Human Rights Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FOUNDATION'S PURPOSE IS TO UNITE PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL, CULTURAL, AND IDEOLOGICAL ORIENTATIONS IN THE COMMON CAUSE OF DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROMOTING LIBERAL DEMOCRACY GLOBALLY. THE MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT FREEDOM IS BOTH PROMOTED AND PROTECTED.
- Income
- $38.7 million
- Spending
- $39.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 25.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 49
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $344,091, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 25.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 122% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $26.9 million spent. GLOBAL ADVOCACY - HRF DEFENDS HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH GLOBAL ADVOCACY, EXECUTING INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS AND DEPLOYING INTERNATIONAL LEGAL MECHANISMS TO INFLUENCE INSTITUTIONS AND POLICYMAKERS.IN 2024, HRF'S IMPACT LITIGATION PROGRAM FILED ELEVEN COMPLAINTS, TWO URGENT APPEALS, AND ONE JOINT PETITION BEFORE THE UN, AND RECEIVED TWO FAVORABLE DECISIONS FROM THE UN WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION. FOR THE 2024 SESSIONS OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, HRF SUBMITTED 10 UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEWS. HRF'S TYRANNY TRACKER (FORMERLY, THE POLITICAL REGIME PROJECT) CONTINUED TO TRACK AUTHORITARIANISM ACROSS THE WORLD, FINISHING RESEARCH REPORTS FOR 96 COUNTRIES. THE TYRANNY TRACKER CLASSIFIES COUNTRIES AS DEMOCRATIC, HYBRID AUTHORITARIAN, OR FULLY AUTHORITARIAN USING A UNIQUE METHODOLOGY DEVELOPED BY HRF.HRF'S GLOBAL ADVOCACY CONTINUED TO ADDRESS REGIONAL ISSUES AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS. IN 2024, THE UKRAINE SOLIDARITY FUND AND BELARUS SOLIDARITY FUND REACHED FUNDRAISING AMOUNTS OF $2.4 MILLION AND $1.1 MILLION, RESPECTIVELY, IN GRANTS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. IN THE WAKE OF WIDESPREAD PROTESTS RESPONDING TO DICTATOR NICOLS MADURO PROCLAIMING A FRAUDULENT VICTORY IN 2024, THE VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY FUND RAISED $419,000 TO PROVIDE DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO SECURE A PEACEFUL TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY. MEANWHILE, THE CHINESE COMMUNITY PARTY (CCP) DISRUPTION INITIATIVE CONTINUED TO WORK AGAINST XI JINPING'S BRUTAL REGIME, HOSTING A UYGHUR YOUTH MOBILIZATION WORKSHOP AND UNITING WITH THE HONG KONG DIASPORA AT THE UK-HK SYMPOSIUM. HRF'S KOREA DESK'S EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE OPPRESSIVE DICTATORSHIP IN NORTH KOREA CONTINUED WITH THE LAUNCH OF NK INSIDER (NKIN), THE FIRST ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWS PLATFORM ABOUT NORTH KOREA WRITTEN BY NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS. IN ITS FIRST YEAR, NKIN PUBLISHED 169 ARTICLES THAT REACHED 4,900 READERS IN 105 COUNTRIES. ALSO UNDER HRF'S KOREA DESK, THE FLASH DRIVES FOR FREEDOM INITIATIVE GRANTED MORE THAN 22,000 NORTH KOREANS ACCESS TO 42,000 HOURS OF FOOTAGE AND 1 MILLION HOURS OF READING MATERIALS. FINALLY, THE MENA DESK SUPPORTED CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS BY GRANTING $10,000 TO GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN LEBANON TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO LEBANESE CITIZENS CURRENTLY DISPLACED BY CONFLICT.HRF FURTHER EXPANDED ITS RESEARCH ON ISSUES INTERSECTING WITH AUTHORITARIANISM IN 2024. THE POLICY TEAM PUBLISHED TWO BRIEFS EXPOSING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND AUTHORITARIANISM. IN ITS SECOND SUCCESSFUL YEAR, THE COMBATING KLEPTOCRACY PROGRAM EXPOSED HOW DICTATORSHIPS USE FINANCIAL SECRECY AND INFLUENCE CAMPAIGNS TO SMOTHER DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION AND ENRICH THEMSELVES, WITH OP-EDS, REPORTS, AND AN INTERACTIVE "KLEPTOCRACY LAUNDROMAT" EXPO BOOTH. MEANWHILE, THE CELEBRITIES & DICTATORS PROGRAM BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE NECESSITY OF ABSTAINING FROM PARTICIPATION IN DICTATORS' ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE THEIR IMAGES THROUGH TOURISM, SPORTS, AND MUSIC.HRF IS UNIQUE IN ITS DIRECT SUPPORT OF DISSIDENTS ADVOCATING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. IN 2024, THE FINANCIAL FREEDOM PROGRAM GAVE GRANTS TO 96 PROJECTS THROUGH THE BITCOIN DEVELOPMENT FUND AND LONG TERM ACTIVIST SUPPORT, SUPPORTING INITIATIVES TO MAKE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGIES MORE SECURE, PRIVATE, AND RESILIENT TO BETTER SERVE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM.
