Rutherford Institute

Tax-deductible

Charlottesvle, VA501(c)(3)EIN 52-1267484

The rutherford institute is a civil liberties organization that provides free legal services to people whose consitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$224K 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

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 $172K a year · 17% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$224K
to officers and key staff · 27% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 27% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
17 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 16.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $32K
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$152K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
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
$1.5M
+69% vs prior year
Spent
$834K
To programs
92%
Net assets
$1.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2025▲ +69%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$932K
FY2021$984K
FY2022$877K
FY2023$745K
FY2024$894K
FY2025$1.5M
Expenses
$834K
FY2025▲ +2%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$838K
FY2021$780K
FY2022$819K
FY2023$822K
FY2024$821K
FY2025$834K
Net assets
$1.1M
FY2025▲ +182%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$138K
FY2021$346K
FY2022$377K
FY2023$301K
FY2024$374K
FY2025$1.1M

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

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1985.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $767K Management & general 4% · $36K Fundraising 4% · $31K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

6 people listed on the 990; $224K 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
$224,402Pt VII · Sec A
V.p. and Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board of Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
John Whitehead$224,402$227,849$227,764$227,087$215,244$229,781

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 Rutherford Institute 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

Defends constitutional and human rights by providing free legal services.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Rutherford Institute claims this page.

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1 program service account for $767K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Provide legal support and educational materials to the public.

$767Kprogram 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 · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 11 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$22K
Investment incomeLn 3$39
Money outPt IX
$834K
Ln 25
Programscol B$767K
Managementcol C$36K
Fundraisingcol D$31K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$152K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$22K
Investment incomeLn 3$39
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$1.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$34K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$1K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$152K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 60
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$463K$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$28K$34K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$509K$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$136K$152K
Net assetsLn 32$374K$1.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$516K$480K$19K$17K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$75K$70K$3K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$36K$33K$1K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$7K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$11K$10K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$9K$645
Information technologyLn 14$9K$8K$602
OccupancyLn 16$48K$44K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K$418
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$88K$79K$4K$5K
All other expensesLn 24e$24K$22K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$834K$767K$36K$31K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.5M$834K$679K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $894K$821K$73K$374K 990 PDF
FY2023 $745K$822K−$77K$301K 990 PDF
FY2022 $877K$819K$58K$377K 990 PDF
FY2021 $984K$780K$204K$346K 990 PDF
FY2020 $932K$838K$94K$138K 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 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,513,097 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,491,016
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,491,016
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $22,042$22,042
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $39$39
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $22,042 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $39$1,513,097
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $833,767 across 12 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $479,775 · Management $19,061 · Fundraising $17,051$515,887
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $69,702 · Management $2,995 · Fundraising $2,251$74,948
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $33,083 · Management $1,286 · Fundraising $1,205$35,574
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $6,960$6,960
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $10,013 · Management $1,277$11,290
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $5,536$5,536
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $8,567 · Management $645$9,212
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,998 · Management $602$8,600
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $44,177 · Management $3,325$47,502
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,572 · Management $418$5,990
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $78,692 · Management $4,336 · Fundraising $5,136$88,164
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $22,418 · Management $1,686$24,104
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $766,957 · Management $35,631 · Fundraising $31,179$833,767
Part X · Balance sheet $1,204,875 assets, 13 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $463,102$1,152,489
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $5,258$5,258
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $12,195$11,646
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $27,702$34,382
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,100$1,100
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $509,357$1,204,875
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $29,997$39,204
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $105,640$112,621
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $135,637$151,825
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $373,720$1,053,050
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $373,720$1,053,050
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $509,357$1,204,875
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,053,050 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,513,097
XI-2 Total expenses$833,767
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$679,330
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$373,720
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,053,050

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

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