Home School Legal Defense Association
Home School Legal Defense Association reported $16.5 million in revenue and $16.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $88.45 went to program services, $8.49 to management and general costs and $3.06 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $353,883 (President and Director). 16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 1% between FY2021 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $16MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.4% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.5% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.3% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.2% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $353,883 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.21% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 16 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | -3.5 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 7 | 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 expenseLEGAL ADVOCACY PROTECTION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS: Tens of thousands of parents are challenged every year by government officials seeking to impose their will on parents. HSLDA members are provided legal advice ranging from state homeschool law clarifications resolving conflicts or misunderstandings with government officials corresponding on behalf of members to government officials and defending homeschool families in court
EDUCATING THE PUBLIC: HSLDA provides several avenues of public education through conferences speaking engagements publications and public outreach
GIFTS AND GRANTS: Your gifts help enable HSLDA to provide legal protection to homeschooling families and to equip them to offer the best educational experience to their children. In addition HSLDA provides grants to help make homeschooling possible for families facing hard times including widows single parents special needs families and many others. see schedule I Part III
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President and Director Director/trustee, officer, 37.00 hrs/week | $307,679 | $0 | $46,204 | $353,883 |
| VP of Administration Officer, 38.00 hrs/week | $218,560 | $0 | $33,770 | $252,330 |
| VP Finance and Technology Officer, 32.00 hrs/week | $216,848 | $0 | $34,816 | $251,664 |
| Director of Legal and Legislative Advocacy Highest compensated employee, 39.00 hrs/week | $205,701 | $0 | $32,667 | $238,368 |
| VP of Communications and Marketing Officer, 38.00 hrs/week | $208,424 | $0 | $25,035 | $233,459 |
| Director of Global Outreach Highest compensated employee, 39.00 hrs/week | $170,807 | $0 | $34,591 | $205,398 |
| Senior Counsel and Director of Group Services Highest compensated employee, 39.00 hrs/week | $164,619 | $0 | $34,152 | $198,771 |
| Senior Counsel Highest compensated employee, 39.00 hrs/week | $162,446 | $0 | $35,081 | $197,527 |
16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Home School Legal Defense Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $0 (Part IX, line 5).
5 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–1b7 · 6 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 4Yes
- 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 5132
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GOOGLE LLC Software | $420,744 |
| Prolocity Software | $294,843 |
| Salesforce Software | $273,046 |
| The Printing Express Printing | $149,198 |
| NCH Communications Newsletter Mailing | $124,052 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
12 private foundations reported grants to Home School Legal Defense Association totaling $122K 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 Home School Legal Defense Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Home School Legal Defense Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Home School Legal Defense Association spent in FY2025, $88.45 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Mountain State Learning SolutionsCharleston, WV · revenue $17M · programs 78.7% · FY2025
- Trinity AcademyRaleigh, NC · revenue $17M · programs 70.6% · FY2025
- The Learning LampJohnstown, PA · revenue $17M · programs 83.9% · 2025
- Carlthorp SchoolSanta Monica, CA · revenue $17M · programs 81.0% · FY2025
- The Learning Choice AcademySantee, CA · revenue $17M · programs 75.2% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Home School Legal Defense Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, Home School Legal Defense Association reported that 88.4% of its $16.0 million in expenses went to program services, 8.5% to management and general and 3.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Home School Legal Defense Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Home School Legal Defense Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $353,883, for the role of President and Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Home School Legal Defense Association get its money?
Of $16.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 94.3% came from contributions and grants and 2.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Home School Legal Defense Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1354365 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 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 March 31, 2025, object 202630279349301123 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202540179349300019 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202410259349300436 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202213489349300101 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202210329349300111 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1354365: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.