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Nonprofit · EIN 86-0597661

BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH

Tax-exempt · PHOENIX, AZ 85004

Financials

$31.7M$7.6M2023$12.7M$8.2M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2024990$12,677,478$8,162,349$4,515,129$44,169,498$380,949$43,788,549
December 31, 2023990$31,686,371$7,625,402$24,060,969$38,709,912$613,619$38,096,293
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$11,437,596
Program service revenue
$379,882
Investment income
$843,246
Net gain from sales of assets
-$340,893
Net income from fundraising events
$14,220
Net income from sales of inventory
$1,437
Other revenue
$16,754

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$660,931
Other salaries and wages
$3,412,745
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$4,698,563
Professional fundraising fees
$132,163
Legal fees
$91,621
Accounting fees
$42,317
Occupancy
$115,837
Travel
$156,693
Depreciation
$153,110
Program services (functional)
$6,736,317
Management and general (functional)
$444,390
Fundraising (functional)
$981,642

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$38,709,912
Total assets, end of year
$44,169,498
Total liabilities, end of year
$380,949
Net assets, end of year
$43,788,549
Land, buildings and equipment
$1,384,955
Publicly traded securities
$38,614,171
Net assets without donor restrictions
$15,248,812
Net assets with donor restrictions
$28,539,737
Gross receipts
$54,343,317
Employees
47
Volunteers
36
Year formed
1988
State of legal domicile
AZ

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, 2024, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
VICTOR RICHESPRESIDENT/CEO
Officer
40$287,311$12,027
TIMOTHY SANDEFURVP FOR LITIGATION
Highest-paid employee
40$213,428$22,576
CHRISTINA SANDEFUREXECUTIVE VP
Key employee
40$207,136$22,462
MATTHEW BEIENBURGDIRECTOR OF EDUCATION POLICY
Highest-paid employee
40$166,987$28,169
JONATHAN RICHESVP FOR LITIGATION & GENERAL COUNSEL
Highest-paid employee
40$186,766$7,987
MICHAEL BROWNFIELDDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Highest-paid employee
40$163,386$20,644
CHRISTOPHER THOMASDIRECTOR OF LEGAL STRATEGY
Highest-paid employee
40$165,231$6,616
ROGER ZETAHCFO/CORP SECRETARY
Officer
40$104,829$27,166
ERIC CROWNCHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
5$0$0
BARRY GOLDWATER JRDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
4$0$0
RANDY P KENDRICKDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
JOHN COTTONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
3$0$0
CHRISTOPHER GLEASONVICE CHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
GROVER NORQUISTDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
CHARLES LAWRENCETREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
0.5$0$0
2 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
TOM HATTENDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0
DOUGLAS DUCEYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 17 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
VICTOR RICHESPRESIDENT/CEO
Officer
40$266,691$11,276
TIMOTHY SANDEFURVP FOR LITIGATION
Highest-paid employee
40$209,822$21,606
CHRISTINA SANDEFUREVP
Key employee
40$188,111$20,696
JONATHAN RICHESVP FOR LITIGATION & GENERAL COUNSEL
Highest-paid employee
40$180,238$7,704
MICHAEL BROWNFIELDDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Highest-paid employee
40$143,014$18,797
HEATHER CURRYDIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT
Highest-paid employee
40$139,351$16,750
SCOTT FREEMANSENIOR ATTORNEY
Highest-paid employee
40$127,448$6,124
ROGER ZETAHCFO/CORP SECRETARY
Officer
40$104,816$26,501
ERIC CROWNCHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
5$0$0
BARRY GOLDWATER JRDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
4$0$0
RANDY P KENDRICKDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
JOHN COTTONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
3$0$0
CHRISTOPHER GLEASONVICE CHAIRMAN
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
GROVER NORQUISTDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
CHARLES LAWRENCETREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
0.5$0$0
TOM HATTENDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
DOUGLAS DUCEYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
500 E CORONADO RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85004-1543
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
VICTOR RICHES, 500 EAST CORONADO ROAD, PHOENIX, AZ 85004
Signed the 990
VICTOR RICHES, PRESIDENT/CEO
Phone
(602) 462-5000
Return prepared by
CBIZ ADVISORS LLC

