemental Information (Part V, Other) In 2023, EPIC spent a total of $94,251 in Iraq. That included $36,872 of expenditures to carry out EPICs Empowering Diversity and Democratic Participation in Ninewa, a project funded in part by SGP-International to empower local activists to carry out research, policy-writing, and advocacy to support peace and recovery efforts in Iraqs Ninewa/Mosul region. EPICs 2023 spending in Iraq also included $15,094 of expenditures to conduct research in support of Generation: Next, a project funded by Lithuania Aid to modernize two select vocational training centers and better empower Iraqi youth with skills for their local areas job market. // The remaining $42,285 was spent to maintain EPICs overall field operations and staffing to conduct Iraq-based research, monitoring, advocacy, and program development. // As a registered NGO with Iraqs Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), EPICs field office in Iraqi Kurdistan is responsible for carrying out proper project management, monitoring, evaluation, financial oversight, and compliance. Building on our 25-year-long track record of receiving and managing charitable donations and grants with all the appropriate systems for tracking, oversight, and timely reporting, EPIC has strict policies and procedures in place to safeguard funds from fraud, waste, and abuse, including strict Anti-Fraud, Employee Protection (Whistleblower), Document Retention, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest policies that all staff, board members, and affiliates are required to follow. // To oversee field staff and resources, EPICs headquarters team regularly visits the field office and conducts periodic staff reviews and internal audits to ensure strong financial oversight and compliance. // Every other year, EPIC undergoes an external audit to ensure accurate accounting, financial oversight, administrative controls, and overall security. EPIC has also institutionalized relevant best practices in a finance and compliance manual; through the training, supervision, performance reviews, and mentoring of staff; and by fostering a culture of accountability at all levels of the organization. Form 990 governing body review Part VI line 11 EPICs Executive Director reviews the completed Form 990 with the external accountant who prepared the return. The return is not signed or submitted until all issues are resolved and the executive director is satisfied that the return is correct. Conflict of interest policy compliance Part VI line 12c Conflicts of interst are immediately reported to the Board. Any member with a potential conflict are recused from deliberations and voting. CEO executive director top management comp Part VI line 15a EPICs Board of Directors sets the compensation level of the organizations Executive Director based on market data of comprable nonprofit executives in the Washington DC area and performance evaluations. EPICs Board Chair oversees an annual performance review of EPICs Executive Director. The review is based on metrics related to EPICs strategic priorities and fundraising. The Board also sets goals for further professional development. EPICs board of directors also cultivates a culture of transparency and accountability with the Executive Director and among fellow directors. Other officer or key employee compensation Part VI line 15b EPICs Executive Director conducts annual performance reviews of all EPIC staff. The process includes a self-evaluation followed by a joint-evaluation, and when needed, establishing mutually agreed upon plan to address areas where improvement is needed. Staff also have opportunities to share feedback with directors, recognizing that there are always opportunities for self-improvement and for increasing the effectiveness of the overall team. Governing documents etc available to public Part VI line 19 Governing documents are available on written request.