International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute
The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) is a private foundation based in Herndon, Virginia. Established in 1981 as a U.S. nonprofit, it describes itself as a center of excellence in educational research and Islamic thought, with a focus on research and its dissemination to advance education in Muslim societies.
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute at a glance
In short: International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute gave $6.4M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $319K). 100% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,371,196
- +101.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +100.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $318,560
- +0.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $200,000
- Total assets
- $1,032,989
- +87.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 100% first-time grantees (20 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
IIIT states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 500 Grove Street 2Nd Floor 200, Herndon, VA 20170
Phone: (703) 471-1133
Website: https://www.iiit.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Institute of Knowledge Integration ($1.4M). Together the top 10 received $5.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 59 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Is International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute open to new grantees?
100%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 20 grantees (100%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $319K. How we count
- 0% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 76% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $252K (2020) to $6.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $6.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Institute of Knowledge Integration | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $1,378,388 |
| Iium | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $1,114,282 |
| London Richmond House | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $920,159 |
| Intl Inst of Islamic Thought Jordan | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $500,000 |
| Zahawi Center for Intellectual Stud | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $370,000 |
| Islamic Education Trust | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $300,000 |
| Islamic Fiqh Academy | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $240,000 |
| Inthought SDN BHD | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $227,650 |
| Advanced Studies Research Center | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $200,000 |
| Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought | Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services | $200,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,032,989 | $13,846,067 | $13,090,298 | $6,371,196 | 20 | $7,776,217 | $19,500 | $73,720 |
| 2023 | $551,681 | $8,955,918 | $9,918,350 | $3,166,500 | 10 | $6,144,424 | $4,012 | $55,341 |
| 2022 | $1,838,139 | $16,355,779 | $15,758,286 | $3,162,500 | 7 | $5,281,745 | $6,334 | $60,300 |
| 2021 | $897,003 | $10,094,733 | $15,016,577 | $3,611,500 | 8 | — | $182 | — |
| 2020 | $5,579,404 | $13,730,769 | $12,469,118 | $252,344 | 14 | — | $1 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute reported a distributable amount of $74K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
IIIT’s mission is to conduct and disseminate educational research to empower Muslim societies with data-driven recommendations for transformative education policy and practice. Its stated goals include evidence-based research; sharing findings through publications, translation, teaching, policy recommendations, and strategic engagement; and research on education policy, pedagogy, curricula, governance, and evaluation.
IIIT reports that it provides scholarship aid to students worldwide and contributes to exempt organizations and charitable causes for scholarly publication, teaching, seminars, and distribution of books, journals, and films. It also conducts educational research, holds seminars, conferences, and workshops, and funds classroom instruction on topics of interest from an Islamic perspective.
Grantmaking
In 2024, IIIT reported 20 grants totaling $6,371,196. Awards ranged from $4,497 to $1,378,388, with a median of $200,000. The listed grant purposes were program assistance for educational and social services.
Among the largest reported grants were $1,378,388 to Institute of Knowledge Integration, $1,114,282 to IIUM, $920,159 to London Richmond House, $500,000 to International Institute of Islamic Thought Jordan, and $370,000 to Zahawi Center for Intellectual Studies.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dr. Hisham Altalib as president and director; Dr. Ahmed Alwani as vice president and director; Dr. Ahmad Totonji as treasurer and director; and Dr. Omar Hasan Kasule as general secretary and director. It also lists Dr. Anas Al-Shaikh-Ali, Dr. Tawfic Awji, Hasan Altalib, Mohammad Totonji, and Beddy Ebnou as directors, and Dr. Azeem Ibrahim as program director, Displace.
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute is led by Hisham Altalib, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Hisham Altalib
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Anas Al-Shaikh-Ali
Director & Director of Publ
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$104K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Ilham Nasser
Director & Mapping the Terr
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Ahmad Totonji
Tresurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ahmed Alwani
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beddy Ebnou
Director
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hasan Altalib
Director
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mohammad Totonji
Director
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Omar Hasan Kasule
General Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tawfic Awji
Director
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Azeem Ibrahim
Program Director & Displace
Program Director & Displaced → Program Director & Displace, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Obay Altalib (2020–2023) — Program Director
- Former: Abdulhamid Abusulayman (2020–2021) — Director -
- Former: Ahmet Alibasic (2020–2021) — Secretary & Director - Py
- Former: Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim (2020–2021) — Director -
- Former: Mariam Khaziuri (2020–2021) — Chief Financial Officer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $150K, to Obay Altalib (Program Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute
How much does International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute give each year?
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute gave $6.4M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.2M across 10 grants.
What is International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's typical grant size?
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's median grant in 2024 was $200,000, and its average grant was $318,560, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute that year got $319K on average.
Does International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Assistance - Educational/Social Services" (20 grants).
Who are International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's largest grantees?
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's largest 2024 grantees include Institute of Knowledge Integration ($1,378,388), Iium ($1,114,282) and London Richmond House ($920,159), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute?
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $74K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute fund?
IIIT’s mission is to conduct and disseminate educational research to empower Muslim societies with data-driven recommendations for transformative education policy and practice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute?
IIIT states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's EIN?
International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2202414. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does International Institute of Islamic Thought the Fairfax Institute accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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