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Foundation to Defend the First Amendment

Tax-deductible

La Plata, MD501(c)(3)Since 1982Civil Rights & AdvocacyEIN 22-2442295

Production and mailing of pamphlets to educate public about 1st amendment rights.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
0 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $37K a year · 399% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 0 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
15 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 14.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4K
-57% vs prior year
Spent
$18K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$23K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$4K
FY2025▼ -57%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3K
FY2021$30K
FY2022$75
FY2023$8K
FY2024$10K
FY2025$4K
Expenses
$18K
FY2025▼ -21%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$26K
FY2021$186K
FY2022$11K
FY2023$15K
FY2024$23K
FY2025$18K
Net assets
$23K
FY2025▼ -36%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$758K
FY2021$67K
FY2022$56K
FY2023$49K
FY2024$36K
FY2025$23K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Form 990 (PDF) Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1983.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $18K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

3 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Raymond Goodwin
Vice Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Paul Angel
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Christopher J Petherick
Secretarytreasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Foundation to Defend the First Amendment executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Distributes pamphlets to educate the public about First Amendment rights.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Foundation to Defend the First Amendment claims this page.

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1 program service account for $18K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2025.
01

Production, mailing and support of materials to disseminate information about first amendment rights.

$18Kprogram expense

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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 · FY2019
Lincoln Community Foundation INCFY2019$5K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $145K · 2021–2021
Helping Expose Bunk INCFY2021$145,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4K
Money outPt IX
$18K
Ln 25
Programscol B$18K
Owns and owesPt X
$23K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$22K
Total assetsLn 16$23K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4K
Total revenueLn 12$4K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$22K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$22K
Other assetsLn 15$1K
Total assetsLn 16$23K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$23K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$35K$22K
Total assetsLn 16$36K$23K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$36K$23K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Accounting feesLn 11c$1K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$12K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$18K$18K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $4K$18K−$13K$23K 990 PDF
FY2024 $10K$23K−$12K$36K 990 PDF
FY2023 $8K$15K−$7K$49K 990 PDF
FY2022 $75$11K−$11K$56K 990 PDF
FY2021 $30K$186K−$156K$67K 990 PDF
FY2020 $3K$26K−$23K$758K 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

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 FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $4,500 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,500
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,500
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$4,500
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $17,746 across 3 lines filed
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $1,275$1,275
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $12,500$12,500
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,971$3,971
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $17,746 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$17,746
Part X · Balance sheet $23,095 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $35,341$22,095
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,000$1,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $36,341$23,095
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $36,341$23,095
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $36,341$23,095
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $36,341$23,095
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $23,095 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,500
XI-2 Total expenses$17,746
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$13,246
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$36,341
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$23,095

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

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