Federal Defender Program INC

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Provide legal services to the indigent.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 36-2581185) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 50 volunteers and 46 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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $265 a year · <0.01% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
91% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.2M
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
0.9 mo
of spending, in cash
0.9 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$851K
99% of total assets
Liabilities are 99% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
16 of 16 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$11.1M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$11.1M
To programs
91%
Net assets
$3K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$11.1M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$8.7M
FY2021$8.9M
FY2022$9.4M
FY2023$10.3M
FY2024$10.9M
FY2025$11.1M
Expenses
$11.1M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$8.6M
FY2021$8.9M
FY2022$9.4M
FY2023$10.3M
FY2024$10.9M
FY2025$11.1M
Net assets
$3K
FY2025▼ -58%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10K
FY2021$17K
FY2022$13K
FY2023$11K
FY2024$6K
FY2025$3K

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

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1965.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $10.1M Management & general 9% · $1.0M

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990; $1.2M paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Attorney
$195,131Pt VII · Sec A
Attorney
$194,933Pt VII · Sec A
$194,414Pt VII · Sec A
$193,830Pt VII · Sec A
$193,596Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Direc
$183,898Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Sched Attached
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Mary H Judge$195,131$186,424$179,376$175,475$174,259$167,923
Seema Ahmad$194,933$186,057$176,296———
Piyush Chandra$194,414$185,950$178,646$174,341$172,388$166,502
Geofrey Meyer$193,830$186,025————
Robert D Seeder$193,596$184,861$178,212$175,515$173,423$165,268
John H Murphy$183,898$174,498$166,893$164,211$161,704$157,133
Christina Jackson——$176,544$173,894——
William Theis————$173,442—

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 Federal Defender Program INC executive salaries →

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

Offers free legal help to people who can't afford it.

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1 program · $10.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Provide and administer private counsel in the united states court for the northern district of illinois and administer a trial oriented clinical education program for selected law school students intended to interest and train future attorneys.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 36-2581185) · Dispute this line
$10.1Mprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$11.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4K
Money outPt IX
$11.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$10.1M
Managementcol C$1.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$3K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$838K
Total assetsLn 16$854K
LiabilitiesLn 26$851K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$11.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$11.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$783
SavingsLn 2$837K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$838K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$14K
Other assetsLn 15$2K
Total assetsLn 16$854K
LiabilitiesLn 26$851K
Net assetsLn 32$3K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 546
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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$1.1M$838K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M$854K
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M$851K
Net assetsLn 32$6K$3K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$303K$152K$152K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$5.9M$5.5M$377K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$767K$665K$102K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$959K$891K$68K
Payroll taxesLn 10$440K$405K$34K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$31K$31K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$602K$542K$60K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$1.6M$1.4M$158K
TravelLn 17$20K$19K$2K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$516K$457K$58K
All other expensesLn 24e$15K$14K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$11.1M$10.1M$1.0M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 29, 2026 $11.1M$11.1M−$4K$3K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Aug 5, 2025 $10.9M$10.9M−$5K$6K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 23, 2024 $10.3M$10.3M−$1K$11K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 25, 2023 $9.4M$9.4M−$5K$13K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 26, 2022 $8.9M$8.9M$7K$17K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Jun 9, 2021 $8.7M$8.6M$6K$10K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors D · Assets and endowments J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $11,106,166 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,937,448$11,102,378
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,947$3,788
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $10,940,395$11,106,166
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $8,264,334$8,346,110
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,681,041$2,763,776
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $10,945,375$11,109,886
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$4,980−$3,720
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $11,106,166 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$11,098,964
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,414
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$11,102,378
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Excluded from tax $3,788$3,788
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueExcluded from tax $3,788$11,106,166
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $11,109,886 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $151,667 · Management $151,667$303,334
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,500,168 · Management $377,407$5,877,575
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $665,345 · Management $101,745$767,090
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $890,557 · Management $68,002$958,559
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $405,199 · Management $34,353$439,552
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $30,677$30,677
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $541,792 · Management $60,199$601,991
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,422,119 · Management $158,013$1,580,132
IX-17 TravelPrograms $18,597 · Management $1,572$20,169
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $457,325 · Management $58,295$515,620
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,972 · Management $1,215$15,187
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $10,066,741 · Management $1,043,145 · Fundraising $0$11,109,886
Part X · Balance sheet $853,747 assets, 22 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,509$783
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,107,305$837,067
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $81,512$0
X-5 Loans to officers and key people$0
X-6 Loans to other insiders$0
X-7 Notes and loans receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $10,870$13,896
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,000$2,001
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,206,196$853,747
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $121,478$23,913
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,078,318$827,154
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,199,796$851,067
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $6,400$2,680
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,400$2,680
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,206,196$853,747
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,680 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$11,106,166
XI-2 Total expenses$11,109,886
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$3,720
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,400
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,680

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

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