2025-06-03T09:03:10-05:00 2024-09-30 882533599 WERSEN NONPROFIT CPAS LLC 4513 Lakeway Drive Bellingham WA 98229 990 2023-10-01 550799211 American Center for Mongolian Studies AMER 2503912600 255 S 36th St 642 Philadelphia PA 19104 Maggie Lindrooth US Director 2503912600 2025-06-03 1 0 Keaton Wersen CPA P01957642 3607709369 X 2023 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Maggie Lindrooth 255 S 36th St 642 Philadelphia PA 19104 349252 0 X www.mongoliacenter.org X 2002 TX Support the development of Mongolian Studies and academic exchanges with Inner Asia. 10 9 3 42 0 0 767817 252167 78215 71609 9465 25476 0 0 855497 349252 52500 24350 0 0 201297 165259 0 0 0 235969 227351 489766 416960 365731 -67708 903010 874183 8258 35033 894752 839150 X The American Center for Mongolian Studies (the Organization) is an academic organization promoting scholarship and research about, and in, Mongolia. The organization provides support services to students and faculty conducting study or research in Mongolia at its full-service resource center and library in Mongolia. The Organization also conducts a variety of public outreach and educational activities, including lectures and language training. 0 0 59465 1000 0 Speaker Series and Researchers -The Organization supports academic workshops and conferences held in Ulaanbaatar, and a regular series of lectures held both in Ulaanbaatar and online. During the fiscal year ended in 2024, the Organization held eight Speaker Series lectures. Additionally, the Organization awarded Field Research Fellowships to five researchers and their projects. The Organization also worked with two-time Library Fellow Dr. Saruul-Erdene Myagmar of the Library of Congress to organize and conduct a series of MARC 21 Library Cataloging Workshops. These workshops engaged 35 Mongolian librarians from 20 different institutions across the country including public libraries and universities. Completion of Textile Conservation Project: "Conserving and Preserving Mongolia's Endangered Textile Collections and Traditions" implemented in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute and the National Museum of Mongolia. Project aimed to develop the textile conservation and preservation skills of local conservators and other museum professionals. Seventeen Mongolian conservators, curators, treasurers, and directors from six Mongolian organizations actively participated in this project. 6000 750 0 Resource Center and Library in Mongolia -The Organization maintains a fully staffed resource center and research library in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It supported a range of patrons from the USA, Mongolia and other countries who utilize the research library collection and digital resources provided at the resource center. The Organization helps arrange logistics and permits for visiting researchers and students. The Organization's staff provides research support to scholars through both in person and online consultation.The Organization conducted a range of library-related activities, including trainings and volunteer engagement activities during the fiscal year ended in 2024. The outcome of these trainings was the successful cataloging of 201 books in the ACMS Library, including both 96 unregistered titles and 105 books belonging to the Maury Kravitz Collection. These trainings also resulted in updated cataloging information for over 100 books already in the system, which enhanced the accessibility of ACMS Library resources.The Organization also received a donation of 105 books about Chinggis Khan from the estate of the late Maury Kravitz in a ceremony at the National Library of Mongolia's Rare and Valuable Books Collection Room. The Organization and National Library signed renewed memorandum of understanding.The Organization worked with approximately 50 scholars, scholars, students, and researchers in Mongolia and remotely to provide services including immigration registration, airport transfer, accommodation assistance, archive and library access, research assistance, and more. 234707 22600 71609 Language Program, Field Schools, and Study Tours -The Organization offers year-round one-on-one Mongolian language classes online and in-person. On average, between 8 and 12 students of all proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced, are enrolled in the Mongolian Language Program at any given time. Additionally, the Organization's Intensive Summer Language Program (ISLP) enrolled five students in the summer of 2024. These students attended three hours of small-group or individual Mongolian language class from Monday through Friday each week between June 3 and August 2, 2024, and also participated in a number of cultural activities, workshops, and educational tours in Ulaanbaatar and the countryside to gain hands-on linguistic and cultural competency. Four Intensive Summer Language Program participants were awarded fellowships in the form of a $2,000 tuition waiver.ACMS offered two Field School courses during Summer 2024: "Horses and History and "Hustai National Park."The Organization also hosted the CAORC-administered seminar "Climate Change and Public Health: What Does Climate Change Mean for the People of Mongolia?" This seminar provided 19 U.S. faculty members and administrators at Community Colleges and Minority Serving Institutions with a fully-funded, in-country professional development opportunity that aimed to help them gain the first-hand experience needed to develop and improve international courses, curricula, and teaching materials at their home institutions. 