Programs and results
What we aim to solve
When China Institute was founded in 1926 by a group of distinguished educators—including Hu Shih, John Dewey, and Kuo Ping-Wen—very little was known about China in the United States. The primary goal of the nascent organization was to deepen cross-cultural understanding through the sponsorship of educational and cultural programs. In the 21st century, China’s profound importance on the world stage is well known. Yet for many Americans, an authentic understanding of that country remains elusive. Today, our organization is the go-to resource on China, offering a broad slate of programs and services that bring to life the country’s depth, complexity and dynamism.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
School of Chinese Studies
Driven by solid curricula, China Institute’s School of Chinese Studies, located in NYC, offers classes, courses and programs in Chinese language, history, literature, arts and culture, etc. to build a life-long learning community that sustains and encourages excitement for learning by connecting with other like-minded individuals.
The School was chartered in 1944 by the Board of Regents of the New York State Department of Education. With a direct endorsement by New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, Superintendent of Schools Dr. John E. Wade granted the school accreditation to offer in-service credit courses for teachers, and China Institute was soon recognized as the nation’s first and largest school of Chinese studies of its kind.
For over 80 years, China Institute’s School of Chinese Studies has taught thousands of students, both children and adults, to speak, read and write Chinese. The School has provided courses and workshops for K-12 educators and the general public on Chinese culture, history, art, literature and language teaching; brought hundreds of students and educators to China for life-changing tours and study programs; and created award-winning curriculum guides and books about China. In an increasingly globalized community, the school continues to create innovative programs to foster cross-cultural understanding and connections.
China Institute Gallery
Established in 1966, China Institute Gallery was the first non-profit gallery in the United States to showcase Chinese art and culture exclusively and on a regular basis.
China Institute Gallery is renowned for its intimate, first-class thematic exhibitions, which are accompanied by in-depth scholarly catalogues. The Gallery has presented over 100 exhibitions in such areas as calligraphy, painting, ceramics, bronzes, decorative art, folk art, architecture, photography, textiles, and contemporary art covering 5,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic period to present day. China Institute Gallery has earned an international reputation and continues to provide a unique opportunity for Americans and visitors from around the world to appreciate both traditional and contemporary Chinese art and culture.
The Gallery offers:
· Original Major Exhibitions
· Traveling Exhibitions
· Exhibition Catalogs
· Gallery Tours through Discover China Through Art (DCTA), an educational program for all age groups
· Membership Opportunities – Friends of the Gallery for those who share a special love for the art of China
China Institute Center for Business
China Institute’s Center for Business provides a crucial forum for U.S.-China business interaction and a resource for insights on the business landscape in both countries. It is the go-to place for timely, insightful thought leadership programming and convening around U.S.-China business and economics.
Arts and Culture Programs
The high quality and authenticity of China Institute’s arts and culture programs have established our organization as the premiere resource in New York City for all who wish to learn more about China.
Lectures, symposia, workshops, readings, film screenings, and performances--featuring distinguished artists, authors, curators, educators, and scholars--illuminate China's art, history, literature, philosophy, and contemporary life.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
China Institute fosters a deepened understanding of China through programs in education, culture, art, and business. These include world-class Gallery exhibitions; education and teacher training services; humanities-themed public programs; family-friendly open houses and festivals; and forums for business dialogue.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In 2015, the Institute moved from a 9,000-square-foot townhouse to a two-floor, 52,000-square foot facility in Lower Manhattan that is being renovated in phases. Resources gained in its new and enhanced physical space are enabling the Institute to re-imagine the spectrum of its programming and allow us to serve a larger and more diverse community, thereby meeting the growing interests and needs of its global constituents.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Build-out to date of our new downtown facility has concentrated on its second floor, and included installation of the following: a five-classroom, state-of-the-art education center that doubles as spaces for meetings and public events; a climate-controlled China Institute Gallery suitable for displaying fragile art treasures; a foyer that can be purposed for receptions and public programs; staff offices; and the Institute’s entrance/lobby spaces.
In 2019, second floor renovations will be completed with construction of two additional classrooms and three multi-purpose spaces. These will be outfitted with technology supporting a variety of public programs (i.e. seminars, film screenings, and performances), pop-up exhibitions, and more. Capacity expansion will continue in 2019/20 with street level renovations that will permit use of our ground floor for public programming and other mission-driven services on a year-round basis; a new grand staircase will link the Institute’s two floors.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
China Institute had been New York City’s premier educational and informational resource on China for decades before the opening of its vastly expanded physical headquarters in 2015. With this transformational change, the Institute both amplified its organizational visibility and heightened the profile of Lower Manhattan as a cultural destination.
Our new facility established an institutional and programmatic environment supporting the following institutional goals: the aggressive pursuit of new audiences; creating innovative responses to the needs of our rapidly expanding constituent base; and—at a time when the fostering of mutual trust and understanding between China and the U.S. has never been more important—heightening China Institute’s role and leadership in the global community.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Our School of Chinese Studies offers tuition-based classes for students of all ages; free and low-cost cultural workshops to NYC classrooms; and professional development programs for educators. China Institute Gallery's world-class exhibitions serve broad audiences, from art devotees to those just discovering the arts of China; it also offers K-12 education programs. Our Public Programs division primarily serves general audiences who wish to learn more about China; its family programs enable children and their parents/caregivers to explore aspects of Chinese culture together. The China Institute Center for Business provides timely insights on the business environment in both countries through programs serving the international business community.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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CHINA INSTITUTE IN AMERICA
Board of directorsas of 3/9/2021
Mr. Chien Chung Pei
Partner, Pei Partnership Architects
Term: 2004 -
Ms. Yue-Sai Kan
Emmy-winning Television Host and Producer, Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author and Humanitarian
Term: 2018 -
Anla Cheng
Partner, Sino-Century China Private Equity Partners, LLC; Founder & CEO, SupChina Inc.
James Chin
Senior Vice President & Chief Capital Markets Officer, MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, Inc.
Kathy Bloomgarden
Chief Executive Officer, Ruder Finn, Inc.
Chen Guoqing
Chairman, CEO, Pacific American Corporation
Ingrid Ehrenberg
Philanthropist and Investor
Julie Eisenhower
Author, Editor, Volunteer
Mei He
CEO, Wailian Overseas Consulting Group
Edward Hyman
Chairman, ISI Group, Inc.
Yue-Sai Kan
Emmy-winning Television Host and Producer, Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author and Humanitarian
Michael Krupa
President, Gemdale USA Corporation
Marie Lam
Philanthropist
Vincent Mo
Chairman & CEO, Fang Holdings, LTD
Robert Nederlander, Jr.
President & CEO, Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment
David O'Brien
Partner, Chief of Staff to the Americas and US Chairman, Brand, Marketing and Communications, Ernst & Young
Sophia Sheng
Philantropist
Miranda Tang
Philanthropist
Julie Waldorf
Attorney
Vivian Long
Program Director, Long Family Foundation
Peter Walker
Retired
Fiona Cibani
President, Ports 1961
Huajun Han
Philanthropist
Ruth Jin, Esq.
Founder and Partner, Jin & Koppell PLLC
Kai-Yan Lee
Managing Director, Vanke US
Julie Monaco
Global Head, Citi’s Public Sector Group, Corporate and Investment Banking
Pin Ni
President, Wanxiang America Corporation
Chien Chung Pei
Partner, Pei Partnership Architects
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data