American Islamic Congress
The American Islamic Congress (AIC) describes itself as a ' nonprofit, non-religious, civil society development organization serving Muslims and Non-Muslims by promoting civil and human rights through advocacy, engagement and education.'[1]
Funding
Writer Max Blumenthal has charged that 'the AIC is funded largely by a pool of right-wing donors responsible for bankrolling key players in America’s Islamophobia industry'.[2]
Conservative donors such as the Klarman Family Foundation and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation are significant funders, the latter donating USD $325,000 [3] to the AIC between 2005-2011, and another $100,000 between 2012-2015. [4]
The Klarman Family Foundation has funded American Islamic and Palestinian organisations, with the aim, Max Blumenthal argues, of driving "a wedge through mainstream Muslim-American organising".[5]
AIC has refused to engage with mainstream Muslim civil rights groups and forbade 'members of its student arm, Project Nur, from discussing Palestine-related issues on campus'.
Key grants
| Grants received by the American Islamic Congress in $ USD [6] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organisation | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | Total 2009-2015 | ||
| Klarman Family Foundation | - | 50,000- | 50,000- | 40,000 | 40,000 | - | - | 180,000 | ||
| Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation | - | 40,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 | 25,000 | 25,000 | 20,000 | 170,000 | ||
| TOT | ||||||||||
Notes
- ↑ AIC’s Mission and Principles, American Islamic Congress, accessed 2 April 2014.
- ↑ Max Blumenthal, Weddady’s Free Arabs, American Islamic Congress and the pro-Israel funders who helped them rise, Electronic Intifada, 7 May 2013.
- ↑ Center for American Progress’s 2011 report Fear Inc
- ↑ IRS Form 990s reviewed by Spinwatch
- ↑ Max Blumenthal, "American Task Force on Palestine finds funding from anti-Palestinian billionaire and a repressive monarchy," Mondoweiss, 27 Nov 2013
- ↑ Data compiled from yearly 990 forms
