The organization's mission is to provide support and management services to the Tor network, which is a group of volunteer-operated servers that allows people to improve their privacy and security on the internet. The organization's users employ the Tor network by connecting through a series of virtual tunnels rather than making a direct connection, thus allowing both organizations and individuals to share information over public networks without compromising their privacy. Along the same line, the Tor network is an effective censorship circumvention tool, allowing its users to reach otherwise blocked destinations or content. The Tor network can also be used as a building block for software developers to create new communication tools with built-in privacy features.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10,000 volunteers and 22 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.6M a year · 21% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
14
named funders · $3.8M
Looks good: 14 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$467K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$12.3M
+69% vs prior year
Spent
$9.0M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$10.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$12.3M
FY2025▲ +69%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.4M
FY2021$7.4M
FY2022$6.0M
FY2023$8.5M
FY2024$7.3M
FY2025$12.3M
Expenses
$9.0M
FY2025▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.4M
FY2021$4.0M
FY2022$4.9M
FY2023$6.7M
FY2024$7.3M
FY2025$9.0M
Net assets
$10.0M
FY2025▲ +50%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$390K
FY2021$3.9M
FY2022$5.0M
FY2023$6.8M
FY2024$6.7M
FY2025$10.0M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 2007.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $7.2M Management & general 14% · $1.2M Fundraising 6% · $502K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$188,985Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Director of Engineering
$185,400Pt VII · Sec A
$173,236Pt VII · Sec A
Co Founder & Ambassador
$172,892Pt VII · Sec A
Founder & Network Team SR Developer
$172,892Pt VII · Sec A
Project Manager
$144,703Pt VII · Sec A
Staff Acountant
$121,134Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Fundraising
$114,385Pt VII · Sec A

Isabela Dias Fernandes’s $189K as Executive Director is at the 18th percentile of top reported officer pay among 232 $10–100M public & societal benefit nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Isabela Dias Fernandes$188,985$173,648$162,094$153,750——
Micah Anderson$185,400$182,200————
Susan Abt$173,236$129,567$123,389$116,835$82,921$94,144
Nick Mathewson$172,892$166,585—$153,750$99,231$124,125
Roger Dingledine$172,892$166,531$160,238$152,550$99,500$124,125
Nicholas Mathewson——$161,438———
Mike Perry$144,703$141,258$134,531$128,125—$112,500
Matthew Finkel———$123,000——

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.

See The Tor Project INC executive salaries →

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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

Promotes online anonymity and privacy through research, education, and advocacy.

Questions for The Tor Project INC

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $7.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

1) to develop, improve and distribute free, publicly available tools and programs that promote free speech, free expression, civic engagement, and privacy rights online 2) to conduct scientific research regarding, and to promote the use of and knowledge about, such tools, programs, and related issues internationally 3) to educate the…

$7.2Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 14 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$12.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$53K
Money outPt IX
$9.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.2M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$502K
Owns and owesPt X
$10.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.4M
Total assetsLn 16$10.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$467K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.9M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$630K
Investment incomeLn 3$53K
Total revenueLn 12$12.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.7M
SavingsLn 2$6.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$9.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$47K
Total assetsLn 16$10.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$467K
Net assetsLn 32$10.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 522
VolunteersI 610,000
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
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.7M$9.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$49K$47K
Total assetsLn 16$7.0M$10.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$281K$467K
Net assetsLn 32$6.7M$10.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.0M$594K$366K$62K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$130K$104K$21K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.2M$2.8M$349K$107K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$57K$46K$9K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$212K$184K$20K$8K
Payroll taxesLn 10$401K$319K$66K$16K
Legal feesLn 11b$20K$10K$6K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$86K$44K$26K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.4M$3.0M$230K$184K
Office expensesLn 13$80K$6K$31K$43K
Information technologyLn 14$89K$39K$50K
OccupancyLn 16$4K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$161K$140K$21K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$15K$15K
InsuranceLn 23$25K$25K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$62K$27K$35K
Total functional expensesLn 25$9.0M$7.2M$1.2M$502K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $12.3M$9.0M$3.3M$10.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $7.3M$7.3M−$56K$6.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $8.5M$6.7M$1.8M$6.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $6.0M$4.9M$1.1M$5.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.4M$4.0M$3.4M$3.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $4.4M$4.4M$40K$390K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,279,993 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,237,248$12,226,787
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $50,318$53,206
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,287,566$12,279,993
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 $4,158,106$5,043,606
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $3,185,496$3,923,993
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,343,602$8,967,599
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$56,036$3,312,394
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
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 $12,279,993 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,932,985
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$10,293,802
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$629,695
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,226,787
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $53,206$53,206
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $53,206$12,279,993
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,967,599 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $593,980 · Management $365,687 · Fundraising $61,822$1,021,489
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $103,652 · Management $21,481 · Fundraising $5,179$130,312
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,765,667 · Management $348,518 · Fundraising $107,131$3,221,316
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $45,661 · Management $9,463 · Fundraising $2,282$57,406
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $184,076 · Management $20,197 · Fundraising $8,126$212,399
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $318,709 · Management $66,049 · Fundraising $15,926$400,684
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $10,416 · Management $6,288 · Fundraising $3,649$20,353
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $43,793 · Management $26,437 · Fundraising $15,345$85,575
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,967,389 · Management $229,529 · Fundraising $184,315$3,381,233
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,850 · Management $31,338 · Fundraising $43,090$80,278
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $38,941 · Management $49,947$88,888
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $4,390$4,390
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $140,331 · Fundraising $20,769$161,100
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $14,651$14,651
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $25,316$25,316
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $27,433 · Fundraising $34,776$62,209
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,245,898 · Management $1,219,291 · Fundraising $502,410$8,967,599
Part X · Balance sheet $10,509,673 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,030,800$2,748,774
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,649,200$6,650,205
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,098,498$798,557
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $23,427$264,794
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $49,043$47,343
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $6,955,380$10,509,673
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $281,300$464,663
X-19 Deferred revenue$2,042
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $281,300$466,705
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,758,290$9,379,702
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $915,790$663,266
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,674,080$10,042,968
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $6,955,380$10,509,673
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $10,042,968 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$12,279,993
XI-2 Total expenses$8,967,599
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,312,394
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,674,080
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$45,148
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$11,346
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$10,042,968

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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