Albanian organizations in the US

Founded in 1989 by former US Rep. Joe DioGuardi, the Albanian American Civic League is the only registered Albanian-American lobby in Washington, DC. It remained active in 2025, reporting $26,640 in grants.

The Albanian-American Development Foundation is a 501(c)(3) economic-development foundation created by the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund with US-government support. It reports $9.3M in annual revenue (IRS 990) and runs programs from offices in New York and Tirana.

The scholarship arm of the Albanian American National Organization, one of the oldest Albanian-American organizations (founded 1946). It has awarded more than 225 scholarships since 1955, has been tax-exempt since 1965, and reported $261K in revenue in FY2024.

The denominational headquarters of Albanian Orthodoxy in the US, founded by Fan Noli, who celebrated the first Albanian-language liturgy in Boston in 1908. Since 1971 it has been one of three ethnic dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America, with 11 parishes across the country and its chancery in South Boston.

The Albanian-American Enterprise Fund was established in 1995 under the SEED Act with a $30M USAID grant. Its investments have contributed over $1 billion to Albania's GDP and more than 5,000 jobs; it reported $6.6M in revenue and $82.2M in net assets in FY2022 (IRS 990). In 2009 it created the Albanian-American Development Foundation as its legacy organization.

The American University in Kosovo Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation in Mount Kisco, NY that supports RIT Kosovo (A.U.K.). It reported $1.7M in revenue in FY2023 and paid $856K in grants in 2024.

Friends of Fondacioni Firdeus is the US 501(c)(3) arm of Fondacioni Firdeus, established in 2019. With $4.5M in IRS-reported revenue (FY2023), it is the largest US-based Albanian-cause charity, funding programs primarily in Albania and Kosovo.

The oldest Albanian-American organization, founded April 28, 1912 in Boston by Fan Noli and Faik Konica. Headquartered in the Bronx, Vatra has chapters in multiple states — including Boston, Hartford, Queens, Tampa Bay, Miami, and Washington, DC — and has published the newspaper Dielli since 1909.

A Bronx food pantry and charity founded in 2012 by Aleksander Nilaj. During recent SNAP uncertainty it served roughly 2,000 people a week, drawing coverage from NY1, PIX11, and CBS New York; it reported $163K in revenue in FY2023.

A mosque and cultural center in Riverdale, NJ with a lineage back to the Albanian Associated Fund of 1977-78. It owns its three-story building, runs an Albanian school whose 2024 festival drew over 400 students and spectators, and reports $129K in annual revenue with $2.9M in assets (IRS 990).

A 501(c)(3) since 2000 with its own center in Lewisville in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — one of the largest Albanian community organizations outside the Northeast. It runs an Albanian language school, scholarships, and community events, reporting $455K in annual revenue (IRS).

A humanitarian fund based in Yorktown Heights, NY that restored the historic Millë mill and an ethnographic museum in the Ulqin region and supports orphans and students. It reports $486K in annual revenue (IRS 990).

Established in 1962, one of the oldest Albanian mosque communities in the New York metro area, operating two mosques: Albemarle Road in Brooklyn — the first Albanian mosque in New York City — and Monroe Street in Garfield, NJ. Friday khutba is delivered in Albanian and English, and it runs a Sunday weekend school.

Waterbury's Albanian Muslim community dates to 1919 — among the first mosque communities in the United States. It operates the Raymond Street mosque and the 'Hasan Prishtina' cultural center, and its annual four-day festival draws around 10,000 visitors.

Founded December 15, 1946 by 27 delegates from 9 US cities, AANO is a non-religious, non-political federation with 9 chapters across the US and Canada. It publishes Trumbeta and holds its 78th annual convention in 2026.

The national umbrella of Albanian-American university student chapters, founded at Wayne State University in 1998. It counts roughly 12 chapters across Michigan, Texas, Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania, with affiliates in Toronto and Australia.

One of the largest mosques in North America, with over 15,000 square feet of prayer space on Victory Boulevard, Staten Island. Founded in 1973 as the Islamic Mesjid of Staten Island, it also houses the private Miraj Islamic School.

