World Education Services Inc
World Education Services Inc (WES) is a public charity based in New York, New York. Founded in 1974, it is a nonprofit social enterprise that supports the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students in the United States and Canada. Its 2024 filing reports that WES served more than 475,000 individuals through its credential evaluation program.
World Education Services Inc at a glance
In short: World Education Services Inc gave $4.0M across 40 grants in 2024 (avg $101K), top state California. 63% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,027,167
- -13.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- -21.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $100,679
- +10.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $259,765,506
- +11.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 63% first-time grantees (25 of 40, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (21% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to World Education Services Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 1 State Street Fl15, New York, NY 10004
Phone: (212) 219-7307
Website: https://wes.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from World Education Services Inc
Elevating Migrant Leadership: Building Inclusive Futures Funding Opportunity
World Education Services Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Strengthening Immigrant Inclusion Program (SIIP) Request for Proposals
World Education Services Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who World Education Services Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Techstars Partners 2021 LLC ($537K). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
203 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 203 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
WES’s stated social impact work covers the United States and Canada. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (21%), Colorado (13%), the District of Columbia (11%), Illinois (9%), and Utah (7%). The 2024 grants also included recipients in states such as New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is World Education Services Inc open to new grantees?
63%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 25 of 40 grantees (63%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $90K; repeat grants $119K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $100K repeat.
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 $2.4M (2021) to $6.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling $4.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Techstars Partners 2021 LLC Boulder, CO | Project-Based Support Grant | $536,667 |
| Sorenson Impact Institute Salt Lake City, UT | Project-Based Support Grant | $300,000 |
| La Plaza De Encuentro Gathering Place Albuquerque, NM | General Operating Support Grant | $225,000 |
| National Association of System Heads Washington, DC | Project-Based Support Grant | $200,000 |
| Reproductive Health Investors Alliance Inc San Francisco, CA | Project-Based Support Grant | $200,000 |
| Upwardly Global San Francisco, CA | Project-Based Support Grant | $160,000 |
| Resilience Force New Orleans, LA | General Operating Support Grant | $150,000 |
| Workers Defense Project Austin, TX | General Operating Support Grant | $150,000 |
| Inclusive Action for the City Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support Grant | $125,000 |
| National Partnership for New Americans Inc Chicago, IL | General Operating Support Grant | $110,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In 2024, WES reported 40 grants; the filing reported 51 in 2023 and 47 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $259,765,506 | $139,593,000 | $98,706,735 | $4,027,167 | 40 | $39,798,853 |
| 2023 | $233,089,458 | $99,938,416 | $91,492,697 | $4,667,888 | 51 | $2,631,978 |
| 2022 | $205,422,025 | $98,705,023 | $85,612,582 | $6,589,260 | 47 | $659,199 |
| 2021 | $221,911,530 | $107,632,026 | $71,193,891 | $2,447,708 | 33 | $4,450,707 |
| 2020 | $182,177,798 | $104,133,998 | $69,013,202 | $3,765,931 | 32 | $11,178,527 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WES’s mission is to help people learn, work, and thrive in new places, and to help society recognize the value of people’s education and experience. The WES Mariam Assefa Fund supports organizations advancing opportunity, community integration, and access to good work for immigrants in the United States and Canada. The Fund also describes its approach as trust-based philanthropy, including grantmaking, co-funding partnerships, and support beyond the check.
WES’s 2024 filing describes policy and advocacy work that includes state-level occupational licensing reform, with the aim of helping people use their education and enabling communities and employers to recognize their contributions. In grantmaking, 2024 examples include organizations whose own stated missions address immigrant inclusion, community leadership, education, worker organizing, and economic opportunity. For example, Workers Defense Project describes itself as a member-led organization that organizes Latine immigrant workers in Texas to fight for dignity and respect. National Partnership for New Americans says it advances an immigrant equity and inclusion agenda at the state, local, and federal levels. La Plaza de Encuentro describes its work as providing educational programs, services, resources, information, and leadership development to low-income Latinos in New Mexico.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, WES reported 40 grants totaling $4,027,167. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $536,667, with a median grant of $100,000. The largest award was $536,667 to Techstars Partners 2021 LLC for project-based support. Other large grants included $300,000 to Sorenson Impact Institute for project-based support; $225,000 to La Plaza de Encuentro Gathering Place for general operating support; and $200,000 each to National Association of System Heads and Reproductive Health Investors Alliance for project-based support.
Additional 2024 awards included $160,000 to Upwardly Global for project-based support; $150,000 each to Resilience Force and Workers Defense Project for general operating support; and $125,000 to Inclusive Action for the City for general operating support. National Partnership for New Americans and Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians each received $110,000 for general operating support. Alianza Americas received $100,000 for general operating support.
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund launched the Elevating Migrant Leadership initiative as an open-call opportunity in January 2024. The initiative sought to support U.S. immigrant- and refugee-led organizations developing civic leadership and advocacy skills. WES’s program information describes 10 awardees receiving a collective $1 million in flexible funding. The initiative is not being offered in 2025. WES also describes SIIP as a program that provides communities with technical assistance and coaching to advance immigrant and refugee inclusion; its current request for proposals concerns systems change for immigrant and refugee students.
WES says grant agreements set out terms, reporting, deliverables, and monitoring requirements before funds are disbursed. At minimum, recipients must report on use of funds and milestones at the end of the grant term; the filing also describes reporting on financial expenditures and impact. Recipients must provide reasonable access for WES or its designees to observe funded programs, assess outcomes and impact, and review records.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Audrey Hendley as chair; Sidney R Hargo as vice chair; Helen Hayward as secretary; and Feridun Hamdullahpur as treasurer. Trustees listed are Caroline Gayle, Joanna Harries, Shakti Jauhar, Aaron Williams, Julie Reddy, and Paolo Varias.
