The Maximum Difference Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking nonprofit based in Los Angeles, California. The group has two missions – one, stated on its website, is to empower parents and children to create better relationships. ¹ The other, based upon its donations, appears to be the promotion of left-of-center and pro-Palestinian causes and organizations. ²

The Foundation was founded by farming and real estate investor Michael Amin, who is involved with a number of Iranian cultural and political groups, including the controversial National Iranian American Council (NIAC). Amin sat on the board of NIAC from 2008 through 2010;³ the group receives substantial funding from Maximum Difference Foundation. ⁴

Mission

The Maximum Difference Foundation assists parents in creating better relationships with their children. It promotes four steps which it says “really good parents” – watching and reading relevant material, enrolling in parenting classes, and meeting with skilled counselors and therapists as necessary. ⁵ It has paid for parenting-related adverts in the Los Angeles metro area. ⁶

The Foundation also provides funding to left-of-center groups like the American Civil Liberties Foundation and pro-Palestinian organizations. Its 2017 donations include:⁷

• $10,000 to the 9/11 conspiracy group Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth
• $100,000 to the National Iranian American Council, a group that supports the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear weapons deal and is critical of sanctions against Iran as well as of Israel. ^{8 9 10 11}
• $40,000 to the Palestinian Advocacy Project. ¹²
• $65,000 to the Tides Center’s Palestinian Legal initiative, which provides legal assistance to efforts in America to critique Israel and defend Palestinians. ¹³

Financials

Virtually all of the Maximum Difference Foundation’s 2017 revenues came from founder Michael Amin. ¹⁴ It donated over $500,000 in 2017, spending over $639,000. Its 2017 activities brought its assets from over $763,000 to under $267,000. ¹⁵

Leadership

Amin is the Maximum Difference Foundation’s sole donor. He is also its founder. ^{16 17} A real estate investor, he has been involved in many Iranian-related groups, having sat on the Board of Directors for the National Iranian American Council. He is a trustee of the Iranian culture group Farhang Foundation. ^{18 19}

1. Maximum Difference Foundation, About. Accessed February 14, 2020. http://www.maximumdifferencefoundation.org/about-us/
2. ProPublica, Maximum Difference Foundation, 2017 990-PF. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/331127669/03_2019_prefixes_31-35%2F331127669_201712_990PF_2019030716154897
3. IMDb, Michael Amin Biography. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2706378/bio
4. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted February 19, 2020.
5. Maximum Difference Foundation, How To. Accessed February 14, 2020. http://www.maximumdifferencefoundation.org/how-to/
6. IMDb, Michael Amin Biography. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2706378/bio
7. ProPublica, Maximum Difference Foundation, 2017 990-PF. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/331127669/03_2019_prefixes_31-35%2F331127669_201712_990PF_2019030716154897
8. [1] National Iranian American Council, “NIAC statement on reports that Iran will halt compliance with aspects of Nuclear Deal,” May 06, 2019. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.niacouncil.org/niac-statement-on-reports-that-iran-will-halt-compliance-with-aspects-of-nuclear-deal/
9. National Iranian American Council, “NIAC statement on the imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif,” July 31, 2019. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.niacouncil.org/niac-statement-imposition-u-s-sanctions-iranian-foreign-minister-zarif/
10. Assal Rad, “2020 marked by a  tumultuous start for human rights in Iran,” January 20, 2020. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.niacouncil.org/2020-marked-tumultuous-start-human-rights-iran/
11. Nahal Toosi, “Iranian-Americans set up lobbying arm to counter pro-Israel groups,” June 27, 2015. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/iranians-american-pac-niac-counter-pro-israel-lobby-119483
12. Palestine Advocacy Project, Main Website Page. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.palestineadvocacyproject.org/
13. Tides, Palestine Legal. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.tides.org/project/social-venture/palestine-legal/
14. [1] ProPublica, Maximum Difference Foundation, 2017 990-PF. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/331127669/03_2019_prefixes_31-35%2F331127669_201712_990PF_2019030716154897
15. [1] ProPublica, Maximum Difference Foundation, 2017 990-PF. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/331127669/03_2019_prefixes_31-35%2F331127669_201712_990PF_2019030716154897
16. [1] IMDb, Michael Amin Biography. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2706378/bio  
17. [1] ProPublica, Maximum Difference Foundation, 2017 990-PF. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/331127669/03_2019_prefixes_31-35%2F331127669_201712_990PF_2019030716154897
18. [1] Farhang Foundation, Michael Amin – Trustee. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://farhang.org/board-of-trustees/michael-amin
19. [1] IMDb, Michael Amin Biography. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2706378/bio