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Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc

EIN 39-1302520 · Madison, WI

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO KEEP CHURCH AND STATE SEPARATE AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT NONTHEISM

Income
$15.4 million
Spending
$10.8 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
25.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
51
Volunteers
79
Highest pay
$214,221, legal director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 25.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 38% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (4)
  1. $1.9 million spent. LAWSUITS CHALLENGING UNCONSTITUTIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT ENDORSEMENT OR PROMOTION OF RELIGION. FFRF FILED 6 NEW LAWSUITS, INCLUDING ONE IN STATE COURT IN ILLINOIS, WHERE, BARELY A MONTH AFTER FILING A CHALLENGE OF A TEN COMMANDMENTS MONUMENT ON COURTHOUSE PROPERTY, THE CASE WAS FAVORABLY SETTLED WHEN JEFFERSON COUNTY REMOVED THE MONOLITH. FIVE NEW CHALLENGES OF STATE LAWS REQUIRING POSTING OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE FILED WITH A COALITION REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS AND NONRELIGIOUS PLAINTIFFS, INCLUDING TWO IN ARKANSAS FEDERAL COURT AND THREE IN TEXAS FEDERAL COURT. FFRF FILED SUIT IN OCTOBER 2025, ON BEHALF OF FFRF MEMBER JAMES REEL, A VETERAN, WHO WANTED TO CONTINUE SERVING HIS COUNTRY BY BECOMING A POLL WORKER BUT WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE A RELIGIOUS OATH. FFRF AND A COALITION FILED SUIT IN STATE COURT IN MAY 2025 ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS TO HALT THE INSTALLATION OF TWO STATUES COSTING TAXPAYERS AT LEAST $850,000 DEPICTING CATHOLIC SAINTS AT A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING IN QUINCY, MASS. IN JANUARY 2025, FFRF FILED A STATE LAWSUIT IN DANE COUNTY, WIS., ON BEHALF OF THREE HOMEOWNERS, CHALLENGING A TAX LAW CREATED TO BENEFIT TWO EXTREMELY LUCRATIVE CHURCH-OWNED PROPERTIES DESIGNED FOR STUDENT RENTERS. ADDITIONALLY FFRF IS DEFENDING AN APPEALS COURT VICTORY WON IN 2018 PROHIBITING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FROM OPENING PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH PRAYER IN CHINO VALLEY, CALIF. THIS LITIGATION JOINED ONGOING LAWSUITS INCLUDING ONE FILED WITH A COALITION IN FEDERAL COURT IN 2024 CHALLENGING A LOUISIANA LAW REQUIRING TEN COMMANDMENTS TO BE DISPLAYED IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM AND A CASE IN FEDERAL COURT IN ARKANSAS CHALLENGING A TEN COMMANDMENTS MONUMENT AT THE STATE CAPITOL. ADDITIONALLY TWO OKLAHOMA CASES WERE DISMISSED: ONE CHALLENGING A MANDATE TO INCORPORATE THE BIBLE INTO ALL CURRICULA, AND ANOTHER AGAINST THE STATE VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD, AFTER VIOLATIONS WERE ENDED.FFRF RESPONDED TO 1,892 REPORTS OF CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS, SENT MORE THAN 603 FORMAL COMPLAINT LETTERS PLUS 870 FOLLOW-UPS TO VIOLATING GOVERNMENT ACTORS, MOSTLY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, RESULTING IN 212 SIGNIFICANT CONSTITUTIONAL VICTORIES. IN ADDITION, FFRF FILED AMICUS BRIEFS IN 7 OTHER STATE/CHURCH LAWSUITS.
  2. $4.3 million spent. EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, AWARDS. FFRF TOPPED MORE THAN 42,000 MEMBERS, AND HELD ITS 48TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION IN MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., WITH MORE THAN 500 ATTENDEES REPRESENTING MOST STATES. FFRF ALSO CO-HOSTED THE SCOPES TRIAL CENTENNIAL CONFERENCE IN TENNESSEE ATTRACTING ABOUT 250 PARTICIPANTS. LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE STAFF SPOKE AT 21 EVENTS, INVOLVING CHAPTERS AND DIVERSE CONFERENCES, AND CO-PRESIDENTS SPOKE OR DEBATED AT 10 EVENTS INCLUDING IN PERU, PARAGUAY, GEORGIA, OHIO, TENNESSEE AND NEW YORK. FFRF AWARDED ABOUT $139,000 IN ESSAY CONTEST SCHOLARSHIPS TO 80 STUDENT WINNERS; TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS TO 14 STUDENTS WHO WERE FIRST-IN-FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND HUMANIST HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARTNERS, AND 15 STUDENT ACTIVIST SCHOLARSHIPS, SOME AWARDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STUDENT GROUP. FFRF HOSTED, WITH PARTNERS, THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL REASON RECEPTION ON THE HILL.
  3. $1.3 million spent. PUBLISHING, BROADCASTING, AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. FFRF PUBLISHED 10 ISSUES OF FREETHOUGHT TODAY NEWSPAPER; BROADCAST WEEKLY EDITIONS OF FREETHOUGHT RADIO ON RADIO STATIONS IN 10 STATES, WITH PODCASTS REACHING MORE THAN 2 MILLION DOWNLOADS SINCE BEGINNING IN 2006. PRODUCED 20 FINAL EPISODES OF "FREETHOUGHT MATTERS" TV SHOW, WHICH AIRED WEEKLY IN 6 MAJOR CITIES AND ON YOUTUBE. AIRED "FFRF'S ASK AN ATHEIST"/"SECULAR SPOTLIGHT" REGULARLY ON YOUTUBE. PRODUCED A MONTHLY "WE DISSENT" PODCAST WITH OTHER SECULAR ORGANIZATIONS SHOWCASING SECULAR WOMEN ATTORNEYS. MAINTAINED FFRF'S WEBSITE WITH LEGAL AND FREETHOUGHT NEWS AND RESOURCES. SOCIAL MEDIA INCLUDES 466K FACEBOOK FRIENDS, 87.1K FOLLOWERS ON X, 16.3K ON BLUE SKY, 25.3K ON INSTAGRAM AND 29.6 ON TIKTOK. FFRF ISSUED ABOUT 314 NEWS RELEASES ABOUT FFRF ACTIVITIES AND 110 BLOG POSTINGS. PUBLISHED A FREETHOUGHT CALENDAR AND DISTRIBUTED BOOKS AND EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS PROMOTING ITS PURPOSES. RAN PERIODIC ADS IN THE NATION, PROGRESSIVE, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, NEW YORK TIMES. RAN ADS ON CBS, MSNBC AND COMEDY CENTRAL. FFRF PLACED VARIOUS COMMERCIALS, INCLUDING LIVE READS BY HOSTS, ON SIRIUSXM AND ABOUT 20 PODCASTS WITH MORE THAN 15,00 PLACEMENTS AND NEARLY 13 MILLION IMPRESSIONS THROUGH DIGITAL ADS ALONE. FFRF MAINTAINED 23 CHAPTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
  4. $1.4 million spent. OPERATION OF FREETHOUGHT HALL IN MADISON, WI, AND MAINTENANCE OF LIBRARY FOR MEMBERS' USE, AND CHAPTER REBATES

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1978.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.