Mit Free Speech Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To promote free expression, academic freedom, viewpoint diversity, and open scientific inquiry in the MIT community
- Income
- $236,015
- Spending
- $352,768
- Spent on programs
- 51%
- Reserves
- 5.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $134,161, executive 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
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 49% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1551% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
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.
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, 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)
- $181,265 spent. In 2025 the MIT Free Speech Alliance conducted another full year of public programming while maintaining a membership of more than 1,200. MFSA hosted two campus debates at MIT, in the spring and fall of 2025. Our Spring debate was on the issue of closing the gender gap in the STEM professions. Our Fall 2025 debate addressed the issue of American higher educations reliance on international students. As with previous years, our debates brought together a heterodox group of debaters and successfully modeled civil discourse for the MIT community. Also in the fall of 2025, MFSA held its third annual conference. This conference brought together representatives from various MIT constituencies, including students, faculty, alumni, and trustees, for discussions on how the university can work to foster free expression and civil discourse. The conference was highlighted by a keynote speech from Brookings Institution scholar Jonathan Rauch. Throughout 2025 we provided commentary on free speech issues of concern to the MIT community. We gathered our members for quarterly virtual discussions with notable guest speakers, and also sponsored or co-sponsored lectures on topical issues in free speech and higher education open to the MIT community. Additionally, our leaders gave presentations at a national conference on censorship in STEM; at the Heterodox Academy annual conference; and at the annual meeting of the Academic Freedom Alliance. Finally, MFSA saw its strongest fundraising year to date, increasing contributions from its members by nearly 40% over the previous year.
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
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 November 6, 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 December 2025.
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 February 2022.
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 November 4, 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.