Defending Rights and Dissent Inc
Defending Rights & Dissent strengthens our participatory democracy by protecting the right to political expression
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc at a glance
In short: Defending Rights and Dissent Inc gave $15K across 1 grant in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $15,000
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,000
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $3,393,878
- +76.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Defending Rights and Dissent Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was DC Alliance against Racist an ($15K).
Grant Size Distribution
8 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 8 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2024 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
Cities
How Defending Rights and Dissent Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $15K (2021) to $28K (2022). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $15K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DC Alliance against Racist an Washington, DC | police accountability in DC | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,393,878 | $2,946,164 | $1,581,739 | $15,000 | 1 | $77,140 |
| 2023 | $1,919,641 | $1,379,891 | $1,198,452 | $15,000 | 1 | $30,195 |
| 2022 | $1,959,940 | $1,024,273 | $924,575 | $27,703 | 4 | $15,637 |
| 2021 | $1,957,495 | $959,051 | $678,149 | $15,000 | 2 | $7,262 |
| 2020 | $1,468,879 | $721,476 | $789,612 | — | — | $6,780 |
About Defending Rights and Dissent Inc
Based on IRS filings
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc is a public charity focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $3.4M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 1 grant totaling $15K. Net investment income was $77K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc is led by Susan Udry, Executive Director on the 2024 filing; 3 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan Udry
Executive Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$124K (2024)
Sascha Meinrath
President
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Darakshan Raja
Director & Mjf Proj
Employee → Director & Mjf Proj, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$114K (2023) → $145K (2024)
Charles Gibbons
Policy Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$114K (2024)
Shahid Buttar
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arun Gupta
Director
Director Emiritus → Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Sterling
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Al-Wakeel
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily Berman
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fadi Saba
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Rufo
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jilisa Milton
Secretary
Clerk → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald Goldhamer
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: D. Goldhamer (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: S. Al-Wakeel (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: S. Meinrath (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Sue Udry (2020–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Char Gibbons (2023) — Employee
- Former: A. Shashahani (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: P. Eddington (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: S. Sazawal (2020–2022) — Clerk
- Former: Woody Kaplan (2020–2022) — President Emeritus
- Former: V. Navasky (2021–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $145K, to Darakshan Raja (Director, MJF Proj). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Defending Rights and Dissent Inc
How much does Defending Rights and Dissent Inc give each year?
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc gave $15K across 1 grant in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $15K across 1 grant.
How large is Defending Rights and Dissent Inc?
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.9M.
What is Defending Rights and Dissent Inc?
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc is a public charity focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Washington, DC. It holds $3.4M in total assets as of 2024.
Where does Defending Rights and Dissent Inc operate?
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Illinois.
What is Defending Rights and Dissent Inc's EIN?
Defending Rights and Dissent Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0042821. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 10, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 23, 2026)
Live grants for the work Defending Rights and Dissent Inc funds
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Defending Rights and Dissent Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Defending Rights and Dissent Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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