Tor Project Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE TOR NETWORK, WHICH IS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEER-OPERATED SERVERS THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO IMPROVE THEIR PRIVACY AND SECURITY ON THE INTERNET. THE ORGANIZATION'S USERS EMPLOY THE TOR NETWORK BY CONNECTING THROUGH A SERIES OF VIRTUAL TUNNELS RATHER THAN MAKING A DIRECT CONNECTION, THUS ALLOWING BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO SHARE INFORMATION OVER PUBLIC NETWORKS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THEIR PRIVACY. ALONG THE SAME LINE, THE TOR NETWORK IS AN EFFECTIVE CENSORSHIP CIRCUMVENTION TOOL, ALLOWING ITS USERS TO REACH OTHERWISE BLOCKED DESTINATIONS OR CONTENT. THE TOR NETWORK CAN ALSO BE USED AS A BUILDING BLOCK FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS TO CREATE NEW COMMUNICATION TOOLS WITH BUILT-IN PRIVACY FEATURES.
- Income
- $12.3 million
- Spending
- $9.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 12.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 10,000
- Highest pay
- $206,444, founder & network team sr developer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 69% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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 June 30, 2025, 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 (1)
- $7.2 million spent. 1) 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 ENABLE AND, WITH THE USE OF FREE SOFTWARE, EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT INTERNET PRIVACY AND ANONYMITY 5) THE TOR PROJECT IS AN OPEN SOURCE PROJECT AND BENEFITS FROM THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY VOLUNTEERS. DURING THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED A VALUE OF $643,794 TO OUR WORK, AS FOLLOWS: 5,142 HOURS OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (VALUED AT $411,360) AND TRANSLATION SERVICES OF 518,134 WORDS (VALUED AT $124,352); CLOUD HOSTING SERVICES USING 12 SERVERS (VALUED AT $108,082); AND DIGICERT DONATIONS OF 26 CERTIFICATES (VALUED AT $4,344).
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2007.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.