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Alliance Defending Freedom
Alliance Defending Freedom reported $119.8 million in revenue and $108.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.90 went to program services, $9.91 to management and general costs and $12.19 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 91.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $622,744 (CEO, PRESIDENT & CHIEF COUNSEL). 144 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 84% 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 $109MFor context, the median across 132 covered civil rights, social action & advocacy charities: $84.11 programs, $11.40 management, $4.49 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 $120MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.9% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.9% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.2% | 4.4% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.05 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 91.7% | 94.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.7% | 0.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $622,744 | $321,771 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.57% | 1.81% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 144 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 8 of 9 | 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: adf is a global religious legal organization that contends for truth in law, policy, and the public square by engaging in litigation and advocacy advancing free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of life and marriage. Adf offers expertise in constitutional law and international human rights law at the highest levels of the U.S. And international legal systems. Federal and state legislators have sought adf's counsel, inviting adf attorneys to testify before congress and state legislatures. Adf's impact is also being felt in corporate america, as adf…
Allied support and training: adf seeks to cultivate allies across multiple professions who contend for truth in law, policy, and the public square. Adf provides training, education, events, amicus curiae opportunities, and other supportive initiatives so that adf's mission can be multiplied through a committed community
Education: as a legal advocacy organization, adf seeks to educate the public about the importance of protecting the fundamental freedoms within its mission. This is accomplished through a variety of channels, including public speaking; digital, electronic, and print resources; social media; events; and a comprehensive website. Key examples include a parental rights toolkit to help parents know their rights and a quarterly magazine entitled faith & justice. These and other educational initiatives increase awareness about key cultural and legal issues of the day, while serving to identify…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO, PRESIDENT & CHIEF COUNSEL Director/trustee, officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $584,869 | $0 | $37,875 | $622,744 |
| FORMER PRESIDENT AND CEO Former, 0.00 hrs/week | $525,000 | $0 | $0 | $525,000 |
| CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $370,542 | $0 | $37,103 | $407,645 |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - PART YEAR Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $363,537 | $0 | $35,749 | $399,286 |
| VP OF APPELLATE ADVOCACY, SR COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $312,710 | $0 | $36,190 | $348,900 |
| SVP OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $306,967 | $0 | $27,227 | $334,194 |
| SVP OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $291,418 | $0 | $42,432 | $333,850 |
| SVP OF DEVELOPMENT Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $295,379 | $0 | $35,969 | $331,348 |
144 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Alliance Defending Freedom (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (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–1b9 · 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5482
- Volunteers Part I, line 6217
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| AHEAD INC It infrastructure and services | $2,378,537 |
| ACTION MAILING CORP Direct marketing services | $2,133,104 |
| LANSDOWNE RESORT AND SPA Event space and hosting services | $1,594,767 |
| JW MARRIOTT MARCO ISLAND BEACH RESORT Event space and hosting services | $1,582,163 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 45 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
190 private foundations reported grants to Alliance Defending Freedom totaling $4.6M 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 Alliance Defending Freedom's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Alliance Defending Freedom, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Alliance Defending Freedom spent in FY2025, $77.90 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Our American Future FoundationWashington, DC · revenue $104M · programs 99.7% · FY2025
- American Jewish CommitteeNew York, NY · revenue $127M · programs 80.2% · 2024
- Brooklyn Defender ServicesBrooklyn, NY · revenue $93M · programs 88.0% · FY2025
- Anti-Defamation LeagueNew York, NY · revenue $135M · programs 75.3% · FY2025
- Trevor ProjectWest Hollywood, CA · revenue $85M · programs 82.0% · FY2025
All civil rights, social action & advocacy charities · Largest charities in Arizona
Questions people ask
How much of Alliance Defending Freedom's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Alliance Defending Freedom reported that 77.9% of its $108.6 million in expenses went to program services, 9.9% to management and general and 12.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Alliance Defending Freedom pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Alliance Defending Freedom reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $622,744, for the role of CEO, PRESIDENT & CHIEF COUNSEL (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Alliance Defending Freedom get its money?
Of $119.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 91.7% came from contributions and grants and 2.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Alliance Defending Freedom a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 54-1660459 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 202630989349300033 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541289349304579 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431319349302748 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331319349305353 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202230489349301023 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101339349302205 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 54-1660459: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.