- $7.5 million spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH - SINCE ITS FOUNDING, HRF HAS CULTIVATED A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, CONNECTING ACTIVISTS, DISSIDENTS, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS WHO SHARE IN THEIR DEDICATION TO THE PROTECTION OF DEMOCRACY.IN 2024, IN THE FORM OF MICROGRANTS, HRF PROVIDED FUNDING TO ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES OF DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IN 12 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. THROUGH TARGETED SKILLS-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, HRF AUGMENTED THE ABILITIES OF AT-RISK ADVOCATES, ARTISTS, AND STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY IN COUNTRIES RULED BY AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES. THE ANNUAL FREEDOM FELLOWSHIP PROVIDED A COHORT OF NINE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES WITH THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK THROUGH HANDS-ON TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP SESSIONS, INCLUDING A WEEK-LONG WORKING RETREAT IN COSTA RICA. IN AUGUST 2024, HRF ALSO HELD ITS FIRST-EVER RESILIENCE RETREAT IN COSTA RICA, EQUIPPING 20 ACTIVISTS FROM 12 COUNTRIES WITH THE RESOURCES AND PRACTICES NECESSARY TO BECOME RESILIENCE MOVEMENT LEADERS. IN DECEMBER, HRF AND 14 ACTIVISTS FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ASSEMBLED IN GHANA FOR THE THIRD EDITION OF THE GEORGE AYITTEY DEMOCRACY RETREAT, WHERE THEY LEARNED ABOUT BEST PRACTICES FOR ADVOCACY IN THE FACE OF AUTHORITARIANISM, AND STRENGTHENED SOLIDARITY ACROSS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.HRF'S OSLO SCHOLARS PROGRAM EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY, PROVIDING 26 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH INTERNSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S LEADING HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT NINE DIFFERENT CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS.FINALLY, THE 2024 OSLO FREEDOM FORUM (OFF), HRF'S 16TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN OSLO, PROVIDED A PLATFORM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH A GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 1,400 ATTENDEES. AT THE EVENT, HRF HONORED THREE DISSIDENT ARTISTS WITH THE HAVEL PRIZE AND RECOGNIZED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LATE ALEXEI NAVALNY WITH THE MASEKO PRIZE.
- $1.1 million spent. AUDIENCE EDUCATION - THROUGH CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS, IMPACTFUL STORYTELLING, AND STRATEGIC MEDIA COVERAGE, HRF CONTINUED TO EDUCATE GLOBAL AUDIENCES ON THE THREAT OF AUTHORITARIANISM IN 2024. HRF HIGHLIGHTED THE INTERSECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WITH VARIOUS SECTORS, AMPLIFYING THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM ACROSS INDUSTRIES AND AUDIENCES.HRF AUGMENTED ITS MEDIA PRESENCE ACROSS VARIOUS PLATFORMS IN 2024, GARNERING 22,000 MEDIA MENTIONS, 82 BILLION GLOBAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS, AND 24 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS. HRF'S WORK WAS FEATURED IN TOP INTERNATIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS INCLUDING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, THE NEW YORK TIMES, REASON, FOREIGN POLICY, NPR, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, THE ECONOMIST, AND OTHERS.HRF'S PUBLIC-FACING PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO EXPOSE BROAD AUDIENCES TO HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES. TWO COLLEGE FREEDOM FORUM EVENTS IN 2024 CONNECTED STUDENTS AT UNIVERSIDAD FRANCISCO MARROQUN (IN GUATEMALA) AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY WITH RENOWNED ACTIVISTS WORKING TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. HRF REPRESENTATIVES SPOKE AT CONFERENCES SUCH AS SXSW, RIGHTSCON, AND THE BITCOIN CONFERENCE. WITH THE RELAUNCH OF THE DISSIDENTS & DICTATORS PODCAST, HRF REACHED 91,000 LISTENS BY 2,500 LISTENERS WITH STORIES AND ANALYSES FROM ACTIVISTS, JOURNALISTS, ARTISTS, AND SCHOLARS ON THE FRONTLINES OF DEMOCRACY.
- $530,205 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2005.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.