Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Meridian International Center

Location:

WASHINGTON, DC
Tax ID:

53-0259663
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2018):

Revenue: $36,633,291
Expenses: $36,362,325
Assets: $19,201,736
Type:

Non-Profit international relations center

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Meridian International Center is an international relations organization that operates over 500 educational and cultural exchange programs between the United States and various foreign nations. The organization receives substantial grant funding from the U.S. Department of State and operates multiple exchange programs on behalf of the State Department. The organization also partners with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, U.S. embassies, and private sector organizations. 1

The Meridian International Center is led by former State Department officials and diplomats from both Republican and Democratic presidential administrations. 2 The organization’s president and chief operating officer, Lee Satterfield, was nominated in May 2021 by President Joe Biden to be the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the State Department. 3

Background

The Meridian International Center was founded in 1960 in Washington, D.C. and has developed a suite of over 500 cultural exchange programs in which the organization works with and receives funding from the government of the United States. 4

The organization focuses on providing cultural exchange programs. The Center is the largest partner of the State Department’s International Visitors Leadership Program, which brings foreign leaders to Washington, D.C. for short-term cultural visits and meetings with U.S. officials. The program hosts a total of 4,000 foreign officials and over 160 heads of state annually. Former participants have included former U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. 5

The Meridian International Center sponsors over a dozen exchange trips, including a British-American Parliament exchange, an exchange between the United States Congress and the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, and an Iraqi exchange program for young leaders. 6

Funding

The Meridian International Center receives a majority of its funding from federal grants. Of the Center’s $41.8 million in reported revenue in 2019, $35.9 million came from government-funded grants. 7 Virtually all of the organization’s grant funding comes from grants provided from the State Department, with additional grant funding from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. 8

People

The CEO of the Meridian International Center is Stuart Holliday. Holliday served as the United Nations Ambassador for Political Affairs in the George W. Bush administration. Holliday has also worked as the director of the international practice at Quinn Gillespie and Associates and worked for President George W. Bush when he was Governor of Texas. 9

The president and chief operating officer of Meridian International Partners as of early 2021 is Lee Satterfield. Satterfield is a former Democratic Party operative and Obama administration official who worked in several roles within the Clinton administration. Prior to oining the Obama administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Satterfield held several positions with the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 10 In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Satterfield to be the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affair in the State Department. 11 Satterfield is married to Patrick Steel, the outgoing CEO of Politico. 12

References

  1. “IRS form 990.” Meridian International Center. 2019. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/530259663/202002189349301230/full
  2. “Ambassador Stuart Holliday.” Meridian International Center. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.meridian.org/profile/ambassador-stuart-holliday/
  3. Schechter, Maayan. “Joe Biden nominates SC native, USC graduate to State Department job.” The State. April 28, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article250987084.html
  4. “Meridian International Center.” Devex. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.devex.com/organizations/meridian-international-center-44011
  5. “Exchanges.” Meridian International Center. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.meridian.org/exchanges/
  6. “Exchanges.” Meridian International Center. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.meridian.org/exchanges/
  7. “IRS form 990.” Meridian International Center. 2019. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/530259663/202002189349301230/full
  8. “Recipient Profile: Meridian International Center. USA Spending. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.usaspending.gov/recipient/67bdc8db-e43f-6438-41c2-e4519bae232f-C/2018
  9. “Ambassador Stuart Holliday.” Meridian International Center. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.meridian.org/profile/ambassador-stuart-holliday/
  10. “Lee Satterfield.” Meridian International Center. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.meridian.org/profile/lee-satterfield/
  11. Schechter, Maayan. “Joe Biden nominates SC native, USC graduate to State Department job.” The State. April 28, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article250987084.html
  12. Robertson, Katie. “Politico’s chief executive is stepping down this year.” The New York Times. February 2, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/business/Patrick-Steel-politico.html
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: September - August
  • Tax Exemption Received: October 1, 1962

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2018 Sep Form 990 $36,633,291 $36,362,325 $19,201,736 $11,377,834 Y $35,624,129 $0 $134,532 $1,868,824 PDF
    2017 Sep Form 990 $34,470,794 $34,322,655 $18,290,852 $10,950,842 N $33,725,029 $11,688 $111,666 $1,540,746 PDF
    2016 Sep Form 990 $34,878,928 $34,471,860 $18,396,700 $11,782,238 N $33,853,250 $561,732 $77,580 $1,607,968
    2015 Sep Form 990 $31,510,117 $32,054,276 $17,052,319 $11,032,925 N $30,496,783 $580,476 $112,645 $1,677,399 PDF
    2014 Sep Form 990 $32,792,383 $32,790,175 $17,456,459 $10,886,060 N $31,144,448 $543,938 $109,902 $1,387,500 PDF
    2013 Sep Form 990 $30,036,762 $31,525,023 $16,508,185 $9,864,055 N $28,834,612 $545,622 $113,602 $1,791,438 PDF
    2012 Sep Form 990 $35,749,618 $36,766,284 $17,010,291 $9,249,591 N $34,521,391 $436,212 $114,664 $1,511,184 PDF
    2011 Sep Form 990 $32,422,268 $32,736,055 $14,979,049 $6,782,663 N $31,262,891 $323,717 $122,613 $1,318,807 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Meridian International Center

    1630 CRESCENT PL NW
    WASHINGTON, DC 20009-4004