Freedom Fund FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Brooklyn, NY501(c)(3)Since 2013Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 30-0805768Revenue $18.7M in FY2020

On file with the IRSfreedomfund.org315 Flatbush Avenue 406, 11217-2813 · Brooklyn, NYTax-exempt since Mar 2014Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To mobilize the capital and knowledge needed to end slavery. We generate private funding by demonstrating how effective interventions can protect those at risk of being enslaved and free those in slavery. We invest in those countries and sectors with the greatest incidence of slavery. We analyze which interventions work best, and we share that knowledge. We bring together a community of activists committed to ending slavery and empowered by the knowledge of how best to DO so.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$525K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $5.5M a year · 23% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$525K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$222K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$18.7M
Spent
$14.9M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$12.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$18.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$18.7M
FY2021$51.2M
FY2022$13.5M
FY2023$16.7M
FY2024$19.7M
Expenses
$14.9M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$14.9M
FY2021$12.7M
FY2022$19.6M
FY2023$22.5M
FY2024$22.8M
Net assets
$12.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$12.3M
FY2021$50.8M
FY2022$44.6M
FY2023$39.5M
FY2024$36.4M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2014.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $13.0M Management & general 5% · $751K Fundraising 8% · $1.1M

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

12 people listed on the 990; $525K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO/President
$302,324Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Programs
$112,929Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Finance/Secretary
$109,250Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nicholas Grono’s $272K as CEO/President is at the 61st percentile of top reported officer pay among 661 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Nicholas Grono$272,475$271,557$279,555$301,586$302,324
Amy Rahe$202,358$208,187$194,972$148,622—
Dan Vexler$139,011$134,956$131,989$125,246$112,929
Zoe Marshall$135,806$130,112$121,238$123,670$109,250
Erin Phelps$126,047$116,040$109,440——
Maggie Gardner———$124,607—
Havovi Wadia$116,927$111,303$100,273——
Yuki Lo$107,697$102,944$100,225$102,866—

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 Freedom Fund 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

Mobilizes capital and knowledge to end slavery by funding effective interventions and sharing best practices.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $13.0M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Hotspots Projects

The freedom fund has selected key geographic areas known to have a high incidence of modern slavery, where our interventions are most likely to result in a measureable reduction in slavery.

$10.3Mprogram expense
02

Movement Building

Organizations around the world are doing exceptional work to eradicate slavery but, too often, these efforts are fragmented and underfunded. We aim to build a global community of activists, experts and donors by providing the platform, knowledge, and tools for them to connect and work together more effectively over a sustained period.

$1.6Mprogram expense
03

Global Initiatives

Our sector initiatives coordinate actors and resources around a slavery-specific issue, including sectors, industries, or circumstances. This allows the freedom fund to tackle systemic issues like slavery in fishing or cross-border migration with new technological tools or legal initiatives.

$1.2Mprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10K
Grants paid · 75 grants · $10.4M · 2020–2024
Transparentem LtdNY · FY2024$300,000
Polaris ProjectDC · FY2024$253,125
Tides CenterCA · FY2024$205,000
Greenpeace Fund INCDC · FY2024$200,000
NorcDC · FY2024$185,840
Glj-IlrfDC · FY2024$150,000
Free the Slaves INCDC · FY2024$125,625
Corporate Accountability LabIL · FY2024$120,000
International Labor Rights ForumDC · FY2024$90,000
Survivor AllianceCA · FY2024$87,000
Population Council INCNY · FY2024$80,000
Climate Rights InternationalCA · FY2024$50,000
Verite INCMA · FY2024$40,000
China Labor Watch INCNJ · FY2024$25,000
See all 75 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$18.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$18.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$26K
Money outPt IX
$14.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$13.0M
Managementcol C$751K
Fundraisingcol D$1.1M
Owns and owesPt X
$12.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$11.0M
Total assetsLn 16$12.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$222K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$18.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$724K
Investment incomeLn 3$26K
Total revenueLn 12$18.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$7.7M
SavingsLn 2$3.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$11.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$41K
Other assetsLn 15$240K
Total assetsLn 16$12.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$222K
Net assetsLn 32$12.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.5M$11.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$37K$41K
Total assetsLn 16$9.3M$12.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$754K$222K
Net assetsLn 32$8.5M$12.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.4M$1.4M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$7.4M$7.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$443K$312K$5K$125K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.3M$1.6M$28K$641K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$205K$140K$8K$56K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$71K$32K$5K$34K
Payroll taxesLn 10$296K$200K$15K$81K
Management feesLn 11a$1.9M$1.8M$64K$32K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$212$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$43K$11K$32K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$165K$70K$95K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$27K$321$27K
Office expensesLn 13$94K$8K$85K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$142K$2K$43K$97K
OccupancyLn 16$244K$5K$240K
TravelLn 17$106K$72K$3K$31K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$42K$10K$28K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$56K$56K
InsuranceLn 23$41K$9K$32K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$37K$10K$7K$20K
Total functional expensesLn 25$14.9M$13.0M$751K$1.1M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $19.7M$22.8M−$3.1M$36.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $16.7M$22.5M−$5.8M$39.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $13.5M$19.6M−$6.1M$44.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $51.2M$12.7M$38.5M$50.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $18.7M$14.9M$3.7M$12.3M 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $18,685,548 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $16,372,920$18,659,507
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $25,504$26,041
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $16,398,424$18,685,548
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $8,991,161$8,766,781
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,860,663$3,279,474
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $3,089,469$2,902,688
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,941,293$14,948,943
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,457,131$3,736,605
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $18,685,548 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$723,654
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$17,935,853
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$18,659,507
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $26,041$26,041
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $26,041$18,685,548
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $14,948,943 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,376,534$1,376,534
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $7,390,247$7,390,247
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $312,322 · Management $5,430 · Fundraising $125,408$443,160
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,595,537 · Management $27,740 · Fundraising $640,659$2,263,936
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $140,189 · Management $8,334 · Fundraising $56,102$204,625
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $32,357 · Management $5,124 · Fundraising $33,852$71,333
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $200,386 · Management $15,017 · Fundraising $81,017$296,420
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $1,804,811 · Management $64,438 · Fundraising $32,023$1,901,272
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $212 · Management $3,849$4,061
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $10,833 · Management $32,061$42,894
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $70,292 · Management $94,537$164,829
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $321 · Fundraising $26,906$27,227
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,526 · Management $85,380 · Fundraising $1,132$94,038
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,075 · Management $42,838 · Fundraising $96,886$141,799
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $4,600 · Management $239,521$244,121
IX-17 TravelPrograms $72,238 · Management $3,199 · Fundraising $30,993$106,430
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $10,388 · Management $28,263 · Fundraising $3,381$42,032
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $56,082$56,082
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,863 · Management $32,498$41,361
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $9,534 · Management $6,645 · Fundraising $20,363$36,542
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $13,049,265 · Management $750,956 · Fundraising $1,148,722$14,948,943
Part X · Balance sheet $12,548,545 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $536,576$7,652,034
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,984,061$3,349,028
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $652,442$1,250,533
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $47,363$16,244
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $36,657$40,841
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $32,701$239,865
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $9,289,800$12,548,545
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $668,085$221,923
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $86,413$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $754,498$221,923
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,753,803$7,834,643
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,781,499$4,491,979
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,535,302$12,326,622
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $9,289,800$12,548,545
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $12,326,622 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$18,685,548
XI-2 Total expenses$14,948,943
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,736,605
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,535,302
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$54,715
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$12,326,622

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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