Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a public charity based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It supports work related to free speech and free thought, with a particular emphasis on the rights of students and faculty members on American campuses.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc at a glance
In short: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc gave $567K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), top state Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $566,744
- +39.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,422
- +4.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $18,000
- Total assets
- $74,097,710
- +17.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc
- How to Apply
-
Civil discourse groups seeking support for an event or programming-related cost can submit the Let’s Talk grant application. The application page does not specify a deadline.
- Contact
Mailing address: 510 Walnut Street 900, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215) 717-3473
Website: https://thefire.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cosmos Institute Inc ($250K). Together the top 10 received $503K.
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 40 grants of 44 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. Texas accounted for 47% of grant dollars, followed by Pennsylvania (10%), Massachusetts (9%), Tennessee (6%), and the District of Columbia (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $94K (2022) to $567K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $567K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmos Institute Inc Austin, TX | Fire and cosmos institute are collaborating on a fast grants project to promote the development of truth-seeking ai. | $250,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Cambridge, MA | This is an intervention study that will test the hks practice of training students in civil disagreement by having them interact with ai chatbots to debate hot-button social issues as part of orientation. Attitudes and behaviors relating to civil disagreement will be measured before and after exposure to the intervention. | $50,000 |
| The Future of Free Speech Nashville, TN | This will be an international replication of the cfsr survey looking at brazilian campuses run by jacob mchangama's future of free speech at vanderbilt university. | $35,144 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | John hasnas will recruit paper writers and speakers to host a symposium on the ethics of free speech on college campuses at georgetown, which will be open to the public. | $35,000 |
| National Constitution Center Philadelphia, PA | Partnership with the national constitution center to host a first amendment summit on constitution day. | $25,000 |
| University of South Florida Board of Trustees Tampa, FL | Mark pezzo will do 5 psychological experiments to see how different factors influence desire to censor in the educational context, including perceived offensiveness, falsity, and harm, as well as pragmatic concerns (loss of income, harm to reputation). | $24,279 |
| The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Surveys will be utilized to find differences in support among the American public for the legality of disagreeable speech and protest for citizens and noncitizens and students and non-students. | $22,000 |
| Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University Arlington, VA | Co-hosted higher education summit in nashville, tn with the institute for humane studies for faculty and administrators. | $18,500 |
| 2WAY Interactive Inc Brooklyn, NY | Fire sponsored the moynihan report, a current events news show hosted by michael moynihan on the 2way platform. The sponsorship featured fire staff in segments, host-led advocacy, and direct fundraising appeals that invited viewers to support fire's free speech mission. | $17,500 |
| Elena Velez Industry Inc Colgate, WI | Partnership with elena velez to highlight the importance of free expression at her fashion show in nyc. | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $74,097,710 | $40,016,763 | $29,735,575 | $566,744 | 16 | $2,927,609 |
| 2024 | $63,265,155 | $33,424,334 | $27,991,138 | $407,621 | 12 | $1,049,430 |
| 2023 | $51,099,560 | $35,935,057 | $34,236,134 | $301,683 | 14 | $807,552 |
| 2022 | $43,920,299 | $37,125,569 | $22,299,708 | $93,800 | 2 | $496,497 |
| 2021 | $30,753,089 | $16,092,176 | $10,499,318 | — | — | $256,002 |
| 2020 | $22,950,802 | $13,740,060 | $9,463,308 | — | — | $270,065 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
FIRE states that its mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought. It says it educates Americans about these rights, promotes respect for them, and provides means to preserve them. Its stated campus emphasis includes freedom of speech and association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience.
The 2025 grants show support for projects including research on censorship and speech, civil disagreement, free speech on college campuses, constitutional education, and expression related to AI-generated content. Among the supported organizations, The Future of Free Speech describes its mission as generating knowledge and fostering a resilient global culture of free speech. The National Constitution Center describes itself as a platform for nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue. Harvard’s stated mission is education and research across academic domains; Georgetown describes a founding principle of sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures, and beliefs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, FIRE reported 16 grants totaling $566,744. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $250,000, with a median of $18,000.
