Foundation for Individual Rights in Education does not meet the following 1 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 6 (Board Policy on Effectiveness)
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
FIRE does not meet this Standard because:
- The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education meets the remaining 19 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) works to protect individual right at colleges and universities. The organization?s Individual Rights Defense Program provides assistance to students, professors, and campus groups whose civil liberties have been violated. FIRE's Policy Reform Project aims to proactively and systematically challenges restrictive campus policies. FIRE's Legislative and Policy Project combats rights-restrictive government policies and advocates for rights-protective legislation. The organization's Procedural Advocacy Project promotes campus due process through research and resources for attorneys, policymakers, campus members, and the public. FIRE?s Litigation Project challenges threats to campus rights in the courts and works to advance FIRE?s mission in the legal field. The organization's FIRE Student Network is a coalition of students dedicated to advancing individual liberties on their campuses by generating reform, spreading awareness, and petitioning administrators. The FIRE Faculty Network brings together faculty interested in defending academic freedom and faculty rights, free speech, and civil liberties on campus. FIRE?s High School Outreach Project strives to empower high schoolers to be champions of liberty through its curriculum package, free speech comic, and essay contest. The organization's Public Awareness Project educates Americans about the state of liberty on the nation?s campuses, through media outreach, videos, and publicity efforts. FIRE's Targeted Advocacy Project aims to bring new audiences to the organization by coordinating FIRE?s Home and Abroad Initiative and FIRE?s First Amendment Library.
For the year ended June 30, 2019, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's program expenses were:
Public Awareness Project |
$1,909,372 |
Policy Reform Project |
$1,268,858 |
Project SOAR |
$1,035,460 |
FIRE Litigation |
$951,313 |
FIRE Student Network |
$794,971 |
Individual Rights Defense Program |
$401,620 |
Total Program Expenses: |
$6,361,594 |
*2018 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Invitations to fund raising events, Planned giving arrangements, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Telephone appeals
Fundraising costs were 13% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $9,677,941, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019.
Source of Funds |
Contributions and grants |
$9,677,941 |
Other income |
$912,558 |
Interest income |
$324,235 |
Realized gains on investments |
$24,414 |
Total Income |
$10,939,148 |
- Programs: 74%
- Fundraising: 14%
- Administrative: 12%
Total Income |
$10,939,148 |
Program expenses |
$6,361,594 |
Fundraising expenses |
$1,216,988 |
Administrative expenses |
$1,127,867 |
Other expenses |
$0 |
Total expenses: |
$8,706,449 |
Income in Excess of Expenses |
$2,232,699 |
Beginning Net Assets |
$15,133,105 |
Other Changes In Net Assets |
$0 |
Ending Net Assets |
$17,365,804 |
Total Liabilities |
$1,551,358 |
Total Assets |
$18,917,162 |