Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Inc

Analysis

Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Inc is a registered charity in United States, based in Washington, DC. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in July 2002, 24 years ago. Its declared purposes cover international, foreign affairs and national security, which this site groups under overseas aid and international. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Inc reported income of $23.9m and spending of $25.4m, spending 106% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $32.7m to $23.9m (-27%), an average of -7.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income dropped by 54%. Over the whole period it spent 91% of the income it received.

Among 10,317 United States charities whose main cause is overseas aid and international and that reported income, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Inc sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile, and in the 94th percentile within DC. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Books for Africa Inc ($23.9m), International Crisis Group ($24.0m) and Thousand Currents ($23.8m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 97% and program service revenue 0.8% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $4.4m (17% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $7.4m. At year end it held assets of $31.7m against liabilities of $6.2m, net assets of $25.5m. It reported 71 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.