The Pete Du Pont Freedom Foundation LLC
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE PETE DU PONT FREEDOM FOUNDATION PROMOTES OUR COUNTRY'S SPIRIT OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE BY FOSTERING ACCESS TO THE MARKETPLACE FOR EVERY ENTREPRENEUR AND THEIR IDEAS.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $973,693
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 2.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $111,579, executive director
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
Good: 75 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 46% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 100% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 87 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (6)
- $410,349 spent. SUPPORT OF STEPPING STONES FCU - THE STATED PURPOSE OF STEPPING STONES FEDERAL CREDIT UNION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF DELAWARE. THE FOUNDATION SOLICITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPPORT A COMMUNITY-OWNED ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL PEOPLE TO ACCESS AND USE FINANCIAL SERVICES. THIS SUPPORTS THE DIGNITY OF EACH PERSON AS THEY BUILD THEIR FINANCIAL SUCCESS AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR FINANCIAL WELLBEING.
- $139,209 spent. THE EQUITABLE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM (E3) INITIATIVE IS DRIVEN BY THE FOUNDATION'S FOCUS ON REMOVING BARRIERS TO INNOVATION AND ITS STRONG BELIEF THAT GREAT IDEAS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CAN OCCUR THROUGHOUT SOCIETY. E3 IS AN AMBITIOUS INITIATIVE WITH THE GOAL OF BECOMING DELAWARE'S LEADING ENTREPRENEURIAL INCUBATOR AND ACCELERATOR BY CREATING AN INNOVATIVE ECOSYSTEM THAT IDENTIFIES, NURTURES, AND ULTIMATELY LEADS TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES FOR DELAWARE'S FUTURE. E3 COMPLIMENTS AND WORKS IN TANDEM WITH REINVENTING DELAWARE IN WORKING TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON UNDERREPRESENTED ENTREPRENEURS. E3 ATTEMPTS TO BUILD CITY-WIDE STRATEGIC COALITIONS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY, VET, INCUBATE AND ACCELERATE THE LAUNCH OF NEW BUSINESSES.
- $90,971 spent. CAPACITY BUILDING: SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM LONGWOOD FOUNDATION, THE FOUNDATION AIMS TO EXPAND ITS REACH BY ENLARGING AND EXPANDING ITS PROGRAMS.
- $9,155 spent. THE PETE DU PONT FREEDOM FOUNDATION SERVES AS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL INCUBATOR BY PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR INDIVIDUALS TO PRESENT IDEAS THAT WILL CREATE JOBS AND IMPROVE DELAWARE. THROUGH ITS "REINVENTING DELAWARE" PROGRAM WHICH BEGAN IN 2014, THE PUBLIC, FOUNDATION MEMBERS, SUPPORTERS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SUBMIT IDEAS TO THE FOUNDATION FOR CONSIDERATION. IDEA SUBMITTERS ARE INVITED TO PRESENT THEIR IDEAS AT AN ANNUAL DINNER EVENT, WHICH INCLUDES KEY MEMBERS OF THE DELAWARE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP COMMUNITIES. IN TOTAL, 100 INDIVIDUALS ATTEND THE EVENT AND PRESENT THEIR IDEAS. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES TOP IDEA PRESENTERS FROM THE REINVENTING DELAWARE DINNER THE OPPORTUNITY THE REFINEMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING SERVICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THIRD PARTY FACILITATORS, SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES IN THE DELAWARE BUSINESS TIMES (ONLINE AND PRINT), PROMOTION AND VISIBILITY THROUGH FOUNDATION SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITE EXPOSURE, PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCED VIDEO SPOTLIGHTS FOR THE PROGRAM FINALISTS, EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITY AT THE ANNUAL PETE DU PONT FREEDOM AWARD EVENT FOR PROGRAM FINALISTS, AND A MONETARY AWARD FOR THE IDEA THAT CAN MAKE THE MOST IMPACT ON DELAWARE.
- $42,042 spent. HBCU INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS INITIATIVE - THE FOUNDATION PARTNERED WITH THE BANK OF AMERICA AND DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY TO INTEGRATE THEIR REINVENTING PROGRAM AND PROCESS INTO THE 13TH ANNUAL PHILANTHROPY SYMPOSIUM, WHICH HOSTS OVER 30 HBCU REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. A $100,000 GRANT WAS RECEIVED IN 2022 TO LAUNCH THE INITIATIVE IN JULY 2023. A COMMITTEE HELD A MEETING TO REVIEW ALL OF THE IDEA PROPOSALS SUBMITTED FOR THE INITIATIVE AND SELECTED NINE TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROCESS TO RECEIVE IN-KIND CONSULTING SUPPORT VALUED AT UP TO $5,000 PER PROPOSAL. THE COMMITTEE RECONVENES TO SELECT FOUR FINALISTS WHO WILL RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL SUITE OF IN-KIND SUPPORT VALUED AT UP TO $20,000 EACH. FINALLY THE COMMITTEE WILL SELECT ONE WINNER TO RECEIVE A $10,000 CASH GRANT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE IDEA FORWARD. THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE 14TH ANNUAL PHILANTHROPY SYMPOSIUM.
- $32,736 spent. THE REINVENTING DELAWARE PROGRAM SERVES AS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL INCUBATOR BY PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR INDIVIDUALS TO PRESENT IDEAS THAT WILL CREATE JOBS AND IMPROVE DELAWARE. THE PUBLIC, THE FOUNDATION'S MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT IDEAS FOR CONSIDERATION.
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 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 December 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 August 2017.
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.
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