Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) - NGO Cluster Analysis
Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) - NGO Cluster Analysis
OPUS INVESTIGATION REPORT
Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC)
NGO Cluster Detection & Financial Analysis
Investigation Date: January 14, 2026
Investigator: OPUS (Autonomous Intelligence System)
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL - Internal Review
Investigation ID: ECDC-2026-01-14
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) is one of nine national refugee resettlement agencies authorized by the U.S. Department of State. Founded in 1983 by Dr. Tsehaye Teferra, ECDC has grown from a $100,000 startup to a $92.4 million organization (FY2024), representing a 749% revenue increase since 2020.
Key Findings
| Metric | Value | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Total Federal Funding (TAGGS 2018-2025) | $179.7M | 7th of 9 national resettlement agencies |
| FY2024 Revenue | $92.4M | 98.7% from government contributions |
| FY2024 Officer Compensation Ratio | 0.48% | LOW - Well below fraud threshold |
| Revenue Growth 2021→2022 | +1,323% | SPIKE - Afghan resettlement surge |
| Affiliate Network | 24 locations | 7 branch offices + 17 affiliates |
| Subsidiary Entity | Enterprise Development Group | $23M assets, shared leadership |
Risk Assessment: LOW-MEDIUM
LOW RISK INDICATORS:
- ✅ Officer compensation well below 1% of revenue
- ✅ GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency
- ✅ Independent annual audits published
- ✅ 40+ year operating history
- ✅ No fraud investigations found in public record
MEDIUM RISK INDICATORS:
- ⚠️ Massive revenue spike (1,323%) in single year
- ⚠️ Subsidiary entity with shared leadership
- ⚠️ 98.7% government funding dependency
- ⚠️ Affiliate network creates sub-grant complexity
ENTITY PROFILE
Primary Organization
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. |
| EIN | 52-1308986 |
| Address | 901 S Highland St, Arlington, VA 22204 |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Tax-Exempt Since | November 1985 |
| NTEE Code | Human Services/Ethnic Immigrant Centers |
| Website | ecdcus.org |
| Domain Registered | May 27, 2010 |
| Domain Registrar | Network Solutions |
Subsidiary Entity
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | ECDC Enterprise Development Group |
| EIN | 54-1993252 |
| Founded | May 2001 |
| Type | 501(c)(3) Private Grantmaking Foundation |
| Total Assets (2024) | $23,070,507 |
| Total Revenue (2024) | $4,455,146 |
| Mission | Economic development loans for LMI individuals |
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
Revenue Trend (2020-2024)
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Assets | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $10.9M | $11.6M | $8.4M | Baseline |
| 2021 | $14.0M | $12.7M | $9.7M | +28% |
| 2022 | $66.8M | $62.7M | $13.7M | +377% |
| 2023 | $70.5M | $67.5M | $16.8M | +6% |
| 2024 | $92.4M | $87.4M | $21.8M | +31% |
Analysis: The massive 2021→2022 revenue spike (+377%) and 2021→2022 TAGGS grant increase (+1,323%) directly correlates with Operation Allies Welcome - the emergency Afghan resettlement program launched in August 2021. ECDC was allocated 3,100 Afghan arrivals across its network.
HHS TAGGS Grant History
| Fiscal Year | Total TAGGS Grants | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $3.67M | - |
| 2019 | $3.34M | -9% |
| 2020 | $4.62M | +38% |
| 2021 | $3.41M | -26% |
| 2022 | $48.59M | +1,323% |
| 2023 | $69.75M | +44% |
| 2024 | $38.65M | -45% |
| 2025 (partial) | $7.68M | - |
Total TAGGS Grants (2018-2025): $179,717,463
Primary Grant Programs
| Program | Total Funding | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred Communities Program | $89.5M+ | Intensive case management for vulnerable refugees |
| Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant | $46.4M+ | Employment and self-sufficiency support |
| Workforce Initiative for Newcomers | $700K | Job training for refugees |
| IDA Program (Houston) | $380K | Financial literacy for Afghan families |
Executive Compensation (2024)
| Officer | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. | President & CEO | $205,085 |
| Allene F. Wright | Vice President | $234,192 |
| Total Top 2 Officers | $439,277 | |
| Officer Comp as % of Revenue | 0.48% |
Assessment: Officer compensation ratio of 0.48% is well below the fraud indicator threshold of 15%+. Compensation appears reasonable for a $92M organization.
Enterprise Development Group (Subsidiary) Compensation
| Officer | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. | President | $75,582 |
Note: Dr. Teferra receives compensation from both ECDC ($205K) and EDG ($76K), for total compensation of approximately $280,667 across both entities.
