Nonprofit · EIN 20-3676886
INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH
Tax-exempt · WASHINGTON, DC 20036
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $4,688,987 | $3,718,701 | $970,286 | $9,668,802 | $1,589,362 | $8,079,440 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $3,727,102 | $3,608,939 | $118,163 | $8,986,533 | $1,831,740 | $7,154,793 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $3,683,677 | $3,147,692 | $535,985 | $9,162,310 | $2,017,426 | $7,144,884 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $3,126,167
- Program service revenue
- $1,122,710
- Investment income
- $288,637
- Net rental income
- $144,783
- Net gain from sales of assets
- $16,059
- Other revenue
- $151,473
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $756,884
- Other salaries and wages
- $1,722,396
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $2,901,212
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $132,945
- Accounting fees
- $20,081
- Occupancy
- $201,607
- Travel
- $96,294
- Depreciation
- $39,371
- Program services (functional)
- $3,360,037
- Management and general (functional)
- $75,146
- Fundraising (functional)
- $283,518
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $8,986,533
- Total assets, end of year
- $9,668,802
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,589,362
- Net assets, end of year
- $8,079,440
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $169,422
- Publicly traded securities
- $7,247,484
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $8,079,440
- Gross receipts
- $32,483,316
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 7
- Year formed
- 2005
- State of legal domicile
- VA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN GURA | VICE PRESIDENT FOR LITIGATION Officer | 40 | $255,317 | $9,164 |
| ENDEL KOLDE | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $220,419 | $40,857 |
| CHARLES MILLER | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $216,361 | $32,487 |
| DAVID KEATING | PRESIDENT Officer | 40 | $194,416 | $36,979 |
| BRETT NOLAN | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $180,911 | $34,783 |
| THOMAS GARRETT | VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER Officer | 40 | $152,186 | $12,822 |
| DOUG GRANGER | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest-paid employee | 40 | $127,507 | $31,485 |
| PETER RUSSO | DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Highest-paid employee | 40 | $118,125 | $35,435 |
| BRADLEY A SMITH | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $96,000 | $0 |
| JOHN SNIDER | SECRETARY AND TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| EDWARD H CRANE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.1 | $0 | $0 |
| JENNY KIM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| STEPHEN MODZELEWSKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ERIC O'KEEFE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| DANIEL SHUCHMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.75 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 14 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN GURA | VICE PRESIDENT FOR LITIGATION Officer | 40 | $231,444 | $8,445 |
| CHARLES MILLER | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $197,888 | $33,427 |
| ENDEL KOLDE | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $195,453 | $34,740 |
| DAVID KEATING | PRESIDENT Officer | 40 | $189,806 | $33,308 |
| BRETT NOLAN | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $159,543 | $29,458 |
| RYAN MORRISON | ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $144,864 | $26,362 |
| COURTNEY CORBELLO | ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $151,809 | $4,556 |
| BRADLEY A SMITH | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $96,000 | $0 |
| JOHN SNIDER | SECRETARY AND TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| EDWARD H CRANE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.1 | $0 | $0 |
| JENNY KIM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| STEPHEN MODZELEWSKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ERIC O'KEEFE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| DANIEL SHUCHMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.75 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 13 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN GURA | VICE PRESIDENT FOR LITIGATION Key employee | 40 | $230,834 | $4,433 |
| DAVID KEATING | PRESIDENT Officer | 40 | $187,742 | $18,258 |
| ENDEL KOLDE | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $190,563 | $10,287 |
| BRETT NOLAN | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $139,080 | $8,733 |
| RYAN MORRISON | ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $132,914 | $4,045 |
| CHARLES MILLER | SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $124,418 | $3,351 |
| COURTNEY CORBELLO | ATTORNEY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $104,283 | $5,278 |
| BRADLEY A SMITH | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $96,000 | $0 |
| JOHN SNIDER | SECRETARY AND TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| EDWARD H CRANE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CLETA MITCHELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| STEPHEN MODZELEWSKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ERIC O'KEEFE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1150 CONNECTICUT AVE NW STE 801, WASHINGTON, DC 20036-4130
- In care of
- % DAVID KEATING
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- DAVID KEATING, 1150 CONNECTICUT AVENUE NW 801, WASHINGTON, DC 20036
- Signed the 990
- DAVID KEATING, PRESIDENT
- Phone
- (202) 301-3300
- Website
- WWW.IFS.ORG
- Return prepared by
- RENNER AND COMPANY CPA PC
Mission
THROUGH STRATEGIC LITIGATION, COMMUNICATION, ACTIVISM, TRAINING, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, THE INSTITUTE WORKS TO PROMOTE AND DEFEND THE POLITICAL RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY, AND PETITION GUARANTEED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
Program accomplishments
- THE LITIGATION PROGRAM OF THE INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH PURSUES STRATEGIC LITIGATION AND FILES AMICUS BRIEFS TO DEFEND THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO FREE POLITICAL SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY AND PETITION.Expenses $2,005,897 · revenue $1,122,710
- THE INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH EDUCATES ITS SUPPORTERS AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE OF THE BENEFITS OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO FREE POLITICAL SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY AND PETITION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE RIGHTS TO OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. IT COMMUNICATES THIS INFORMATION THROUGH PUBLISHED ARTICLES IN NEWSPAPERS, WEBSITES AND MAGAZINES, BRIEFINGS OF AND INTERVIEWS WITH JOURNALISTS, APPEARANCES ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, NEWSLETTERS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND AN EXTENSIVE WEBSITE AND BLOG.Expenses $701,891
- THE INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH PUBLISHES RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO FREE POLITICAL SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY AND PETITION. THE INSTITUTE ALSO TRACKS AND ANALYZES PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL THAT COULD AFFECT THESE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.Expenses $652,249
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 20-3676886
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2006
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Public and societal benefit (W20)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $9,668,802
- Income (IRS master file)
- $32,483,316
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $4,688,987 | $3,718,701 | $9,668,802 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $3,727,102 | $3,608,939 | $8,986,533 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $3,683,677 | $3,147,692 | $9,162,310 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $3,882,053 | $3,036,081 | $8,602,156 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 20-3676886).
Questions about INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH
- What is the EIN of INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH is 20-3676886.
- Is INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2006.
- Are donations to INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names DAVID KEATING.
- Who are the officers and directors of INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 15 people; 9 received compensation from the organization, the highest $255,317 (ALAN GURA, VICE PRESIDENT FOR LITIGATION).
- How much revenue does INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $4,688,987, expenses of $3,718,701 and total assets of $9,668,802 at year end.
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