American Booksellers for Free Expression Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS FOR FREE EXPRESSION FOUNDATION (ABFE) WAS CREATED BY THE AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION (ABA), A RECOGNIZED 501(C)(6) ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT ABA'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. SPECIFICALLY, ABFE WILL CONDUCT (I) EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS TO PROMOTE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION, (II) CAMPAIGNS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AS THEY PERTAIN TO BOOKS AND READING, AND (III) LIMITED ISSUE ADVOCACY SUPPORTING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS RELATED TO AUTHORS, BOOKSELLERS, AND READERS. PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHMENT FOR MORE DETAILS.
- Income
- $0
- Spending
- $0
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 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 (3)
- EDUCATION- ABFE WILL SPONSOR AND HOLD VARIOUS WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS ONLINE, IN PERSON, AND VIA SOCIAL MEDIA TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. ABFE WILL ALSO HOLD VARIOUS "BOOK TALKS," BOOK SIGNINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS WHERE AUTHORS OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, BELIEFS, AND BACKGROUNDS ARE HIGHLIGHTED, THUS ENCOURAGING THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO CONSUME LITERATURE OF ALL TYPES AND PERSPECTIVES. ABFE ALSO PLANS TO DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE READING LISTS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT NEW AND RISING AUTHORS, LITERATURE, AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AFFECTING READERS, AUTHORS, AND BOOKS.ABFE'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WILL BE FUNDED BY CONTRIBUTIONS AND GRANTS AND WILL BE CONDUCTED BY ABFE'S EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS. ABFE'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT NO COST. WHERE ABFE DEEMS IT APPROPRIATE AND IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS EXEMPT PURPOSES, ABFE MAY COLLABORATE WITH ABA AND OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AT SUCH ORGANIZATIONS' CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS. ABFE'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL ATTENDEES OF THOSE CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT NO COST. ABFE ANTICIPATES THAT ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WILL CONSIST OF EIGHTY (80%) PERCENT OF ITS TIME AND RESOURCES.
- RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS- ABFE WILL ENGAGE IN CAMPAIGNS DESIGNED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AS THEY PERTAIN TO BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND READERS. THE PURPOSE OF ABFE'S PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS IS TO PROMOTE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND RELATED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS SO THAT AUTHORS AND READERS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, BELIEFS, AND PERSPECTIVES ARE PROTECTED.
- LIMITED ISSUE ADVOCACY- ABFE WILL ENGAGE IN LIMITED ISSUE ADVOCACY IN SUPPORT OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, AND OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AFFECTING READERS, AUTHORS, AND BOOKS OF ALL VIEWPOINTS AND PERSPECTIVES.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 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 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 September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Worth knowing.
Recognized by the IRS in January 2026. It is too new to have a track record.
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.