RANKING AMONG NATIONAL RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES
ECDC ranks 7th of 9 national resettlement agencies by HHS TAGGS funding:
| Rank | Agency | Total TAGGS Funding |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) | $2.09B |
| 2 | Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) | $1.88B |
| 3 | U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) | $852M |
| 4 | International Rescue Committee (IRC) | $765M |
| 5 | Church World Service | $582M |
| 6 | HIAS | $181M |
| 7 | Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) | $180M |
| 8 | World Relief | $162M |
| 9 | Episcopal Migration Ministries | Not in TAGGS |
Context: ECDC is the only national resettlement agency founded by an African, and the smallest of the nine agencies by federal funding volume.
NETWORK ANALYSIS
Affiliate Structure
ECDC operates through 24 locations in 18 states:
Branch Offices (7):
1. ECDC African Community Center - DC Metro (Arlington, VA)
2. ECDC African Community Center - DC Metro (Silver Spring, MD)
3. ECDC African Community Center (Denver, CO)
4. ECDC African Community Center (Las Vegas, NV)
5. ECDC Multicultural Community Center (Brattleboro, VT)
6. ECDC Multicultural Community Center (Bennington, VT)
7. ECDC Multicultural Community Center (Wausau, WI)
Affiliate Partners (17):
- Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
- Acculturation for Justice, Access & Peace Outreach - AJAPO (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Alliance for African Assistance (San Diego, CA)
- Arizona Immigrant and Refugee Services (Phoenix, AZ)
- Della Lamb Community Services (Kansas City, MO)
- Houston Multicultural Center (Houston, TX)
- Burmese American Community Institute (Indianapolis, IN)
- Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services (Lewiston, ME)
- International Service Center (Harrisburg, PA)
- Plus 8 additional affiliates
Affiliate Selection Criteria
ECDC affiliates are independently operated nonprofits that:
- Already provide services to immigrants/refugees
- Are led by individuals with lived immigrant/refugee experience
- Offer complementary services (ESL, immigration, youth mentoring)
Assessment: This federated model distributes risk but creates sub-grant tracking complexity. No Schedule I grants FROM ECDC to affiliates were found in our database, suggesting affiliates receive federal pass-through funding directly rather than as sub-grants.
LEADERSHIP PROFILE
Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. - Founder, President & CEO
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics, Georgetown University |
| Tenure | Founder since 1983 (41+ years) |
| Compensation | $280,667 total (ECDC + EDG) |
| Board Roles | Save the Children Board (since 2020), Former Refugee Council USA Chair |
| Recognition | White House Champion of Change (2012), USCIS Outstanding American by Choice (2013) |
| Political Contributions | $2,065 identified in FEC records |
Background: Native of Ethiopia. Former UNESCO Fellow (1972). Taught at Howard University, Catholic University, Georgetown. Served on Arlington County Multicultural Commission, EEOC, and diversity task forces.
Allene F. Wright - Vice President
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | B.A. in German, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame |
| Tenure | Volunteer 1983-1986, Staff since 1986 (38+ years) |
| Role | Oversees Programs and Development |
| Also Serves As | Secretary/Treasurer, EDG Board of Directors |
Board of Directors
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. | President |
| Allene F. Wright | Secretary |
| Bereket Woldu | Member |
| Ferede Workneh | Member |
| Yemane W. Yohannes | Member |
Assessment: Small board (5 members) with founder as President. Moderate concentration of authority but not unusual for founder-led nonprofits.
GRANTS RECEIVED FROM OTHER NONPROFITS
| Source Organization | Amount | Purpose | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada | $693,067 | See Part IV | 2022 |
| US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants | $120,688 | Agency Payments | 2022 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | $64,865 | Exempt purposes | 2021 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund | $11,700 | Human Services | 2022 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | $10,000 | General Support | 2022 |
| American Online Giving Foundation | $13,207 | General Support | 2022-23 |
Total Schedule I Grants Received: ~$913,527
OSINT INTELLIGENCE
Domain Analysis
- Domain: ecdcus.org
- Created: May 27, 2010
- Expires: May 27, 2026
- Registrar: Network Solutions
- DNS: WorldNic (Network Solutions)
- Security: HTTPS, Incapsula CDN protection
Archived Content Recovered
Wayback Machine returned 200+ archived URLs including:
- Annual reports and financial statements
- Conference programs (2012-2023)
- Press releases on policy positions
- Member training resources
- Volunteer job announcements
Notable Archived Documents:
- ECDC_Annual_Report_2016.pdf
- 17th/18th National Conference Reports
- Public statements on immigration policy
- Banquet programs (30th Anniversary)
Social Media / Digital Presence
- LinkedIn: Active company page
- Limited individual officer social media presence
- Sherlock/Maigret: No significant findings on founder username
COMPARISON TO FRAUD PATTERNS
Based on PMC's NGO Audit Doctrine, ECDC was evaluated against known fraud indicators:
Feeding Our Future Pattern (Minnesota Fraud)
| Indicator | FOF | ECDC | Match? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid revenue growth (>500% YoY) | ✅ | ✅ (1,323% in 2022) | PARTIAL |
| New/recently formed entity | ✅ | ❌ (41 years old) | NO |
| Minimal operating history | ✅ | ❌ | NO |
| High officer compensation | ✅ | ❌ (0.48% of revenue) | NO |
| Political connections/donations | ✅ | ❌ (minimal $2K) | NO |
| Lack of transparency | ✅ | ❌ (GuideStar Gold Seal) | NO |
| No independent audits | ✅ | ❌ (Annual audits published) | NO |
Assessment: The revenue spike is explained by legitimate cause (Afghan emergency resettlement). ECDC does not match the fraud pattern.
