Electronic Frontier Foundation INC: FY2021 Nonprofit Profile & Form 990 (EIN 04-3091431)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020	$12.2M
FY2021	$17.7M
FY2022	$23.9M
FY2023	$18.0M
FY2024	$29.4M
FY2025	$21.6M

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020	$15.0M
FY2021	$15.4M
FY2022	$16.7M
FY2023	$19.2M
FY2024	$21.9M
FY2025	$25.8M

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020	$38.3M
FY2021	$45.4M
FY2022	$45.4M
FY2023	$45.9M
FY2024	$57.1M
FY2025	$56.1M

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1990.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

69%

16%

15%

Program services 69% · $10.6M Management & general 16% · $2.5M Fundraising 15% · $2.3M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

22 people listed on the 990; $1.9M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII

Cindy Cohn

Executive Director

$274,536Pt VII · Sec A

Corynne McSherry

Legal Director

$212,597Pt VII · Sec A

Kurt Opsahl

Secretary/Deputy Exec. Director

$211,789Pt VII · Sec A

David Greene

Civil Liberties Director

$190,416Pt VII · Sec A

Loraine Reitman

Chief Program Officer

$177,758Pt VII · Sec A

Kelly Esguerra

Treasurer/Finance Dir.

$176,002Pt VII · Sec A

Lee Tien

Legislative Director

$174,045Pt VII · Sec A

Adam Schwartz

Senior Staff Attorney

$158,095Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Cindy Cohn	$352,039	$332,139	$313,121	$292,031	$274,536	$272,500
Rebecca Jeschke	$258,050	$217,175	$193,214	—	—	—
Jennifer Lynch	$250,023	$202,118	$172,933	$161,805	$153,234	$143,545
Allison Morris	$247,311	—	—	—	—	—
Kelly Esguerra	$244,097	$207,407	$188,801	$184,826	$176,002	$142,727
Corynne McSherry	$242,711	$228,749	$218,347	$215,855	$212,597	$205,478
David Greene	$240,649	$205,258	$199,048	$195,272	$190,416	$178,529
Kurt Opsahl	—	—	$224,582	$236,191	$211,789	$207,917

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Defends digital freedom and privacy for everyone online.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $10.6M · in their own filed words · FY2020

01

Educated the public regarding new forms of technology, fostered discussion as well as public policy analysis regarding the legal and social issues raised by technology, and conducted litigation in the public interest to preserve human and civil rights.

$10.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid

Grants received · FY2025

T Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving INCFY2025$16K

Theodore P Chuffers FoundationFY2025$10K

The Tibore FoundationFY2025$10K

Yetadel FoundationFY2025$5K

The Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati FoundationFY2025$5K

Langerman FoundationFY2025$3K

McKetta FoundationFY2025$2K

Total grants receivedfrom 7 funders$50K

See all 7 funders →

Grants paid · 1 grant · $10K · 2024–2024

Access NowNY · FY2024$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$17.7M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.6M

Other incomeLn 4–11$507K

Investment incomeLn 3$469K

Money outPt IX

$15.4M

Ln 25

Programscol B$10.6M

Managementcol C$2.5M

Fundraisingcol D$2.3M

Owns and owesPt X

$45.4M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.7M

Total assetsLn 16$46.6M

LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M

PeoplePt VI, VII

22

listed · VII A

PaidVII A10

Voting boardVI 1a13

IndependentVI 1b12

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.6M

Government grantsLn 1e$1.7M

Noncash giftsLn 1g$951K

Fundraising eventsLn 1c$11K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$70K

Investment incomeLn 3$469K

Other incomeLn 4–11$507K

Total revenueLn 12$17.7M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$1.2M

SavingsLn 2$2.5M

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.7M

InvestmentsLn 11–13$29.5M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.6M

