Founded in 1915 , it is the United States ' oldest nonsectarian international development organization and the second American humanitarian organization to be chartered by an act of Congress . Near East Relief organized the world 's first large-scale , modern humanitarian project in response to the unfolding Armenian and Assyrian genocides . Known as the Near East Foundation since 1930 , NEF pioneered many of the strategies employed by the world 's leading development organizations . In the past 100 years NEF has worked with partner communities in more than 40 countries . The foundation had organised the world 's first great humanitarian project of the United States , in the beginning of the 20th century
Armenian
Armenian Genocide
Near East Foundation