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Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies reported $32.5 million in revenue and $30.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $74.48 went to program services, $16.17 to management and general costs and $9.35 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $905,290 (CEO). 43 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 0% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $31MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $33MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 74.5% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.2% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.4% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.2% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $905,290 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.93% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 43 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.8 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 25 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseResearch: Provides research on national security, international relations, terrorism, and related issues on a timely basis and in response to the political and societal environment
Communications and Government Relations: Educates the general public and policy audiences on issues related to national security, international relations, terrorism, and other issues related to the defense of democratic societies and institutions
Iran Threat: Provides policy research, analysis, and education addressing Iran's support for terrorism and the pursuit of nuclear weapons
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Director/trustee, officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $848,899 | $0 | $56,391 | $905,290 |
| President Director/trustee, officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $793,905 | $704 | $49,711 | $844,320 |
| SVP Officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $578,337 | $697 | $60,113 | $639,147 |
| COO Officer, 48.00 hrs/week | $548,961 | $4,627 | $14,246 | $567,834 |
| SVP (Sr. Advisor Mid Year) Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $512,378 | $0 | $40,461 | $552,839 |
| Senior International Fellow Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $401,906 | $0 | $46,264 | $448,170 |
| VP, Development Key employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $337,857 | $0 | $58,519 | $396,376 |
| Senior Director Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $302,275 | $0 | $47,067 | $349,342 |
43 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.0M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b25 · 23 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26Yes
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5102
- Volunteers Part I, line 6110
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| K17 Security Security Services | $1,275,316 |
| Max Security Solutions LTD Research and Program Services | $817,827 |
| Shorashim Tour Service Provider | $627,637 |
| OSIbeyond LLC Information Technology Services | $457,679 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 26 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
61 private foundations reported grants to Foundation for the Defense of Democracies totaling $6.2M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Foundation for the Defense of Democracies's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Foundation for the Defense of Democracies spent in 2024, $74.48 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Foundation for the Defense of Democracies's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies reported that 74.5% of its $30.9 million in expenses went to program services, 16.2% to management and general and 9.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Foundation for the Defense of Democracies pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Foundation for the Defense of Democracies reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $905,290, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Foundation for the Defense of Democracies get its money?
Of $32.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 98.2% came from contributions and grants and 0.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Foundation for the Defense of Democracies a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-4174402 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503079349301755 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413129349300241 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333009349301453 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233069349302443 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142919349301904 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013089349301711 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-4174402: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.