Freedom House
Freedom House is a public charity based in Washington, DC (EIN 13-1656647). Founded in 1941, it works to expand and defend freedom globally through research and analysis, policy and advocacy, and support for activists and organizations. Its programs include emergency assistance to at-risk human rights defenders and civil society organizations.
Freedom House at a glance
In short: Freedom House gave $16.3M across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $1.4M), mostly in District of Columbia. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,282,236
- -44.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,356,853
- -49.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $236,999
- Total assets
- $34,175,942
- +14.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (3 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (62% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Freedom House
- Contact
Mailing address: 1850 M Street Nw 11Th Floor, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 296-5101
Website: https://freedomhouse.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Freedom House funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Internews Network ($6.0M). Together the top 10 received $16.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 68 (21%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Freedom House describes its work and emergency assistance as global. In 2025, reported grant dollars went to recipients in DC (62%), California (37%), New York (1%), and Washington (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Freedom House open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 12 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $143K; repeat grants $1.8M. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $278K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13.7M (2019) to $41.0M (2023). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $16.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Internews Network Arcata, CA | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $6,002,831 |
| Search for Common Ground Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $4,904,471 |
| American Bar Association Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $2,099,919 |
| Pact Inc Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $2,015,926 |
| International Institute on Race Equality and Human Rights (Iirehr) Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $350,000 |
| Partners Global Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $278,278 |
| Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation Inc Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $195,719 |
| International Center for Not-for-Profit Law Inc Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $184,180 |
| Synergia - Initiatives for Human Rights Washington, DC | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $91,692 |
| Outright Action International Corp New York, NY | Supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law | $79,170 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,175,942 | $69,437,963 | $71,571,850 | $16,282,236 | 12 | $326,175 |
| 2024 | $29,786,235 | $90,305,550 | $88,758,068 | $29,517,245 | 11 | $651,726 |
| 2023 | $33,139,287 | $103,819,697 | $102,325,147 | $40,981,101 | 14 | $201,175 |
| 2022 | $26,716,685 | $93,499,518 | $85,308,325 | $36,887,320 | 17 | $16,618 |
| 2021 | $17,314,400 | $64,626,506 | $63,440,269 | $25,563,044 | 14 | $3,740 |
| 2020 | $15,005,132 | $50,524,461 | $49,705,231 | $17,659,380 | 13 | $38,541 |
| 2019 | $7,651,969 | $48,017,381 | $49,040,735 | $13,670,292 | 15 | $207,857 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Freedom House states that its mission is to expand and defend freedom globally, with a vision of a world where all are free. Its work includes documenting threats to democracy and freedom, informing policy decisions, and providing technical and financial assistance to civil society organizations and frontline defenders.
The organization describes its Emergency Assistance Program as providing short-term support to human rights defenders, civil society organizations, non-traditional advocates, and survivors of severe religious persecution. Assistance can include security improvements, temporary relocation, medical and legal support, humanitarian assistance, equipment replacement, rapid-response grants, and preventive security projects.
Among the 2025 grantees, Internews Network describes its mission as empowering local media worldwide to provide needed news and information and enable people to make their voices heard. Search for Common Ground says it works to transform approaches to conflict toward cooperative solutions. Pact says it builds evidence-based, data-driven, community-led solutions for human development. Other 2025 grantees describe work in human rights training and advocacy, strengthening democratic institutions, citizen participation, and protecting civil society and civic participation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Freedom House reported 12 grants totaling $16,282,236. Grants ranged from $30,050 to $6,002,831, with a median of $236,998.
The largest reported grants were $6,002,831 to Internews Network, $4,904,471 to Search for Common Ground, $2,099,919 to the American Bar Association, and $2,015,926 to Pact Inc. The reported purpose for each was supporting human rights, democratic initiatives and/or rule of law.
Freedom House’s website describes emergency assistance and rapid-response, advocacy, opportunity, and resiliency support. Its 2023 filing says grantees submit periodic financial and narrative reports with supporting documentation, which staff review for alignment with reported expenditures and program requirements.
The Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund and Dignity for All: LGBTQI+ Assistance Program are listed as active. The descriptions characterize them as supporting at-risk civil society organizations and LGBTQI+ human rights defenders and organizations, respectively.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Norman Willox as chair; Mark D. Goodman and Rachel Kleinfeld as vice chairs; Tom Kahn as treasurer; and Cater Lee as secretary. Trustees listed are Goli Ameri, Peter Bass (term ending December 31, 2024), Michael Chertoff, Deborah A. Cowan, and Jane Harman.
Freedom House is led by Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Interim President since 2024 (on filings since 2021); 13 of 31 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nicole Bibbins Sedaca
Interim President
Executive Vice President → Interim President, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$134K (2022) → $329K (2025)
Anne Boyajian
President
Vice President, Policy & Advocacy → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$121K (2022) → $181K (2025)
Gerardo Berthin
President
Vice President for Programs → Vice President for Program, 2024
Vice President for Program → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$149K (2022) → $180K (2025)
Norman Willox
Chair
Trustee → Director, 2024
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jin Heon Kim
Director of Finance
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$160K (2022) → $197K (2025)
Basile Pissalidis
Director of Global Security
Director of Globabl Security → Director of Global Security, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$146K (2023) → $165K (2025)
Jerusha Burnham
Director Regional Programs
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$140K (2023) → $158K (2025)
Camaran Pipes
Director for Asia Programs
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$146K (2024) → $153K (2025)
Goli Ameri
Trustee
Vice Chair, Governor & Ethics Officer → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maurice A. Perkins
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Chertoff
Trustee
Chairman → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Bass
Trustee
Trustee & Vice Chair → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Keane
Trustee
Treasurer & Finance Committee → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian Simmons
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Howard Konar
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Reed V. Tuckson
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Collin Roche
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Harman
Trustee
Co-Chair → Co - Chair, 2024
Co - Chair → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendell Willkie II
Trustee
Co-Chair → Co - Chair, 2024
Co - Chair → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deborah A. Cowan
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Staudt
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Abramowitz
Former President
CEO → President, 2022
President → Former President, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$213K (2019) → $229K (2025)
Adrian Shahbaz
Vice President Research & Analysis
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$153K (2023) → $172K (2025)
Douglas Medrue-Googe
Controller
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$165K (2023) → $184K (2025)
Jose Ravano
Chief of Party
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$201K (2023) → $237K (2025)
Lara Shane
Vice President Communications
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$167K (2023) → $214K (2025)
Matthew Hooper
Vice President Communications
Director of Communications → Vice President Communications, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$161K (2024) → $168K (2025)
Rachel Kleinfeld
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cater Lee
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark D. Goodman
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Kahn
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (74)
- Former: Brian Hill (2020–2025) — Vice President of Development · Filing note: Ended 10/11/2024
- Former: Emily Taylor (2022–2025) — Chief Operating Officer · Filing note: Ended 10/18/2024
- Former: Marc Behrendt (2022–2025) — Director of Programs · Filing note: Ended 4152025
- Former: Christian Bowman (2023–2025) — Vice President for Talent & Culture · Filing note: Ended 132025
- Former: Lisa Williams (2025) — Director of Compliance · Filing note: Ended 4152025
- Former: Margaux Ewen (2023–2024) — Director Political Prisoner
- Former: Amy Slipowitz (2024) — Research Manager
- Former: Angela McClain (2024) — Business Development Director
- Former: Deborah Jospin (2024) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Mary Battaglia (2024) — Director, Global Talent & Culture
- Former: Michael Hall (2024) — Chief of Party
- Former: Carol Adelman (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: David L. Fogel (2019–2023) — Trustee · Filing note: Until 060519
- Former: Faith Morningstar (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Jim Kolbe (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Martin Etchevers (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Monde Muyangwa (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Sushma Palmer (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Thomas Staudt (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Francis Fukuyama (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Jonathan Ginns (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Jorgen Ejbol (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: David Timberman (2021–2023) — Senior Advisor for Policy
