Home School Legal Defense Association
HSLDA defends and advances the constitutional rights of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms.
Home School Legal Defense Association at a glance
- Total assets
- $5,968,309
- -7.3% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $16,540,768
- -2.9% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $106,591
- +14.4% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $15,976,891
- -4.3% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Home School Legal Defense Association
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Home School Legal Defense Association
Who Home School Legal Defense Association funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 80 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Home School Legal Defense Association gives
- Giving fell 79% from 2021 to 2024. 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 $34K (2024) to $598K (2022). In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $34K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Black Homeschoolers of Birmingham Gardendale, AL | Outreach Conference | $15,000 |
| Bridges to Science Fulshear, TX | Outreach Conference | $12,500 |
| Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators Waldorf, MD | Outreach Conference | $6,516 |
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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 | $5,968,309 | $16,540,768 | $15,976,891 | — | — | $106,591 |
| 2024 | $6,438,785 | $17,028,509 | $16,701,498 | $34,016 | 3 | $93,182 |
| 2023 | $7,915,813 | $18,020,149 | $20,103,172 | $104,720 | 10 | $177,885 |
| 2022 | $7,987,788 | $19,231,027 | $19,092,923 | $598,050 | 65 | — |
| 2021 | $7,660,982 | $16,330,280 | $15,508,815 | $162,000 | 2 | — |
About Home School Legal Defense Association
Based on IRS filings
Home School Legal Defense Association is a public charity, based in Purcellville, VA. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.0M in total assets. Net investment income was $107K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Home School Legal Defense Association is led by James R Mason, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2021); 10 of 16 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James R Mason
President & Director
Vice President of Litigation Development → President, 2022
President → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
37 hrs/week
$207K (2021) → $308K (2025)
Michael Farris
Chairman
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$775 (2021) → $0 (2025)
Darren Jones
Senior Counsel & Director of Group Services
Senior Counsel Director of Group Services → Senior Counsel & Director of Group Services, 2023
On filings since 2021
39 hrs/week
$138K (2021) → $165K (2025)
Scott Woodruff
Director of Legal & Legislative Advocacy
Senior Counsel → Director of Legal & Legislative Advocacy, 2024
On filings since 2021
39 hrs/week
$150K (2021) → $206K (2025)
Kevin Boden
Director of Global Outreach
On filings since 2024
39 hrs/week
$160K (2024) → $171K (2025)
Peter Kamakawiwoole
Director of Litigation
On filings since 2024
39 hrs/week
$153K (2024) → $160K (2025)
Heidi St John
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rodger Sayre
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Abraham Hamilton III
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aaron Fessler
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Charles Hurst
Vice President of Administration
Assistant Secretary Vice President of Administration → Assistant Secretary & Vice President of Administrator, 2023
Assistant Secretary & Vice President of Administrator → Vice President of Administration, 2024
On filings since 2021
38 hrs/week
$159K (2021) → $219K (2025)
J Michael Smith
President Emeritus Director
President Donor Relations → President & Donor Relations, 2023
President & Donor Relations → President Emeritus Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
9 hrs/week
$210K (2021) → $36K (2025)
Steven Oberlander
Vice President Finance & Technology
Assistant Treasurer Vice President of Finance Technology → Assistant Treasurer, Vice President of Finance & Tech, 2023
Assistant Treasurer, Vice President of Finance & Tech → Vice President Finance & Technology, 2024
On filings since 2021
32 hrs/week
$191K (2021) → $217K (2025)
Suzanne Stephens
Vice President of Communications & Marketing
Vice President of Communications Marketing → Vice President of Communications & Marketing, 2023
On filings since 2021
38 hrs/week
$146K (2021) → $208K (2025)
Thomas Schmidt
Senior Counsel
On filings since 2024
39 hrs/week
$154K (2024) → $162K (2025)
Joseph Bailey
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Michael Donnelly (2021–2023) — Senior Counsel
- Former: Rogers Hellman (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Tim Trietley (2021–2023) — Dba & Web Developer
- Former: Jay Kent McKay (2022–2023) — Senior Data Analyst
- Former: J Kent McKay (2021) — Director of It Project Management
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $308K, to James R Mason (President and Director). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Home School Legal Defense Association
How large is Home School Legal Defense Association?
Home School Legal Defense Association reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $16.5M.
Where does Home School Legal Defense Association operate?
Home School Legal Defense Association has awarded grants in Armed Forces Americas, Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington.
What is Home School Legal Defense Association's EIN?
Home School Legal Defense Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1354365. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 February 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
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Home School Legal Defense Association down — hundreds of funders to go?