Federal Defender Program
Federal Defender Program reported $11.1 million in revenue and $11.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.61 went to program services, $9.39 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 100.0% of the total. Government grants made up 99.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $292,582 (Executive DirEC). 32 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 28% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.6% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.4% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 100.0% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 99.9% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $292,582 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.63% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 32 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 0.0 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 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 expenseHighest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive DirEC Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,898 | $0 | $108,684 | $292,582 |
| ATTORNEY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,414 | $0 | $73,016 | $267,430 |
| ATTORNEY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $195,131 | $0 | $63,682 | $258,813 |
| ATTORNEY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $193,596 | $0 | $64,695 | $258,291 |
| ATTORNEY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $193,830 | $0 | $61,261 | $255,091 |
| ATTORNEY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,933 | $0 | $46,002 | $240,935 |
32 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Federal Defender Program (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $303K (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–1b16 · 16 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 15aNo
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 546
- Volunteers Part I, line 650
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Federal Defender Program's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Federal Defender Program, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Federal Defender Program spent in FY2025, $90.61 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Mental Health Association of Nassau CountyHempstead, NY · revenue $11M · programs 75.9% · 2024
- St Bernards VillageJonesboro, AR · revenue $11M · programs 87.1% · FY2025
- Colorado Chautauqua AssociationBoulder, CO · revenue $11M · programs 81.7% · 2025
- Mercy CircleChicago, IL · revenue $11M · programs 82.6% · FY2025
- St William's Living CenterParkers Prairie, MN · revenue $11M · programs 84.4% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Federal Defender Program's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Federal Defender Program reported that 90.6% of its $11.1 million in expenses went to program services, 9.4% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Federal Defender Program pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Federal Defender Program reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $292,582, for the role of Executive DirEC (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Federal Defender Program get its money?
Of $11.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 100.0% came from contributions and grants (including 99.9% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Federal Defender Program a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2581185 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 September 30, 2025, object 202602109349301850 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202512179349300921 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202421449349301607 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202331459349300618 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202221469349300007 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202101609349300905 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2581185: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.