Institute for Free Speech
Through strategic litigation, communication, activism, training, research and education, the institute works to promote and defend the political rights to free speech, press, assembly, and petition guaranteed by the first amendment.
Institute for Free Speech at a glance
- Total assets
- $8,986,533
- -1.9% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $3,727,102
- +1.2% vs 2023
- Net investment income (2024)
- $460,361
- +399.8% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $3,608,939
- +14.7% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Institute for Free Speech
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Institute for Free Speech
Who Institute for Free Speech funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
1 grant across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1 grant of 1 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2018) to $8K (2022). In 2023 it reported $5K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Talent Market Co America's Future Washington, DC | General Operating | $7,500 |
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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 | $8,986,533 | $3,727,102 | $3,608,939 | — | — | $460,361 |
| 2023 | $9,162,310 | $3,683,677 | $3,147,692 | $5,156 | Total only | $92,118 |
| 2022 | $8,602,156 | $3,882,053 | $3,036,081 | $7,500 | 1 | $99,791 |
| 2021 | $6,172,959 | $3,314,675 | $2,732,506 | — | — | $212 |
| 2020 | $5,786,005 | $3,293,250 | $2,453,045 | — | — | $59,498 |
| 2018 | $4,009,976 | $2,646,991 | $2,106,292 | $4,000 | Total only | $65,186 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Institute for Free Speech
Based on IRS filings
Institute for Free Speech is a public charity focused on public and societal benefit, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2018 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $9.0M in total assets. Net investment income was $460K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Institute for Free Speech is led by David Keating, President on every filing since 2018; 8 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Keating
President
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$153K (2018) → $190K (2024)
Bradley A. Smith
Chairman
On filings since 2018
10 hrs/week
$66K (2018) → $96K (2024)
Edward H. Crane
Director
On filings since 2018
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric O'Keefe
Director
On filings since 2018
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Modzelewski
Director
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Shuchman
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jenny Kim
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Morrison
Attorney
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$109K (2020) → $145K (2024)
Alan Gura
Vice President for Litigation
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$185K (2021) → $231K (2024)
Endel Kolde
Senior Attorney
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$122K (2021) → $195K (2024)
Brett Nolan
Senior Attorney
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$139K (2023) → $160K (2024)
Charles Miller
Senior Attorney
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$124K (2023) → $198K (2024)
Courtney Corbello
Attorney
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$104K (2023) → $152K (2024)
John Snider
Secretary & Treasurer
Treasurer → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Cleta Mitchell (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: Hunter Bates (2018–2022) — Director
- Former: Donald Daugherty Jr. (2022) — Senior Counsel
- Former: Scott Blackburn (2022) — Research Director
- Former: Owen Yeates (2018–2021) — Senior Attorney & Deputy Vice President for Litigation
- Former: Matthew Nese (2021) — External Relations Director
- Former: Allen Dickerson (2018–2020) — Secretary & Legal Director
- Former: Tyler Martinez (2018–2020) — Attorney
- Former: Zac Morgan (2020) — Attorney
- Former: Zachary Morgan (2018) — Attorney
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "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 $231K, to Alan Gura (Vice President for Litigation). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Institute for Free Speech
How large is Institute for Free Speech?
Institute for Free Speech reported $9.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.7M.
What is Institute for Free Speech?
Institute for Free Speech is a public charity focused on public and societal benefit, based in Washington, DC. It holds $9.0M in total assets as of 2024.
Where does Institute for Free Speech operate?
Institute for Free Speech has awarded grants in District of Columbia.
What is Institute for Free Speech's EIN?
Institute for Free Speech's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3676886. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS March 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 8, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Institute for Free Speech's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Institute for Free Speech'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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