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Nonprofiteer
← FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,287,603
Total expenses
$2,347,309
Contributions and grants received
$3,160,342
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$127,261
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$6,097,115
Total liabilities, end of year
$132,852
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$5,964,263
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,785,663
Management and general expenses
$337,166
Fundraising expenses
$224,480
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,785,663

Program services were 76.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,160,342

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $127,261 · excluded $127,261

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $216,122 · program services $108,061 · management and general $32,418 · fundraising $75,643

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $829,911 · program services $701,469 · management and general $66,320 · fundraising $62,122

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $279,641 · program services $216,416 · management and general $26,396 · fundraising $36,829

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $81,584 · program services $63,138 · management and general $7,701 · fundraising $10,745

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $363,067 · program services $363,067

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $64,026 · management and general $64,026

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $235,775 · program services $173,433 · management and general $62,342

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $8,357 · program services $4,413 · management and general $2,253 · fundraising $1,691

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $136,471 · program services $76,064 · management and general $42,070 · fundraising $18,337

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $71,294 · program services $51,087 · management and general $11,098 · fundraising $9,109

  • 17 · Travel

    total $39,060 · program services $22,247 · management and general $6,809 · fundraising $10,004

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $200 · program services $200

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $5,645 · management and general $5,645

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $16,156 · program services $6,068 · management and general $10,088

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $489,341 · end of year $659,192

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $4,118,438 · end of year $5,092,480

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $480,164 · end of year $250,000

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $1,376 · end of year $1,396

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $16,578 · end of year $65,251

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $35,694

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $24,826

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $9,048 · end of year $10,868

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $42,309 · end of year $17,928

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $90,974 · end of year $114,923

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $42,311 · end of year $17,929

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $4,377,674 · end of year $5,604,263

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $646,295 · end of year $360,000

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE WORKS TO RENEW DEMOCRACY AND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT BIG MONEY AND CORPORATE INTERESTS. THE ORGANIZATION CATALYZES AND ADVANCES THE MOVEMENT TO AMEND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION TO OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED, BUCKLEY V. VALEO, MCCUTCHEON V. FEC, AND THE FABRICATION OF CORPORATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. THE ORGANIZATION ENGAGES IN LEGAL ADVOCACY TO ADVANCE A NEW JURISPRUDENCE ON MONEY IN POLITICS AND TO CONFRONT THE MISUSE OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION TO CLAIM CORPORATE EXEMPTIONS FROM OUR LAWS. THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS AND ADVOCATES FOR MODEL LAWS AND OTHER TOOLS TO CHALLENGE BIG MONEY IN POLITICS AND TO MAKE CORPORATIONS RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE ORGANIZATION CHALLENGES CORRUPTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND LEADS CAMPAIGNS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY UNDER THE LAW. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO FIGHT FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS.

Activities or mission (Part I)

WORKS TO RENEW OUR DEMOCRACY AND OUR UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION FOR WE THE PEOPLE. FOUNDED ON THE DAY OF THE SUPREME COURT'S CITIZENS UNITED RULING IN JANUARY 2010, FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE ENVISIONS A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE HAVE AN EQUAL VOICE AND AN EQUAL VOTE.

  • LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM - FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE'S LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM ENGAGES IN LEGAL ADVOCACY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND ORGANIZING TO PUSH BACK IN THE COURTS AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT'S RULINGS IN CITIZENS UNITED V. FEC AND BUCKLEY V. VALEO AND THE LEGAL DOCTRINES UNDERLYING THOSE RULINGS. IN ADDITION, THE LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM SEEKS TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF LOCAL ELECTIONS BY CHALLENGING FOREIGN CORPORATE INFLUENCE AND SUPER PACS. THIS PROGRAM ADDS LEGAL DEPTH, EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE TO THE GROWING MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES TO RECLAIM OUR DEMOCRACY.

    Expenses $868,677

  • ELECTION PROTECTION - FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE'S ELECTION PROTECTION PROGRAM ENGAGES IN LEGAL ACTION AND LITIGATION TO DEFEND THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO ENSURE EQUAL AND SECURE ACCESS TO THE BALLOT FOR ALL PEOPLE.

    Expenses $443,875

  • 14POINT3 CAMPAIGN - FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN CALLS ON CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIALS ACCROSS THE COUNTRY TO UPHOLD THE MANDATE OF SECTION 3 OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.

    Expenses $473,111

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • John Bonifaz

    PRESIDENT & BOARD CLERK

    Total calculated
    $258,720
    From this org
    $216,122
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $42,598
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $216,122
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,451
    Nontaxable benefits
    $36,147
    Filer's total
    $258,720

  • Ben Clements

    CHAIRMAN & SENIOR LEGAL AD

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Ben Binswanger

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Venu Gupta

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Carlos Duarte

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Joia Mukherjee

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Deborah Hayes Stone

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Courtney Hostetler

    LEGAL DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $196,364
    From this org
    $156,352
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $40,012
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,352
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,667
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,345
    Filer's total
    $196,364

  • Oske Buckley

    DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $127,502
    From this org
    $111,603
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,899
    Hours/week
    40

  • Lisa Chang

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $125,866
    From this org
    $109,841
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,025
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
5 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202503099349301975

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