The largest reported grant was $250,000 to Cosmos Institute in Austin, Texas, for a collaboration on a fast-grants project to promote truth-seeking AI. Other notable grants included $50,000 to President and Fellows of Harvard College for an intervention study on civil disagreement; $35,144 to The Future of Free Speech for an international replication of a survey on Brazilian campuses; $35,000 to Georgetown University for a public symposium on the ethics of free speech on college campuses; and $25,000 to the National Constitution Center for a First Amendment summit on Constitution Day.
FIRE’s website invites civil discourse groups to apply for support for an upcoming event or programming-related cost through its Let’s Talk grant application. The organization’s 2024 filing states that grant funds are restricted to 501(c)(3) purposes and that recipients have regular check-in meetings. It also states that Free Inquiry Grant recipients must provide written progress and spending reports every four months and keep grant records available for inspection for four years after use of the grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kurt Jaggers as chair, Jack Henneman as vice chair, Sandy Leong as secretary, and Kmele Foster as treasurer. It also lists co-founder Harvey Silverglate and directors Samuel J. Abrams, John Ellis, Allison Hayward, Joseph Maline, and Virginia Postrel.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc is led by Gregory Lukianoff, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 10 of 21 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gregory Lukianoff
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$371K (2020) → $622K (2025)
Kurt Jaggers
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Creeley
Legal Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$195K (2020) → $368K (2025)
John Ellis
Director
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2022
Chairman → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Maline
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Virginia Postrel
Director
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith Whittington
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Samuel J. Abrams
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allison Hayward
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alisha Glennon
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$192K (2020) → $402K (2025)
Bridget Glackin
Chief Development Officer
Senior Vice President & Development → Chief Development Officer, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$117K (2022) → $186K (2025)
Darpana Sheth
Vice President of Litigation
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$203K (2022) → $249K (2025)
Nicholas Perrino
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$184K (2022) → $279K (2025)
Ronald London
General Counsel
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$153K (2022) → $299K (2025)
Bob Corn Revere
Chief Counsel
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$540K (2024) → $400K (2025)
Matt Harwood
Vice President of Communications
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$181K (2024) → $189K (2025)
Suleyman Gokyigit
Chief Information Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$188K (2025)
Harvey Silverglate
Co-Founder
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kmele Foster
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack Henneman
Vice Chair
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandy Leong
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (16)
- Former: Joseph Cohn (2020–2024) — Legislative & Policy Director
- Former: Anthony Dick (2020–2023) — Vice Chair & Director to Apr
- Former: Marlene Mieske (2020–2023) — Director to May
- Former: Robert Shibley (2020–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Adam Steinbaugh (2021–2023) — Attorney
- Former: John McWhorter (2021–2023) — Director to Apr
- Former: Adam Goldstein (2023) — Vice President of Research
- Former: Molly Nocheck (2022) — Vice President & Student Outreach
- Former: Azhar Majeed (2020–2021) — Vice President of Policy Reform to Jun
- Former: Barbara Bishop (2020–2021) — Vice Chair to Nov
- Former: Nico Perrino (2021) — Vice President of Communications
- Former: Peyton Cudaback (2021) — Director of Human Resources to Dec
- Former: Daphne Patai (2020) — Director to May
- Former: Nicholas Rosenkranz (2020) — Director to March
- Former: Richard Losick (2020) — Director to December
- Former: Samantha Harris (2020) — Vice President Procedural Advocacy
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $622K, to Gregory Lukianoff (President and CEO). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc
How much does Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc give each year?
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc gave $567K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $408K across 12 grants.
What is Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's typical grant size?
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's median grant in 2025 was $18,000, and its average grant was $35,422, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc give grants?
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's top state is Texas, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (10%) and Massachusetts (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (3 grants).
Does Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's largest grantees?
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Cosmos Institute Inc ($250,000), President and Fellows of Harvard College ($50,000) and The Future of Free Speech ($35,144), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc?
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc reported $74.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $40.0M.
What does Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc fund?
FIRE states that its mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought. It says it educates Americans about these rights, promotes respect for them, and provides means to preserve them. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc?
Civil discourse groups seeking support for an event or programming-related cost can submit the Let’s Talk grant application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's EIN?
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3467254. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 29, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc funds
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-individual-rights-and-expression-inc-morg_cc84997e2320438798dba4a683618347
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043467254_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-individual-rights-and-expression-inc-morg_cc84997e2320438798dba4a683618347},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression 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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