Mission

THROUGH RESEARCH, INVESTIGATIONS, STRATEGIC LITIGATION, TESTIMONY, ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION, THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE ADVANCES PUBLIC POLICY AND A RULE OF LAW UNDER WHICH INDIVIDUALS CAN SHAPE THEIR OWN DESTINIES AS FREE MEN AND WOMEN. WE HELP CITIZENS UNDERSTAND AND ADOPT POLICIES THAT SUSTAIN AND RESTORE ECONOMIC LIBERTY, EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT POWER CONSISTENT WITH THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. WHEN GOVERNMENT OVERSTEPS ITS PROPER BOUNDS, THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE USES PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION TO ENFORCE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CONSTRAINTS ON GOVERNMENT POWER GUARANTEED BY OUR STATE AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONS.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Program accomplishments

  • POLICY ANALYSIS, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS: THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE CONDUCTS SCHOLARLY RESEARCH AND IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF STATE-LEVEL PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES AND COMMUNICATES THAT RESEARCH TO THE PUBLIC. OUR PRIMARY AREAS OF RESEARCH INCLUDE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, EDUCATION REFORM, AND HEALTHCARE POLICY. IN 2024, WE DELIVERED 80 PUBLIC SPEECHES, DISTRIBUTED 8 POLICY REPORTS, AND TESTIFIED REGULARLY BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES. IN 2024, WE HAD 50 VICTORIES, WHICH INCLUDED POLICIES ADOPTED BY STATE LEGISLATURES NATIONWIDE AND FINAL DIRECT LITIGATION VICTORIES. GOLDWATER'S WORK SAFEGUARDS PATIENTS' RIGHT TO TRY CUTTING-EDGE, INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENTS (THE INSTITUTE'S ORIGINAL RIGHT TO TRY BECAME LAW IN 41 STATES BEFORE BEING SIGNED INTO FEDERAL LAW, AND 15 STATES HAVE ALREADY ADOPTED THE INSTITUTE'S EXPANSION). OTHER VICTORIES INCLUDE STATE LAWS THAT: ALLOW WORKERS LICENSED IN ONE STATE TO CONTINUE WORKING WHEN THEY MOVE TO A NEW STATE, WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND TIME AND MONEY GETTING ANOTHER LICENSE TO DO THE SAME JOB (THIS REFORM IS LAW IN OVER HALF THE STATES AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C.); EMPOWER FAMILIES WITH GREATER EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS THAT FIT THEIR CHILDREN'S UNIQUE NEEDS (22 STATES HAVE APPROVED PROGRAMS BASED ON GOLDWATER'S EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS); RESTORE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES TO THEIR ORIGINAL PURPOSE WHILE CRACKING DOWN ON IDEOLOGICAL DOGMATISM AND RACE-BASED PREFERENCES; END JUDICIAL DEFERENCE TO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES AND BUREAUCRACIES AND PROVIDE MORE PROTECTIONS FOR THE RIGHT TO EARN A LIVING. THIS WORK WAS SUPPORTED IN PART THROUGH OUR RONALD REAGAN FELLOWS PROGRAM, WHICH DEVELOPS YOUNG TALENT BY TEACHING AND EMPLOYING 15 INTERNS AND LAW CLERKS.
    Expenses $3,436,394 · revenue $1,437
  • PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION: THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE LITIGATES CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY UNDER THE STATE CONSTITUTIONS, ON BEHALF OF AMERICANS WHO WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO DEFEND AGAINST THE HEAVY HAND OF GOVERNMENT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE OR EXPERTISE. WE DEFEND TAXPAYER AND PROPERTY RIGHTS, FREE SPEECH AND FREE ENTERPRISE, AND EDUCATIONAL CHOICE. WE ENFORCE CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT POWER. OUR CASES SEEK TO SET BROAD LEGAL PRECEDENTS TO PROTECT THE FREEDOMS OF OUR CLIENTS AND ALL AMERICANS. THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE ALSO MANAGES A SUCCESSFUL "LITIGATION BY LETTERHEAD" EFFORT, WHERE WE INDUCE GOVERNMENT TO CEASE UNLAWFUL ACTIONS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH INFORMATION BY LETTER, WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO COURT. IN 2024, WE HAD 41 ACTIVE LAWSUITS, AND WE ADVANCED CUTTING-EDGE LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP IN THE COURTS BY PARTICIPATING AS AMICUS CURIAE ("FRIEND OF THE COURT") IN 45 CASES. WE WON 21 LEGAL VICTORIES THROUGH DIRECT LITIGATION AND BY FILING AMICUS BRIEFS.
    Expenses $1,926,796 · revenue $379,882
