A source of information and expertise to the public and news media. IT protects the public's right to open government through education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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FY2024 · 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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $29K a year · 12% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $210K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$62
0.02% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$166K
-57% vs prior year
Spent
$317K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$288K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$166K
FY2024▼ -57%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$282K
FY2021$254K
FY2022$119K
FY2023$384K
FY2024$166K
Expenses
$317K
FY2024▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$314K
FY2021$319K
FY2022$137K
FY2023$260K
FY2024$317K
Net assets
$288K
FY2024▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$490K
FY2021$408K
FY2022$304K
FY2023$452K
FY2024$288K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 1985.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $226K Management & general 21% · $68K Fundraising 7% · $23K

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

8 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer PR
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman Pro
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Pamela Marsh’s $140K as President is at the 88th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1032 $100K–1M civil rights & advocacy 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2021FY2020
Pamela Marsh$139,553$119,591

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 First Amendment Foundation INC 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

Educates the public and media about open government rights.

Questions for First Amendment Foundation INC

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $226K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The first admendment foundation has a statewide toll-free hotline that benefits thousands by providing advice and guidance on the open government law. The foundation also trains hundreds of citizens and government employees on the sunshine law.

$216Kprogram expense
02

Produce and distribute sunshine manual. The sunshine manual provides public officials, citizen activists, and journalists with up-to-date information, including recent case law and attorney general opinions.

$10Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$166K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$95K
Investment incomeLn 3$46K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$25K
Money outPt IX
$317K
Ln 25
Programscol B$226K
Managementcol C$68K
Fundraisingcol D$23K
Owns and owesPt X
$288K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$77K
Total assetsLn 16$288K
LiabilitiesLn 26$62
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$95K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$25K
Investment incomeLn 3$46K
Other incomeLn 4–11$13
Gains on assetsLn 7$39K
Total revenueLn 12$166K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$77K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$77K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$210K
Total assetsLn 16$288K
LiabilitiesLn 26$62
Net assetsLn 32$288K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$154K$77K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$298K$210K
Total assetsLn 16$452K$288K
LiabilitiesLn 26$375$62
Net assetsLn 32$452K$288K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$126K$88K$25K$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$15K$11K$3K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$10K$7K$2K$967
Accounting feesLn 11c$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$80K$65K$15K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$500$500
Office expensesLn 13$24K$21K$3K$399
Information technologyLn 14$15K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$9K$6K$2K$910
TravelLn 17$8K$6K$2K$809
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$13K$7K$6K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$317K$226K$68K$23K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $166K$317K−$150K$288K 990 PDF
FY2023 $384K$260K$123K$452K 990 PDF
FY2022 $119K$137K−$19K$304K 990 PDF
FY2021 $254K$319K−$65K$408K 990 PDF
FY2020 $282K$314K−$32K$490K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $166,366 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $327,962$95,117
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $40,978$25,369
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $14,666$45,867
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $62$13
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $383,668$166,366
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $144,497$151,030
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $115,870$165,578
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $260,367$316,608
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $123,301−$150,242
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $166,366 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$2,732
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$92,385
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$95,117
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $25,369$25,369
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $6,749$6,749
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $39,118$39,118
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $13$13
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $71,249$166,366
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $316,608 across 12 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $88,375 · Management $25,250 · Fundraising $12,625$126,250
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $10,575 · Management $3,022 · Fundraising $1,511$15,108
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $6,771 · Management $1,934 · Fundraising $967$9,672
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $12,705$12,705
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $65,202 · Management $15,068$80,270
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $500$500
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $20,823 · Management $2,521 · Fundraising $399$23,743
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $14,611$14,611
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $6,370 · Management $1,820 · Fundraising $910$9,100
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,665 · Management $1,619 · Fundraising $809$8,093
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $7,018 · Fundraising $5,676$12,694
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,862$3,862
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $225,910 · Management $67,801 · Fundraising $22,897$316,608
Part X · Balance sheet $287,778 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $153,712$77,290
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $298,465$210,488
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $452,177$287,778
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $375$62
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $375$62
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $451,802$287,716
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $451,802$287,716
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $452,177$287,778
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $287,716 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$166,366
XI-2 Total expenses$316,608
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$150,242
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$451,802
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$13,844
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$287,716

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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