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Filing year 2024

FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania·EIN 04-3467254·NTEE R630 · Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy·501(c)(3)
Total revenue
$40M
Total assets
$74.1M
Total expenses
$29.7M
Reported officers
21
Mission

THE FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION'S (FIRE'S) MISSION IS TO DEFEND AND SUSTAIN THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS TO FREE SPEECH AND FREE THOUGHT-THE MOST ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF LIBERTY.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)FIRE EDUCATES AMERICANS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE INALIENABLE RIGHTS, PROMOTES A CULTURE OF RESPECT FOR THESE RIGHTS, AND PROVIDES THE MEANS TO PRESERVE THEM. FIRE RECOGNIZES THAT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PRESERVING FREE THOUGHT WITHIN A FREE SOCIETY. TO THIS END, WE PLACE A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON DEFENDING THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS ON OUR NATION'S CAMPUSES, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, DUE PROCESS, LEGAL EQUALITY, RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, AND SANCTITY OF CONSCIENCE.

Executive compensation, broken down

Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 10 reported individuals · Filing year 2024

Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy organizations nationwide.

President and CEO
Above 90th percentile
$667k
$718k
Base
$585k
Bonus
Other
$37k
Benefits
$23k
Chief Operating Officer
Above 90th percentile
$447k
$481k
Base
$399k
Bonus
$3k
Other
Benefits
$23k
Chief Counsel
Highest Compensated Employee
Above 90th percentile
$441k
$474k
Base
$395k
Bonus
$3k
Other
$3k
Benefits
$17k
Legal Director
Key Employee
Above 90th percentile
$411k
$442k
Base
$354k
Bonus
$3k
Other
$11k
Benefits
$23k
General Counsel
Key Employee
Above 90th percentile
$340k
$365k
Base
$288k
Bonus
$10k
Other
$1k
Benefits
$23k
Executive Vice President
75th to 90th percentilevs all sectors nationwide
$319k
$343k
Base
$275k
Bonus
$3k
Other
$1k
Benefits
$23k
VP of Litigation Through Nov 2024
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$287k
$309k
Base
$143k
Bonus
Other
$106k
Benefits
$23k
Vice President of Communic
Board Vice President
75th to 90th percentile
$223k
$240k
Base
$187k
Bonus
$3k
Other
Benefits
$23k
Chief Development Officer
75th to 90th percentile
$219k
$236k
Base
$171k
Bonus
$15k
Other
Benefits
$23k
Chief Information Officer
Median to 75th percentilevs all sectors nationwide
$196k
$211k
Base
$181k
Bonus
$8k
Other
Benefits
$8k

Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.

Estimated with Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into April 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Plus 11 unpaid individuals.

Browse compensation in Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy

Pay in context

Top pay as a share of expenses

In 2024, the highest total compensation at FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC equaled 2% of the organization's total expenses. The median for civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations is 12%.

This organization (2024)
2%
Sector median
12%
Middle half of sector
5% to 24%

Based on 2,364 civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.

Funded by

Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.

Climbed 39%
over 2 years

From $480k in 2022 to $667k in 2024.

$480k
2022
$570k
2023
$667k
2024
In today's dollarsEst.
Up 28% in real terms$559k to $718k

Estimated with Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into April 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Pay for the position

Chief Executive Officer pay rose 39% from 2022 to 2024, while revenue rose 11%.

$480k in 2022 to $667k in 2024.
  • Chief Operating Officer pay rose 22% from 2022 to 2024.
  • Highest Compensated Employee pay rose 90% from 2022 to 2024.

Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2024.

Highest reported compensation in each year. Volunteer board members and partial-year payouts are filtered out.
Financial trend

Revenue and expenses over time

FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC reported revenue and expenses across 3 filing years.

RevenueExpenses
$35.9M
$34.2M
2022
$33.4M
$28M
2023
$40M
$29.7M
2024
Total revenue and total expenses from IRS Form 990 filings.
Sector benchmark

What Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy executives earn in Pennsylvania

Comparable civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations in Pennsylvania pay their highest-earning executive a median of $76,200.

25th percentile
$31k
Median
$76,200
75th percentile
$117k
90th percentile
$184k

These are civil rights, social action & advocacy sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 59 organizations across 59 filings (2021 – 2024).

See full Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy pay data for Pennsylvania
FAQ

Common questions about FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC

What does the Chief Executive Officer of FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC earn?

In 2024, the Chief Executive Officer of FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC received $667,056 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Chief Executive Officer roles among Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy organizations nationwide: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.

How does Chief Executive Officer pay at FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC compare with similar nonprofits?

Compared with the same role at Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy organizations nationwide, the 2024 pay of the Chief Executive Officer at FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC falls in the top 10%. In 2024, the highest total compensation at FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC equaled 2% of the organization's total expenses. The median for civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations is 12%.

What are FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC's revenue and expenses?

In 2024, FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC reported $40M in total revenue and $29.7M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.

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