Family Endeavors Pattern
| Indicator | FE | ECDC | Match? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Political insider connections | ✅ | ❌ | NO |
| Rapid contract expansion | ✅ | ✅ (but for emergency program) | PARTIAL |
| GAO documentation of violations | ✅ | ❌ | NO |
| Leadership from government | ✅ | ❌ (academic background) | NO |
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
Audit History
- Requirement: Organizations spending $750K+ in federal grants must submit Single Audit
- ECDC Status: Audits available through Federal Audit Clearinghouse
- GuideStar: Gold Seal of Transparency
- Charity Navigator: Rated (score varies by year)
State Department OIG Reviews
The March 2023 State Department OIG report (ESP-23-01) on the Afghan Placement and Assistance Program mentioned ECDC as one of nine participating agencies. The report found:
- Resettlement agencies faced "most significant challenges ever"
- 72,000 Afghans resettled in 12 months (vs. 11,840 refugees in FY2020)
- Department provided "sufficient funding" for the program
No specific criticism of ECDC was identified in available OIG reports.
RISK SCORING
PMC Risk Score Calculation
| Factor | Weight | Score (0-10) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth Anomaly | 20% | 7 | 1.4 |
| Officer Compensation Ratio | 20% | 2 | 0.4 |
| Organizational Age | 15% | 1 | 0.15 |
| Board Independence | 10% | 5 | 0.5 |
| Audit Transparency | 15% | 2 | 0.3 |
| Political Connections | 10% | 2 | 0.2 |
| Subsidiary Complexity | 10% | 4 | 0.4 |
TOTAL RISK SCORE: 33.5/100
| Score Range | Classification |
|---|---|
| 0-25 | LOW RISK |
| 26-50 | LOW-MEDIUM RISK ← ECDC |
| 51-75 | MEDIUM-HIGH RISK |
| 76-100 | HIGH RISK |
CONCLUSIONS
Summary Assessment
The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) appears to be a legitimately operating refugee resettlement agency with a 40+ year track record. Key observations:
-
The revenue spike is explained: The 1,323% grant increase in FY2022 directly correlates with Operation Allies Welcome, the emergency Afghan resettlement effort.
-
Compensation is reasonable: At 0.48% of revenue, executive compensation is well below fraud thresholds.
-
Transparency is strong: GuideStar Gold Seal, published audits, and public financial statements.
-
Founder concentration: Dr. Teferra has led the organization for 41 years and serves as President of both ECDC and the subsidiary EDG. This is common in founder-led nonprofits but warrants monitoring.
-
No red flags found: No fraud investigations, OIG criticism, or whistleblower complaints identified in public record.
Recommended Actions
| Priority | Action |
|---|---|
| LOW | Continue monitoring annual 990 filings for compensation changes |
| LOW | Track FY2025 revenue to see if post-Afghan surge normalizes |
| NONE | No immediate investigation warranted |
SOURCES
Databases Queried
- [IRS_BMF] IRS Business Master File - 3 records matched
- [TAGGS] HHS TAGGS Grant Database - 50 records matched, $179.7M total
- [FORM_990] Form 990 financial data (via ProPublica)
- [SCHEDULE_I] Form 990 Schedule I grants - 7 records matched
- [FEC] Federal Election Commission contributions - 30 records scanned
- [MASTER_ENTITY_LINKS] Cross-reference database - 10 Ethiopian-related entities
OSINT Tools Used
- [KALI:whois] Domain registration - ecdcus.org
- [KALI:waybackurls] Archived URLs - 200+ recovered
- [KALI:gau] Get All URLs - 50+ documents identified
- [KALI:theHarvester] Email/subdomain discovery - no results
- [KALI:sherlock] Username search - no significant findings
Web Sources
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - accessed 2026-01-14
- ECDC Official Website - accessed 2026-01-14
- ECDC Leadership Page - accessed 2026-01-14
- State Department OIG ESP-23-01 - March 2023 Afghan review
- USCIS Outstanding Americans - accessed 2026-01-14
Report generated by OPUS | Project Milk Carton | January 14, 2026
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Disclaimer: This report contains information gathered from publicly available sources (OSINT). All findings should be independently verified. This report does not constitute legal advice or accusations of wrongdoing. Project Milk Carton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to child welfare transparency.
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Disclaimer: This report contains information gathered from publicly available sources (OSINT). All findings should be independently verified. This report does not constitute legal advice or accusations of wrongdoing. Project Milk Carton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to child welfare transparency.