Total assetsLn 16$46.6M

LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M

Net assetsLn 32$45.4M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 5108

VolunteersI 6289

Fiscal year endsHeaderJune

Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes

Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes

Records policyVI 14Yes

3Year over year

Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B

Line	Start FY21	End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$3.9M	$3.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$25.1M	$29.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$10.8M	$10.6M
Total assetsLn 16	$40.7M	$46.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$2.4M	$1.1M
Net assetsLn 32	$38.3M	$45.4M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$1.2M	$716K	$429K	$35K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$9.8M	$7.1M	$1.5M	$1.2M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$234K	$166K	$27K	$41K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$1.1M	$774K	$115K	$190K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$720K	$512K	$83K	$125K
Legal feesLn 11b	$3K	$2K	$590	$380
Accounting feesLn 11c	$16K		$16K
Lobbying feesLn 11d	$48K	$48K
Investment management feesLn 11f	$93K		$93K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$627K	$544K	$76K	$6K
Office expensesLn 13	$178K	$124K	$32K	$21K
Information technologyLn 14	$47K	$33K	$9K	$6K
OccupancyLn 16	$169K	$118K	$31K	$20K
TravelLn 17	$474	$429	$4	$41
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$303K	$212K	$55K	$36K
InsuranceLn 23	$128K	$111K	$10K	$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$766K	$148K	$16K	$603K
All other expensesLn 24e	$14K		$9K	$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$15.4M	$10.6M	$2.5M	$2.3M

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest	$21.6M	$25.8M	−$4.2M	$56.1M	990 PDF
FY2024	$29.4M	$21.9M	$7.5M	$57.1M	990 PDF
FY2023	$18.0M	$19.2M	−$1.2M	$45.9M	990 PDF
FY2022	$23.9M	$16.7M	$7.1M	$45.4M	990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing	$17.7M	$15.4M	$2.3M	$45.4M	990 PDF
FY2020	$12.2M	$15.0M	−$2.8M	$38.3M	990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $17,692,904 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,778,555$16,647,324

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $568,921$69,610

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $679,879$469,006

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $185,466$506,964

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $12,212,821$17,692,904

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0

I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $12,407,966$13,035,456

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,572,815$2,392,389

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,980,781$15,427,845

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,767,960$2,265,059

Part VI · Governance 12 of 13 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13

VI-1b Independent voting members12

VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo

VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes

VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes

VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes

VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Part VIII · Statement of revenue $17,692,904 across 12 lines filed

Lines not itemized here account for $126,688 of total revenue; see the IRS return.

VIII-1a Federated campaigns$49,487

VIII-1b Membership dues$4,951,654

VIII-1c Fundraising events$11,185

VIII-1e Government grants$1,692,000

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$9,942,998

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$950,968

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$16,647,324

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $69,610$69,610

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $469,006$469,006

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0

VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $380,276$380,276

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $196,298 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $849,282$17,692,904

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $15,427,845 across 18 lines filed

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $715,995 · Management $429,116 · Fundraising $35,254$1,180,365

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,113,072 · Management $1,478,365 · Fundraising $1,230,297$9,821,734

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $165,858 · Management $27,482 · Fundraising $40,797$234,137

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $773,727 · Management $114,798 · Fundraising $190,276$1,078,801

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $511,811 · Management $83,493 · Fundraising $125,115$720,419

IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,257 · Management $590 · Fundraising $380$3,227

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $16,000$16,000

IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $48,000$48,000

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $93,430$93,430

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $544,437 · Management $75,865 · Fundraising $6,301$626,603

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $124,348 · Management $32,470 · Fundraising $20,943$177,761

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $32,743 · Management $8,553 · Fundraising $5,515$46,811

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $118,102 · Management $30,850 · Fundraising $19,891$168,843

IX-17 TravelPrograms $429 · Management $4 · Fundraising $41$474

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $211,684 · Management $55,294 · Fundraising $35,652$302,630

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $111,205 · Management $10,287 · Fundraising $6,633$128,125

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $147,603 · Management $15,781 · Fundraising $602,979$766,363

IX-24e All other expensesManagement $9,406 · Fundraising $4,716$14,122

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $10,621,271 · Management $2,481,784 · Fundraising $2,324,790$15,427,845

Part X · Balance sheet $46,555,416 assets, 16 lines filed

Asset lines not itemized here account for $185,087; see the IRS return.

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,706,366$1,151,000

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,178,736$2,527,897

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $601,278$2,471,749

X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $86,605$78,554

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $58,448$71,427

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,750,658$10,576,874

X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $25,127,068$29,492,828

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $40,689,795$46,555,416

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $671,697$1,110,728

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $42,175$1,500

X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $1,692,000$0

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,405,872$1,112,228

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $33,286,968$37,345,519

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,996,955$8,097,669

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $38,283,923$45,443,188

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $40,689,795$46,555,416

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $45,443,188 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$17,692,904

XI-2 Total expenses$15,427,845

XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,265,059

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$38,283,923

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$4,894,206

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$45,443,188

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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Electronic Frontier Foundation INC FY2021 filing

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