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The Tor Project
The Tor Project reported $12.3 million in revenue and $9.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.80 went to program services, $13.60 to management and general costs and $5.60 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.6% of the total. Government grants made up 15.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $206,444 (FOUNDER & NETWORK TEAM SR DEVELOPER). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 179% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $9.0MFor context, the median across 185 covered public & societal benefit charities: $88.81 programs, $11.18 management, $0.01 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.8% | 84.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.6% | 10.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.6% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.6% | 83.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 15.7% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $206,444 | $357,133 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.30% | 1.52% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 12 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 13.4 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 8 of 8 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense1) to develop, improve and distribute free, publicly available tools and programs that promote free speech, free expression, civic engagement, and privacy rights online 2) to conduct scientific research regarding, and to promote the use of and knowledge about, such tools, programs, and related issues internationally 3) to educate the general public internationally about privacy rights and anonymity issues connected to internet use, and 4) to carry out and conduct such other activities and programs in furtherance of the foregoing purposes as may be carried out and conducted by a corporation to…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOUNDER & NETWORK TEAM SR DEVELOPER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,892 | $0 | $33,552 | $206,444 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,400 | $0 | $19,510 | $204,910 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $188,985 | $0 | $15,119 | $204,104 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $173,236 | $0 | $19,429 | $192,665 |
| CO FOUNDER & AMBASSADOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,892 | $0 | $18,830 | $191,722 |
| PROJECT MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $144,703 | $0 | $17,371 | $162,074 |
| STAFF ACOUNTANT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $121,134 | $0 | $9,560 | $130,694 |
| DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $114,385 | $0 | $15,889 | $130,274 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Tor Project (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (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
FY2025 · 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–1b8 · 8 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 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- 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 522
- Volunteers Part I, line 610,000
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| RICHARD POSPESEL Applications team lead | $166,625 |
| GUSTAVO GANNAM Community team lead | $143,960 |
| GIORGIO MAONE Applications engineer | $127,206 |
| PIER ANGELO VENDRAME Applications engineer | $120,750 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to The Tor Project totaling $331K 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 The Tor Project's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Tor Project, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Tor Project spent in FY2025, $80.80 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of The Tor Project's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Tor Project reported that 80.8% of its $9.0 million in expenses went to program services, 13.6% to management and general and 5.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Tor Project pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Tor Project reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $206,444, for the role of FOUNDER & NETWORK TEAM SR DEVELOPER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Tor Project get its money?
Of $12.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 99.6% came from contributions and grants (including 15.7% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Tor Project a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 20-8096820 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202611359349300241 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501359349316200 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421369349300337 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341319349307164 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211059349300831 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111139349301666 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 20-8096820: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.