Family Research Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE IS TO REAFFIRM AND PROMOTE NATIONALLY, AND PARTICULARLY IN WASHINGTON, DC, THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNIT AND THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUE SYSTEM UPON WHICH IT IS BUILT. FRC'S ACTIVITIES IN ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ITS MISSION ARE TO: - PROMOTE AND DEFEND TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES IN PRINT, BROADCAST AND OTHER MEDIA,- DEVELOP AND ADVOCATE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES WHICH STRENGTHEN AND FORTIFY THE FAMILY AND PROMOTE TRADITIONAL VALUES,- ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN AN ACCURATE SOURCE OF STATISTICAL AND RESEARCH INFORMATION WHICH REAFFIRMS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY IN OUR CIVILIZATION, AND- INFORM AND EDUCATE CITIZENS ON HOW THEY CAN PROMOTE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES IN OUR CULTURE.
- Income
- $26.2 million
- Spending
- $25.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 4.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 111
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $488,755, president & ceo
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
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 7 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
- $14.9 million spent. COMMUNICATIONS:AN IMPORTANT WAY THAT FRC WORKS WITH ITS CHURCH COMMUNITY IS THROUGH ITS COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. FRC VOICES BIBLICAL TRUTH AND ETERNAL VALUES INTO THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS WHICH THE CHURCH CAN EMBRACE AND PASS ALONG TO THEIR OWN CONGREGATIONS AND NETWORKS.FRC'S WASHINGTON WATCH WITH TONY PERKINS, A DAILY ONE-HOUR PROGRAM, IS BROADCAST ON A VARIETY OF VIDEO AND STREAMING OUTLETS, AND IS SYNDICATED ON RADIO STATIONS THAT AIR IN NEARLY EVERY STATE. FRC HAS A STRONG REPRESENTATION OF CHURCHES IN OUR BROADCAST MARKETS. THE SHOW ALLOWS FRC TO CUT THROUGH THE MEDIA'S FILTER AND SPEAK DIRECTLY TO CONCERNED AMERICANS AND CHURCHES ABOUT HOW A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW SHAPES PUBLIC POLICY. FRC PRESIDENT TONY PERKINS HAS HOSTED DOZENS OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AS WELL AS PROMINENT POLICY EXPERTS, AUTHORS, PASTORS, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. FRC CO-SPONSORS THE ANNUAL PRAY VOTE STAND SUMMIT, A MULTI-DAY IN-PERSON AND BROADCAST EVENT FEATURING NUMEROUS SPEAKERS AND PANELS. IN ADDITION, FRC HOSTS PERIODIC PRAY VOTE STAND TOWNHALL EVENTS THAT FEATURE DISCUSSIONS AND PRAYER WITH VARIOUS GUESTS. THE WASHINGTON STAND IS FRC'S OUTLET FOR NEWS AND COMMENTARY FROM A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW. THE WASHINGTON STAND'S TEAM OF WRITERS PROVIDE DAILY COVERAGE OF A VARIETY OF CURRENT EVENTS AND TOPICS. THE WASHINGTON STAND ALSO PRODUCES "OUTSTANDING," A WEEKLY PODCAST THAT EXAMINES NEWS AND ISSUES THROUGH THE LENS OF SCRIPTURE WITH AN AIM TO TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE FOR THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST. THE FRC COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS POLICY EXPERTS, MADE NUMEROUS LIVE TV, CABLE NETWORK AND RADIO APPEARANCES, AND PLACED OP-EDS IN PUBLICATIONS NATIONWIDE. FRC ALSO CONTINUES TO REACH, EQUIP, AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND THE CHURCH VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
- $5.6 million spent. POLICY/WORLDVIEW:FRC IS COMMITTED TO PRODUCING QUALITY POLICY RESEARCH GROUNDED IN BIBLICAL TRUTH. ITS TEAM OF POLICY EXPERTS ANALYZES LEGISLATION FOR ITS IMPACT ON LIFE, THE FAMILY, AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. IN ADDITION, FRC'S CENTER FOR BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW EQUIPS CHRISTIANS WITH A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW AND TRAINS THEM TO ADVANCE AND DEFEND THE FAITH IN THEIR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND THE PUBLIC SQUARE. FRC'S PUBLICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS APPLY CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES TO THE PRESSING CULTURAL AND MORAL QUESTIONS AMERICANS ARE FACING. THROUGH FRC'S EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF CHURCHES, THESE RESOURCES ARE DISSEMINATED TO CONGREGANTS TO KEEP THEM INFORMED AND EQUIPPED WITH PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS OF HOW THEY CAN HELP THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.FRC ALSO SERVES AS AN EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH TO THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT. THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF CHRISTIANS NATIONWIDE BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH LAWMAKERS ON BOTH CAPITOL HILL AND IN STATE LEGISLATURES TO PASS PRO-LIFE, PRO-FAMILY, AND PRO-RELIGIOUS FREEDOM POLICIES WHILE ALSO ADVISING AGAINST LEGISLATION THAT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THESE BIBLICAL VALUES.
- $1.4 million spent. CHURCH MINISTRIES:FRC OPERATES A COOPERATIVE UNDERTAKING WITH AND AMONG LOCAL CHURCH PARTNERS SHARING FRC'S MISSION. FRC'S MINISTRY SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN PARTNER CHURCHES AND CHRISTIANS IN GENERAL AS THEY SEEK TO GROW IN A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW, AND EQUIPS PASTORS AND CHURCH LEADERS THROUGH TRAINING AND BY PROVIDING STRATEGIC RESOURCES.THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, FRC HAS RECRUITED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PASTORS AND PRAYER PARTNERS THROUGH VARIOUS FORMS OF OUTREACH. PASTOR ROUNDTABLES AND PASTOR BRIEFINGS ENCOURAGE PASTORS TO BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS IN TODAY'S RAPIDLY GROWING HOSTILE CULTURE. SPECIAL TOWNHALL EVENTS HOSTED BY CHURCHES DRAW PASTORS AND CONGREGANTS FROM ACROSS DENOMINATIONAL LINES. FRC ALSO CO-FOUNDED THE NATIONAL GATHERING FOR PRAYER & REPENTANCE, AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT GATHERS CHRISTIAN AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS TO PRAY FOR THE NATION AND SEEK GOD'S FORGIVENESS.TRAINING IS PROVIDED FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT TEAMS, WHICH BRING CHURCH MEMBERS TOGETHER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF BIBLICAL VALUES IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. FRC'S STAND COURAGEOUS MEN'S CONFERENCES TAKE PLACE IN CHURCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ENCOURAGE MEN TO DEVELOP CHARACTER, CULTIVATE POSITIVE HABITS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND MAKE COMMITMENTS THAT WILL MOVE THEM CLOSER TO FULFILLING GOD'S PURPOSE AND DESIGN BY LEADING IN THEIR HOMES, CHURCHES, AND COMMUNITIES. FRC ALSO PRODUCES "STAND ON THE WORD," A 2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN THAT INCLUDES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND DAILY DEVOTIONAL VIDEOS, AND PUBLISHES STAND ON THE WORD STUDY GUIDES ON BOOKS OF THE BIBLE INCLUDING JEREMIAH AND EPHESIANS.
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 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? Worth knowing.
The IRS does not require this organization to file annual returns.
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 July 2020.
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.