300172 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0 1 3 1 0 1 MG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 10 9 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 X Keepin It Straight 3607085995 255 S 36th St Room 642 Philadelphia PA 19104 Caverlee Cary Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Charles Kusekopf Board Member, Director (Former) 3.00 X 18000 0 0 Christina Warinner Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Jonathan Dunnum Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Mark Greenberg Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Meredith Giordano Treasurer 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Michael Klecheski Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Paula Depriest President, Vice President (Former) 4.00 X X 0 0 0 Sondra Cuban Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Susan Higgins Secretary 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Vera Kuklina Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 William Fitzhugh Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Bolortsetseg Minjin Executive Director (Former) 40.00 X 41670 0 0 Isaac Hart Resident Director 40.00 X 30000 0 0 Maggie Lindrooth US Director 40.00 X 22000 0 0 111670 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7040 235550 9577 252167 Field school 611600 63333 63333 Language program 611600 5519 5519 Educational seminars 611600 2757 2757 71609 25476 25476 349252 71609 0 25476 24350 24350 60542 46618 13924 90284 69518 20766 372 372 14061 10827 3234 30108 30108 29000 26000 3000 3492 3492 795 795 14481 12 14469 32647 24355 8292 3147 2553 594 1317 1317 4063 4063 Educational tours 80233 80093 140 Supplies 16995 9755 7240 Dues and subscriptions 3000 3000 8073 1774 6299 416960 300172 116788 0 192020 86522 272727 467766 306549 160028 3451 13259 32393 27650 5416 4743 122847 141865 903010 874183 8258 4402 0 30631 8258 35033 X 607631 719004 287121 120146 894752 839150 903010 874183 -67708 12106 0 X 1 X 0 1 0 X 211264 181339 242256 767817 252167 1654843 211264 181339 242256 767817 252167 1654843 1654843 9074 6909 6759 9465 25476 57683 2 2 1712528 248881 0.96630 0.97590 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X X 0 13602 9831 3771 18791 17819 972 4743 Part III, Line 1a: The ACMS Research Library is the largest collection of international scholarship on Mongolia in the country and is open to researchers from all countries. All collections are maintained well and the Organization did not sell, impair, or otherwise dispose of any during the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. The Organization has adopted a policy to not capitalize collections. Part III, Line 4: The ACMS Research Library is the largest collection of international scholarship on Mongolia in the country and is open to researchers from all countries. East Asia and the Pacific - Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, 1 13 Program services Resource center and library, language program, academic study tour leader 233553 1 13 0 0 1 13 233553 0 233553 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Fellowship 15 24350 Cost of offering Free or reduced cost for program participation Part I, Line 2: Field Research Fellowship The ACMS Field Research Fellowship program will provide awards of up to $4,000 to a selected number of students, post-docs, or faculty to conduct short-term field research in Mongolia between May and October, 2025. Applicants must be US citizens currently enrolled full-time (students) or employed at least part-time (post-docs and faculty) at a university or college. Students who have just graduated are eligible for the program. Undergraduate applicants must have at least third-year standing in their program, while graduate applicants can be at a master's, pre-dissertation, or doctoral candidacy level. Post-doctoral scholars and faculty must regularly teach at least one course at a US university or college to be eligible. The program priority for post-doctoral scholars and faculty is to support individuals from non-research-intensive universities and colleges, especially those who are helping guide student research projects or who can show how the fellowship experience will enhance their teaching and outreach. Joint applications submitted by a student and post-doctoral scholar or faculty member are highly encouraged. Joint applicants must submit individual applications, but the applications will be evaluated both individually and jointly during the review process. Joint applications are not required, and individual applications are welcome. The field research project should be conducted in conjunction with a Research Sponsor, such as a faculty member or senior researcher, and should involve at least 6 weeks (students) or 3 weeks (post-docs or faculty) of fieldwork in Mongolia. Preference is given to projects in which the Research Sponsor will work directly with the researcher in the field in Mongolia. Research Sponsors should have relevant experience in supporting academic field research, and should agree to host the fellow's research project. Field research projects should last a minimum of 3 weeks and should be conducted in Mongolia between May and October. In their applications, post-doctoral applicants are asked to describe how their participation in the project will support their teaching, outreach, and career goals, and how their project supports the development of US-Mongolian cooperation. Applicants are required to include a letter of support from their Research Sponsors. Research projects in any field, including humanities, sciences and