A bipartisan advocacy organization based in McKinney, TX focused on US-Albania relations, with Washington, DC-facing operations and a paired FEC-registered PAC. It reported $134K in income to the IRS (exempt 2025).

A scholarship and education 501(c)(3) based in Glen Head, NY, tax-exempt since 2018. It reports roughly $252K in annual income.

Established in 1979 with 25 founding members, it serves Albanian Muslims across the Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee tri-city area from a purpose-built facility with a weekend Islamic school.

The largest Albanian-American law-enforcement association in the US — a 501(c)(3) since 2021, headquartered in Brooklyn, with a claimed 700+ members across agencies nationwide.

Philadelphia's main Albanian cultural association. In 2018 it acquired the historic 1803 Lower Dublin Academy, which it is restoring into an Albanian school and community center; it reported $136K in revenue in FY2023.

The first Albanian Catholic parish in the US, erected by Cardinal O'Connor in 1989 with roots in the 1962 Albanian-American Catholic League. Around 1,350 families are registered; the Hartsdale, NY church holds two Sunday Albanian Masses plus daily Mass and publishes 'Jeta Katolike'.

The Contessa Entellina Society of New Orleans was founded in 1886 by Arbëresh (Sicilian-Albanian) immigrants from Contessa Entellina, Sicily, and is among the oldest Albanian-heritage organizations in the United States — 26 years older than Vatra. The society remains active in New Orleans with annual gatherings.

A mosque and community center in Freehold, NJ serving Albanians from the Dibra region — one of the largest Albanian community centers in New Jersey. It runs its own Albanian-language school and reports $536K in annual revenue (IRS 990) with $2.75M in assets.

The oldest Albanian-language newspaper still publishing, founded February 15, 1909 in Boston by Fan Noli's Besa-Besën society. It has been the official press organ of Vatra since 1912 and still publishes at gazetadielli.com.

The first Bektashi teqe in the United States, consecrated April 29, 1954 by Baba Rexheb in Taylor, MI. It remains a national pilgrimage point for Bektashism in America.

A 501(c)(3) founded in 2019 by economist Mark Kosmo that channels tax-deductible donations to vetted nonprofits in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. It runs the Global Albanians Youth Network and reported $130K in revenue in FY2023.

A bilingual Albanian-American newspaper published since 1991, founded by Harry Bajraktari with publisher Vehbi Bajrami. Its nationwide readership includes congressional offices.

An Albanian-community-founded nonprofit operating a 72-unit HUD-subsidized senior and disabled apartment complex in Worcester, MA, built in 1990. It reports $1.7M in annual revenue (IRS).

A Staten Island heritage association serving the Kraja community for more than 30 years. With the Ana e Malit Association it co-runs the 'Mëso Shqip' Albanian school, opened in 2022 with over 150 students, and it reported $123K in revenue in FY2023.

The Massachusetts Albanian American Society 'Besa' has served Albanians statewide for about 20 years and opened the MAASBESA Albanian Community Center in Braintree. It runs an Albanian language and heritage school and reported $101K in revenue in FY2023.

The charitable and educational 501(c)(3) arm of the Albanian American Civic League, tax-exempt since 1994. It reported $33,661 in revenue in FY2024.

A Christian mission organization supporting church planting, a medical clinic, meals-on-wheels, and youth camps in southeast Albania. It holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and reported $513K in revenue in FY2023.

The largest Albanian Catholic parish outside the homeland, established in 1981 in Rochester Hills, MI and serving more than 2,000 families across metro Detroit. The parish holds daily Mass and runs the adjacent Albanian American Club banquet facility.

Founded in 1908 by Fan Noli, St. George is the mother church of Albanian Orthodoxy in America and the seat of the Albanian Archdiocese. It draws worshipers from more than 40 towns across Massachusetts and neighboring states and houses the Fan Noli Library.

Founded in 1949 by Imam Vehbi Ismail, the society operates the Albanian Islamic Center in Harper Woods, MI — consecrated in 1963 and the oldest and largest purpose-built Albanian-American Sunni mosque in the US.

An Albanian OTT streaming service for the US and Canada diaspora carrying over 250 channels as the licensed US broadcaster of DigitAlb, Tring, and ArtMotion. Based on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, with apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play.