The Open Technology Fund aims to advance internet freedom globally by supporting the research, development, implementation, and maintenance of technologies that provide secure and uncensored access to the internet.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.3M 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

FY2023 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $37K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 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
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $125K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$44.4M
100% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 100% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$38.0M
+97% vs prior year
Spent
$37.8M
To programs
92%
Net assets
$211K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$38.0M
FY2023▲ +97%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.7M
FY2021$6.5M
FY2022$19.3M
FY2023$38.0M
FY2024$50.6M
FY2025$52.3M
Expenses
$37.8M
FY2023▲ +96%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.7M
FY2021$6.6M
FY2022$19.3M
FY2023$37.8M
FY2024$51.0M
FY2025$52.4M
Net assets
$211K
FY2023▲ ×39
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$0
FY2021−$103K
FY2022$5K
FY2023$211K
FY2024−$103K
FY2025−$124K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending September 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2020.

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% · $34.8M Management & general 8% · $3.0M

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

14 people listed on the 990; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
$234,404Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Programs
$198,772Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Technology
$138,863Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/General Counsel
$135,111Pt VII · Sec A
Dir, Comm & Outreach (thru 7/28/23)
$133,628Pt VII · Sec A
IT Director
$124,691Pt VII · Sec A
Former General Counsel/COO
$120,204Pt VII · Sec A
Product Manager
$111,060Pt VII · Sec A

Laura Cunningham’s $268K as President is at the 32nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M 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
Laura Cunningham$267,772$231,659$234,404$199,160$110,577—
Libby Liu————$247,187$11,115
Nathaniel Kretchun$219,887$191,308——$93,190—
Gary Roebuck$218,752$139,319————
Nathaniel Kretchum——$198,772———
Tiffany Currie$179,320$168,106$104,106———
Donald Anderson$173,311$157,993————
Bryan Nunez$172,493$162,127$138,863———

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports projects to counter censorship and surveillance, enabling global internet freedom and human rights online.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $26.5M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

The rapid response fund provides emergency support to independent media outlets, journalists, and human rights defenders facing digital attacks. The support through this fund helps individuals and groups stay safe in repressive environments, regain online access, mitigate future attacks, and combat sudden censorship events.

$12.7Mprogram expense
02

The surge and sustain fund supports the large-scale circumvention technology needs of usagm's five networks (voice of america, radio free EUROPE/RADIO liberty, office of cuba broadcasting, radio free asia, and middle east broadcasting networks).

$8.5Mprogram expense
03

The internet freedom fund is the primary mechanism through which otf provides funding for innovative global internet freedom projects. Iff projects are primarily focused on technology development and implementation but can also include applied research and digital security projects

$5.3Mprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$125K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$38.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$38.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$75
Money outPt IX
$37.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$34.8M
Managementcol C$3.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$211K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$43.4M
Total assetsLn 16$44.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$44.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$38.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$37.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$75
Total revenueLn 12$38.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$43.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$43.4M
Other assetsLn 15$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$44.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$44.4M
Net assetsLn 32$211K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 525
VolunteersI 643
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$19.3M$43.4M
Total assetsLn 16$19.5M$44.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$19.5M$44.4M
Net assetsLn 32$5K$211K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$834K$222K$611K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.3M$1.3M$1.0M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$167K$104K$63K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$206K$79K$127K
Payroll taxesLn 10$338K$214K$124K
Management feesLn 11a$290K$192K$98K
Legal feesLn 11b$28K$28K
Accounting feesLn 11c$45K$45K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$31.5M$31.5M
Office expensesLn 13$244K$6K$238K
Information technologyLn 14$399K$112K$287K
OccupancyLn 16$172K$9K$163K
TravelLn 17$1.1M$910K$144K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$123K$106K$17K
InsuranceLn 23$40K$40K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$10K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$37.8M$34.8M$3.0M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $52.3M$52.4M−$12K−$124K 990 PDF
FY2024 $50.6M$51.0M−$314K−$103K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $38.0M$37.8M$206K$211K 990 PDF
FY2022 $19.3M$19.3M$4K$5K 990 PDF
FY2021 $6.5M$6.6M−$103K−$103K 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.7M$5.7M$0$0 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $37,969,644 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $19,297,787$37,977,358
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,348$75
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,138−$7,789
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $19,301,273$37,969,644
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 $2,844,130$3,813,314
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $16,453,576$33,950,772
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $19,297,706$37,764,086
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,567$205,558
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $37,969,644 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$37,466,380
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$510,978
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$37,977,358
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $75$75
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax −$7,789−$7,789
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$7,714$37,969,644
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $37,764,086 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $222,204 · Management $611,400$833,604
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,258,756 · Management $1,010,146$2,268,902
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $104,358 · Management $62,963$167,321
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $78,939 · Management $126,866$205,805
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $213,911 · Management $123,771$337,682
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $191,544 · Management $98,466$290,010
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $28,031$28,031
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $45,172$45,172
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $31,544,673$31,544,673
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,774 · Management $238,047$243,821
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $112,418 · Management $287,032$399,450
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,000 · Management $163,314$172,314
IX-17 TravelPrograms $909,778 · Management $143,933$1,053,711
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $106,138 · Management $17,073$123,211
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $40,245$40,245
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $10,134$10,134
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $34,757,493 · Management $3,006,593 · Fundraising $0$37,764,086
Part X · Balance sheet $44,584,077 assets, 12 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $19,297,872$43,379,021
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $83,109$121,286
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $161,418$1,083,770
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $19,542,399$44,584,077
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,242,990$2,763,259
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $17,294,029$40,604,113
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$1,005,767
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $19,537,019$44,373,139
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,380−$33,077
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$244,015
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $5,380$210,938
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $19,542,399$44,584,077
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $210,938 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$37,969,644
XI-2 Total expenses$37,764,086
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$205,558
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$5,380
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$210,938

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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