social sciences are eligible. Prior experience conducting research in Mongolia is not a requirement for applicants or their Research Sponsors. A selection committee comprised of members of the academic and professional communities in Ulaanbaatar and the United States will make the final selection utilizing uniform evaluation criteria. Criteria include feasibility of project in the field, previous work in Mongolia, importance of proposed project to the field of Mongolian Studies and the applicant's academic discipline, and previous receipt of an ACMS fellowship. Selection decisions of "awarded, not awarded, or alternate" will be communicated by the beginning of April. All Field Research Fellows are required to submit documentation prior to the beginning of their grant, including a research proposal and proposed budget, flight reservations, proof of insurance, and proof of U.S. citizenship. Upon completion of the fellowship, all Fellows must also submit a final report outlining their research findings during the grant period, impact of the research conducted using the fellowship on their overall project, and any other learnings, further research questions, or additional feedback. This report must be submitted no more than one month after the fellow has concluded their research activities in the field. Fellows will not receive their final award payment until they submit their final reports and ACMS approves them. Summer Language Fellowship Summer Language Fellowships of $2,000 are awarded as tuition waivers to one to three Intensive Summer Language Program participants every year. Fellowship applicants are evaluated on their previous Mongolian language training, relevance of language study to their academic or professional careers and current studies, availability of other funding sources, and motivation to improve their language skills. All fellowship awardees must be U.S. citizens, and recipients are not eligible to receive a second award within three years after their first. Language Program Manager Dr. Tsermaa Tomorbaatar, U.S. Director Maggie Lindrooth, and external reviewers in the field of Mongolian Studies evaluate all applications. Fellows are required to attend all scheduled program activities and events, maintain high marks on all program evaluations including quizzes, tests, homework, and mid-term and final examinations, and must actively participate in class. At the end of the program, fellows submit a post-program survey. Library Fellowship This fellowship supports advanced US graduate students, faculty members, or professionals in library and information sciences from colleges and universities to conduct short-term library development projects and/or research in Mongolia for a period of up to 12 weeks between May and October 2025. Library development projects in any area that address enhancing collection content, resource availability, or training and local capacity-building are eligible. Prior experience conducting research, studying, or working in Mongolia is not required. Final selection is made by a committee comprised of members of the academic and professional communities in Ulaanbaatar utilizing uniform evaluation criteria. Participants must be citizens of the United States. Upon completion of their fellowship, all Library Fellows must submit a final report detailing the project goals and outcomes, and the number and affiliations of project participants, partner organizations, and next steps. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 4 The Organization updated its bylaws in July 2024. These bylaws were distributed to the membership and uploaded to the website prior to the seating of a new Board of Directors on September 1, 2024. The changes included: removing director-at-large positions so composition of the Board is directors only, establishing minimum and maximum director counts for the Board, requiring election of directors and removing appointments, eliminating the process for replacing directors, and reducing Vice President count from 2 to 1 positions. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 6 Both institutions and individuals are eligible for membership. Students will be considered individual members of the Organization. No member shall attempt to represent the Organization whether in making any statements for publication or otherwise unless the Board of Directors by resolution specifically approved the action. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7a Individuals are eligible to become members with voting rights to elect directors. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b The Bookkeeper, Treasurer and US Director review the draft Form 990 and offer feedback, as needed, to the CPA preparer. Once complete, a final draft is provided to the board of directors for review and approval before being filed with the IRS. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 The Organization's bylaws are available on the Organization's website, along with a list of institutional members and members of the board of directors. The Organization also maintains a policy manual to guide operations. This manual is available upon request but is not normally shared with the public. It is, however, available to all officers, directors, and employees. Within this manual are conflict of interest policies as well as other rules and regulations. At each annual meeting of members, which is open to the public, a general statement of the Organization's finances are presented by the Treasurer or other officer present at the meeting. Other financial records are available upon request.