Defending america's unique constitutional right to keep and bear arms, through education and legal assistance in important firearms cases.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$71K 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $182K a year · 28% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$71K
to officers and key staff · 24% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 24% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
26 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 26.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $16K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$17K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$461K
Spent
$298K
To programs
81%
Net assets
$698K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$461K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$461K
FY2021$815K
FY2022$775K
FY2023$810K
FY2024$418K
Expenses
$298K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$298K
FY2021$282K
FY2022$332K
FY2023$399K
FY2024$1.1M
Net assets
$698K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$698K
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$1.4M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · 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 Jun 1983.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $242K Management & general 12% · $37K Fundraising 6% · $19K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $71K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Senior VP and Director
$36,346Pt VII · Sec A
Executive VP and Director
$28,801Pt VII · Sec A
Sec/Treas and Director
$6,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
John Velleco$45,983$36,577$36,201$31,393$28,801
Erich Pratt$37,450$35,094$35,000$35,000$36,346
Samuel a Paredes$18,000$6,000$6,000—$6,000

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

Educates and provides legal aid to defend the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $242K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Education program- the foundation continues to research, publish and distribute numerous books, monographs, issue briefs, audio and video tapes, and other educational materials relating to firearms rights.

$159Kprogram expense
02

Legal defense program- legal assistance, counseling and expert support was provided to individuals in self DEFENSE/ second amendment and other firearms related matters.

$83Kprogram expense

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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$16K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$461K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$459K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$298K
Ln 25
Programscol B$242K
Managementcol C$37K
Fundraisingcol D$19K
Owns and owesPt X
$698K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$646K
Total assetsLn 16$714K
LiabilitiesLn 26$17K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$459K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Total revenueLn 12$461K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$533K
SavingsLn 2$114K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$646K
Other assetsLn 15$64K
Total assetsLn 16$714K
LiabilitiesLn 26$17K
Net assetsLn 32$698K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 60
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$467K$646K
Total assetsLn 16$545K$714K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K$17K
Net assetsLn 32$535K$698K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$71K$60K$8K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$18K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$6K$5K$683$342
Legal feesLn 11b$90K$90K
Accounting feesLn 11c$22K$2K$20K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$1K$134$656
TravelLn 17$961$961
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$25K$25K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$56K$33K$8K$15K
Total functional expensesLn 25$298K$242K$37K$19K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $418K$1.1M−$641K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $810K$399K$412K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $775K$332K$443K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $815K$282K$533K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $461K$298K$163K$698K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $460,805 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $363,662$458,694
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,106$2,111
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $365,768$460,805
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 $37,822$95,693
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $200,868$202,215
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $238,690$297,908
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $127,078$162,897
Part VI · Governance 6 of 10 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $460,805 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$51,352
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$407,342
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$458,694
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,111$2,111
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,111$460,805
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $297,908 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $60,175 · Management $7,692 · Fundraising $3,246$71,113
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $18,206$18,206
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,349 · Management $683 · Fundraising $342$6,374
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $90,000$90,000
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $1,667 · Management $19,878$21,545
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,000$6,000
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,475 · Management $134 · Fundraising $656$2,265
IX-17 TravelPrograms $961$961
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $25,000$25,000
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $33,189 · Management $8,451 · Fundraising $14,804$56,444
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $242,022 · Management $36,838 · Fundraising $19,048$297,908
Part X · Balance sheet $714,205 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $354,057$532,834
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $113,234$113,545
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $21,889$4,019
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $55,924$63,807
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $545,104$714,205
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $10,407$16,611
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $10,407$16,611
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $531,960$694,857
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,737$2,737
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $534,697$697,594
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $545,104$714,205
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $697,594 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$460,805
XI-2 Total expenses$297,908
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$162,897
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$534,697
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$697,594

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

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