Rfe-Rl INC

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 1976Arts & CultureEIN 52-1068522Revenue $129.0M in FY2025

On file with the IRSrferl.org1250 Connecticut Ave Nw Ste 450, 20036-2666 · Washington, DCTax-exempt since Sep 1976Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Rfe/rl's mission is to promote democratic values by providing accurate, uncensored news and open debate in countries where a free press is under threat. (see schedule o)

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 27 volunteers and 177 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
1 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $1.5M a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.2M
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 91% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$227.6M
102% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 102% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$129.0M
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$133.1M
To programs
76%
Net assets
−$3.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$129.0M
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$122.4M
FY2021$127.1M
FY2022$131.9M
FY2023$170.9M
FY2024$156.5M
FY2025$129.0M
Expenses
$133.1M
FY2025▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$125.8M
FY2021$129.9M
FY2022$132.8M
FY2023$168.2M
FY2024$157.0M
FY2025$133.1M
Net assets
−$3.6M
FY2025▼ -133%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$67.1M
FY2021−$42.5M
FY2022−$32.5M
FY2023−$4.8M
FY2024−$1.6M
FY2025−$3.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 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 Sep 1976.

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

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $101.7M Management & general 24% · $31.4M

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

21 people listed on the 990; $2.2M 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
President and CEO
$271,685Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Corporate Security
$227,537Pt VII · Sec A
Acting CFO, Asst. Treasurer, Dir. Fp&a
$201,746Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Pres. and Editor in Chief
$201,710Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel & Secretary
$194,725Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Head, Corp Security
$190,865Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Pres. and Head of Ext. Affairs
$188,309Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Human Resources
$178,001Pt VII · Sec A

Stephen Allan Capus’s $272K as President and CEO is at the 9th percentile of top reported officer pay among 53 $100M+ arts & culture 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
Jamie Fly—$232,284$308,491$237,271$222,259$141,702
Stephen Allan Capus$271,685—————
James Landis$227,537$207,458————
Karen Johnsen$201,746$178,063$168,843———
Nicola Careem$201,710$85,521————
Benjamin Herman$194,725$190,023$180,648$186,209$168,555$170,385
Marylin Alma Keating$178,001$174,893$185,864$193,614$188,600—
Guy Genovese$190,865$177,458$179,546$183,574$185,811$179,258

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Reports news in countries without a free press to promote democratic values.

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3 programs · $95.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

RFE/RL'S mission is to promote democratic values by providing accurate, uncensored news and open debate in countries where a free press is under threat. In FY2025, RFE/RL reported in 27 languages to 23 countries from central europe to the pacific ocean, reaching more than 48 million people every week.

$60.2Mprogram expense
02

RFE/RL'S russian-language programming offers russian speakers across russia, ukraine, central asia, the caucasus, the baltics, and eastern europe professional, trustworthy news that counters the narratives of hostile governments while promoting democracy and accountability.

$28.2Mprogram expense
03

RFE/RL'S ukrainian service, radio svoboda, is a trusted, award-winning outlet providing comprehensive coverage of russia's full-scale war from bureaus in kyiv, lviv, and the front lines. The service's investigative unit, schemes, acts as a critical watchdog over american aid flowing into ukraine, providing journalistic oversight that…

$6.7Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$129.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$125.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$162K
Money outPt IX
$133.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$101.7M
Managementcol C$31.4M
Owns and owesPt X
−$3.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$41.4M
Total assetsLn 16$224.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$227.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$125.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$125.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$162K
Total revenueLn 12$129.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$40.6M
SavingsLn 2$812K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$41.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.4M
Other assetsLn 15$176.2M
Total assetsLn 16$224.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$227.6M
Net assetsLn 32−$3.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5177
VolunteersI 627
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$35.0M$41.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.8M$2.4M
Total assetsLn 16$223.8M$224.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$225.4M$227.6M
Net assetsLn 32−$1.6M−$3.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.3M$565K$1.7M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$56.8M$50.1M$6.7M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2.4M$2.2M$278K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$12.8M$11.3M$1.5M
Payroll taxesLn 10$9.3M$7.6M$1.7M
Legal feesLn 11b$798K$798K
Accounting feesLn 11c$646K$198K$448K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$12.7M$8.3M$4.4M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$214K$5K$209K
Office expensesLn 13$1.9M$1.6M$324K
Information technologyLn 14$13.5M$13.5M$49K
RoyaltiesLn 15$310K$310K
OccupancyLn 16$15.2M$3.6M$11.6M
TravelLn 17$642K$504K$138K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$7K$851$6K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1.8M$1.5M$309K
InsuranceLn 23$914K$385$914K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$881K$556K$325K
Total functional expensesLn 25$133.1M$101.7M$31.4M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $129.0M$133.1M−$4.1M−$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $156.5M$157.0M−$442K−$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $170.9M$168.2M$2.7M−$4.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $131.9M$132.8M−$908K−$32.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $127.1M$129.9M−$2.8M−$42.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $122.4M$125.8M−$3.4M−$67.1M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $128,982,013 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $156,330,310$125,658,487
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$3,161,220
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $178,024$162,306
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $156,508,334$128,982,013
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 $91,306,727$83,567,409
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $65,643,737$49,509,266
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $156,950,464$133,076,675
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$442,130−$4,094,662
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $128,982,013 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$125,495,935
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$162,552
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$125,658,487
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $3,161,220$3,161,220
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $162,306$162,306
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,161,220 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $162,306$128,982,013
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $133,076,675 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $564,603 · Management $1,708,518$2,273,121
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $50,057,625 · Management $6,736,495$56,794,120
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $2,161,410 · Management $277,723$2,439,133
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $11,318,215 · Management $1,484,749$12,802,964
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,559,612 · Management $1,698,459$9,258,071
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $797,657$797,657
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $197,910 · Management $447,764$645,674
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $8,296,094 · Management $4,356,359$12,652,453
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,805 · Management $208,745$213,550
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,594,476 · Management $324,275$1,918,751
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $13,499,261 · Management $49,157$13,548,418
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $309,924$309,924
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $3,581,169 · Management $11,619,913$15,201,082
IX-17 TravelPrograms $503,523 · Management $138,387$641,910
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $851 · Management $6,066$6,917
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,468,819 · Management $308,929$1,777,748
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $385 · Management $913,874$914,259
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $555,741 · Management $325,182$880,923
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $101,674,423 · Management $31,402,252 · Fundraising $0$133,076,675
Part X · Balance sheet $223,953,890 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $29,898,569$40,586,841
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $5,055,211$812,046
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,099,636$856,950
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $7,462,729$3,142,320
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,752,926$2,366,952
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $177,530,746$176,188,781
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $223,799,817$223,953,890
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $17,762,675$12,802,332
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $12,847,439$23,083,607
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $194,742,453$191,690,289
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $225,352,567$227,576,228
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$4,438,750−$3,622,338
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,886,000$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$1,552,750−$3,622,338
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $223,799,817$223,953,890
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$3,622,338 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$128,982,013
XI-2 Total expenses$133,076,675
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$4,094,662
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$1,552,750
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$2,025,074
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$3,622,338

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

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