  • COMMUNICATIONS: IN 2024, THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE CONTINUED TO CAPTURE NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION WITH INTERVIEWS AND NEWS REPORTS ABOUT ITS SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO DEFEND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES. THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE'S MEDIA RELATIONS EFFORTS ARE BUILT ON A MULTI-LEVEL STRATEGIC APPROACH THAT HARNESSES THE POWER OF ITS IN-HOUSE DIGITAL PLATFORMS, THE REACH OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA, AND THE VIRALITY OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO REACH AUDIENCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE RESULTS ARE SEEN BY COUNTLESS AMERICANS ON THE PAGES OF THE NATION'S MOST NOTABLE NEWSPAPERS AND MOST-WATCHED NEWS NETWORKS. GOLDWATER INSTITUTE EXPERTS AND CLIENTS PUBLISHED 87 OP-EDS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR IN 2024, IN OUTLETS THAT INCLUDED THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOX NEWS, NATIONAL REVIEW, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER, THE HILL, USA TODAY, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, THE TENNESSEAN, THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC, AND THE ARIZONA CAPITOL TIMES, WHOSE COMBINED ONLINE CIRCULATION EXCEEDS 180 MILLION READERS PER MONTH. OUR EXPERTS WERE ALSO A REGULAR PRESENCE ON NATIONAL CABLE TV NEWS NETWORKS, NATIONALLY SYNDICATED RADIO SHOWS, AND LOCAL BROADCAST TV AND RADIO, SHARING GOLDWATER'S WORK WITH AN EVEN WIDER AUDIENCE. ALL TOLD, THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE MORE THAN DOUBLED ITS APPEARANCES ON NATIONAL TELEVISION, APPEARING 51 TIMES ON PROGRAMS INCLUDING FOX & FRIENDS, NEWSMAX SATURDAY AGENDA, NEWSNATION MORNING IN AMERICA, REAL AMERICA'S VOICE SPECIAL REPORT, SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP'S NATIONAL DESK, ABC 15 ARIZONA, TELEMUNDO ARIZONA, WLKY-TV IN KENTUCKY, AND WILKOW! ON SALEM NEWS CHANNEL. THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE GARNERED MORE THAN 6,800 MENTIONS IN TRADITIONAL (PRINT, RADIO, TELEVISION, AND ONLINE) AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS. THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE DOES NOT JUST RELY ON OUTSIDE MEDIA OUTLETS TO DISSEMINATE ITS MESSAGE. IN 2024, THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE LEVERAGED THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES AND COMMUNICATE ITS MESSAGE, INCLUDING ON FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN, X, INSTAGRAM, AND YOUTUBE. THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE SHARED ORIGINAL ARTICLES, BLOG POSTS, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, LEGAL AND POLICY RESEARCH, GRAPHICS, AND GOLDWATER INSTITUTE-PRODUCED VIDEOS ON ALL PLATFORMS. THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE'S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT RECEIVED OVER 600,000 IMPRESSIONS, AND ITS X ACCOUNT SURPASSED 520,000 IMPRESSIONS. ON YOUTUBE, THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE'S VIDEOS RECEIVED OVER 85,000 VIEWS IN 2024, INCLUDING VIDEOS DISCUSSING TOPICS LIKE PROPERTY RIGHTS, FREE SPEECH, PARENTS' RIGHTS, AND EQUALITY.
    Expenses $1,373,127

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 yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
86-0597661
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
1989
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$44,169,498
Income (IRS master file)
$54,343,317

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2024$12,677,478$8,162,349$44,169,498XML
990December 2023$31,686,371$7,625,402$38,709,912XML
990December 2022$7,843,232$5,506,812$13,772,798IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS
990December 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 86-0597661).

Questions about BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH

What is the EIN of BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH?
The employer identification number (EIN) of BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH is 86-0597661.
Is BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1989.
Are donations to BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH 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 BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
Who is the principal officer of BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names VICTOR RICHES.
Who are the officers and directors of BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 17 people; 8 received compensation from the organization, the highest $287,311 (VICTOR RICHES, PRESIDENT/CEO).
How much revenue does BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $12,677,478, expenses of $8,162,349 and total assets of $44,169,498 at year end.

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