- Former: Robert Tuttle (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Sewell Chan (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Vivek Paul (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Dionisio Gutierrez (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Joseph Votel (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Mathea Falco (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Nina Jacobson (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Reuben Brigety (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Thomas Kahn (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Andy Prozes (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Anne Richard (2023) — Senior Advisor & Ahrcm
- Former: Carole Corcoran (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Lynn Novick (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Rodger Desai (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Sharon Nazarian (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Andrew Prozes (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: David Birenbaum (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Jonathan Temin (2019–2022) — Director of Programs · Filing note: From 122018
- Former: Mark Moyer (2019–2022) — CFO & Senior Advisor for Policy
- Former: Douglas Googe (2020–2022) — Controller
- Former: Sarah Repucci (2020–2022) — Vice President Research & Analysis
- Former: Melinda Michels (2021–2022) — Interim Ipd Director
- Former: Laura Adams (2022) — Director of Programs
- Former: Dennis C. Blair (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Ellen Blackler (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Zainab Al-Suwaij (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Alexis Schuler (2020–2021) — Vice President Comms & Advocacy
- Former: Anne Wedner (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Azita Raji (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: John J. Hagenbuch (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Dionisio Guiterrez (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Alison Fortier (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Jorge Quiroga (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Lisa Dickieson (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President Int'l Program & Development
- Former: Monica Oathout (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Nicole Surber (2019–2020) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Olin Wethington (2019–2020) — Trustee · Filing note: Until 050819
- Former: Rebecca Haile (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Ross Lejeunesse (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Susan Ginsburg (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Vanessa Tucker (2019–2020) — Vice President Research & Analysis
- Former: Carlos Ponce (2019) — Director for Latin America & The Caribbean Regional · Filing note: Until 020819
- Former: Jeff Hirschberg (2019) — Trustee & Chairman · Filing note: Until 101718
- Former: Jeffrey Herbst (2019) — Trustee · Filing note: Until 101718
- Former: Joergen Ejboel (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Kim Bryant (2019) — Chief of Staff · Filing note: From 222018
- Former: Lisa Lewis (2019) — Director of Hr
- Former: Michael Pillsbury (2019) — Trustee · Filing note: Until 101718
- Former: Paula Dobriansky (2019) — Trustee & Nominations Committee Chair · Filing note: Until 101718
- Former: Stephen E. Biegun (2019) — Trustee · Filing note: Until 083118
- Former: Vukasin Petrovic (2019) — Senior Director for Program, Strategy, Design & Learning · Filing note: Until 061819
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $329K, to Nicole Bibbins Sedaca (Interim President (End 1/3/2025)). 18 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Freedom House
How much does Freedom House give each year?
Freedom House gave $16.3M across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $29.5M across 11 grants.
What is Freedom House's typical grant size?
Freedom House's median grant in 2025 was $236,999, and its average grant was $1,356,853, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Freedom House that year got $143K on average.
Where does Freedom House give grants?
Freedom House gives mostly in District of Columbia: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (37%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (8 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Freedom House give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Freedom House's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Freedom House's largest grantees?
Freedom House's largest 2025 grantees include Internews Network ($6,002,831), Search for Common Ground ($4,904,471) and American Bar Association ($2,099,919), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Freedom House?
Freedom House reported $34.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $69.4M.
What does Freedom House fund?
Freedom House states that its mission is to expand and defend freedom globally, with a vision of a world where all are free. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Freedom House?
Freedom House has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check freedomhouse.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Freedom House's EIN?
Freedom House's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1656647. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Freedom House's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Freedom House funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/freedom-house-morg_b76ca7607b9648ef96ffb64ff5194e22
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131656647_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Freedom House funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/freedom-house-morg_b76ca7607b9648ef96ffb64ff5194e22},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Freedom House'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.
Freedom House down — hundreds of funders to go?