World Education Services Inc is led by Esther T. Benjamin, CEO & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 12 of 27 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Esther T. Benjamin
CEO & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$467K (2020) → $951K (2024)
Audrey Hendley
Chair
Treasurer → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shamira Madhany
Managing Director & Wes Canada
Dep. Executive Director & Man. Dir.-Canada → Man. Director, Can & Dep. Executive Director, 2021
Man. Director, Can & Dep. Executive Director → Managing Director & Wes Canada, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$254K (2020) → $328K (2024)
Megan Blackburn
Sir. Director, Strategy & Planning
Senior Director, Str, Plan & Cos → Sir. Director, Strategy, Planning & Cos, 2022
Sir. Director, Strategy, Planning & Cos → Sir. Director, Strategy & Planning, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$169K (2020) → $307K (2024)
Ernest Wurzbach
Senior Director of Technology
Director, Of Tech. Infra, Ops. & Secretary → Senior Director of Technology, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$228K (2021) → $326K (2024)
Brian Kostantin
Senior Director of Sales & Mktg
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$305K (2024)
Aaron Williams
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joanna Harries
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shakti Jauhar
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Gayle
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Reddy
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paolo Varias
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ajay Patel
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donna Daniels
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fanta Aw
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kamal Bhattacharya
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Biren Shah
Chief Technology Officer
Director & Software Development → CTO, 2021
CTO → Chief Technology Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$236K (2020) → $426K (2024)
Cheryl Toto
Chief Operations Officer
COO → Chief Operations Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$101K (2020) → $492K (2024)
Holly Sanders
Chief Transformation Officer
Senior Director Eval. Prod.-U.s. → Senior Director of Global Ops., 2021
Senior Director of Global Ops. → Chief Transformation Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$228K (2020) → $392K (2024)
Monica K. Munn
Chief Social Impact Officer
Senior Director Mariam Assefa Fund → Managing Director of Philanthropy, 2021
Managing Director of Philanthropy → Chief Social Impact Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$230K (2020) → $402K (2024)
Paul Feltman
Deputy Executive Director & Gtb
Dep Executive Director Glob Talent Bridge → Dep. Executive Director Gtb, 2021
Dep. Executive Director Gtb → Deputy Executive Director & Gtb, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$320K (2020) → $418K (2024)
Abbie J. Cowan
Chief People Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$16K (2022) → $393K (2024)
Niteese Lenton
Chief Financial Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$74K (2024)
Feridun Hamdullahpur
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Helen Hayward
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sidney R. Hargo
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (23)
- Former: John Vermaaten (2021–2024) — Chief Financial Officer · Filing note: Thru 123124
- Former: Ann Buller (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Dewayne Matthews (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Francisco Marmolejo (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Misha Esipov (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Samuel Artmann (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Negash Yusuf (2021–2023) — Quality Analyst III
- Former: Yuki Inoue (2021–2023) — Quality Analyst III
- Former: Louladey Assefa (2022–2023) — Quality Analyst III
- Former: David J. Gallagher (2023) — Quality Analyst III
- Former: Lynn Shotwell (2020–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Maryana Iskander (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Nejat Ahmed (2020–2022) — Senior Director & Corporate Controller
- Former: Astrid Vermeer (2020–2021) — CFO
- Former: Beka Tavartkiladze (2020–2021) — Senior Director, Glob. Edu. & Know.
- Former: Hans De Wit (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Shannon Craddock (2020–2021) — Senior Director Strategic Committee
- Former: Jill Handy (2021) — Sr.dir. of Hr
- Former: Dallas Maddox (2020) — Director Data Management
- Former: Edward Lavelle (2020) — CIO
- Former: Elisabeth Connors (2020) — Dep. Executive Director & CFO
- Former: Laura P. Miller (2020) — Senior Director Enterprise Proj. Man.
- Former: Mariam Assefa (2020) — Former Executive Director & CEO
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 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $951K, to Esther T Benjamin (CEO & Executive Director). 13 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about World Education Services Inc
How much does World Education Services Inc give each year?
World Education Services Inc gave $4.0M across 40 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $4.7M across 51 grants.
What is World Education Services Inc's typical grant size?
World Education Services Inc's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $100,679, across 40 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from World Education Services Inc that year got $90K on average.
Where does World Education Services Inc give grants?
World Education Services Inc's top state is California, with 21% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Colorado (13%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants), Chicago, IL (4 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does World Education Services Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of World Education Services Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 40) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Project-Based Support Grant" (8 grants) and "Donation" (7 grants).
Who are World Education Services Inc's largest grantees?
World Education Services Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Techstars Partners 2021 LLC ($536,667), Sorenson Impact Institute ($300,000) and La Plaza De Encuentro Gathering Place ($225,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is World Education Services Inc?
World Education Services Inc reported $259.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $139.6M.
What does World Education Services Inc fund?
WES’s mission is to help people learn, work, and thrive in new places, and to help society recognize the value of people’s education and experience. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from World Education Services Inc?
World Education Services Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wes.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is World Education Services Inc's EIN?
World Education Services Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7396384. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). World Education Services Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/world-education-services-inc-morg_76d284943cc5422bb3a5d369538e9203
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237396384_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{World Education Services Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/world-education-services-inc-morg_76d284943cc5422bb3a5d369538e9203},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from World Education Services Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
World Education Services Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?