Institute for Free Speech

Analysis

Institute for Free Speech is a registered charity in United States, based in Washington, DC. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in March 2006, 20 years ago. Its declared purposes cover public and societal benefit, which this site groups under other charitable purposes. 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, Institute for Free Speech reported income of $3.7m and spending of $3.1m, spending 85% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $2.6m to $3.7m (+44%), an average of +9.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income rose by 28%. Over the whole period it spent 82% of the income it received.

Among 72,936 United States charities whose main cause is other charitable purposes and that reported income, Institute for Free Speech sits at the 90th percentile: it is larger than about 90% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile, and in the 76th percentile within DC. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press ($3.7m), Crim Fitness Foundation Inc ($3.7m) and Common Impact Inc ($3.7m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 84% and program service revenue 10% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $441k (14% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $1.6m. At year end it held assets of $9.2m against liabilities of $2.0m, net assets of $7.1m. It reported 23 employees.