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← FDD ACTION

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by FDD ACTION.

Totals

Total revenue
$1,775,956
Total expenses
$2,094,156
Contributions and grants received
$1,773,593
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$2,363
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$607,533
Total liabilities, end of year
$543,241
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$64,292
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$2,001,448
Management and general expenses
$51,414
Fundraising expenses
$41,294
Program service expenses (Part III)
$2,001,448

Program services were 95.6% 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.

  • 1d · Related organizations

    $900,000

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $873,593

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $25,323

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $2,307 · excluded $2,307

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $25,379

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $25,323

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $56

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $56 · excluded $56

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $615,600 · program services $592,449 · management and general $4,972 · fundraising $18,179

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $914,371 · program services $890,499 · management and general $11,072 · fundraising $12,800

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $38,817 · program services $37,572 · management and general $656 · fundraising $589

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $135,542 · program services $127,030 · management and general $6,111 · fundraising $2,401

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $93,359 · program services $90,422 · management and general $1,245 · fundraising $1,692

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $15,724 · program services $2,181 · management and general $11,423 · fundraising $2,120

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $2,488 · management and general $2,488

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $272 · management and general $272

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $24,230 · program services $23,875 · management and general $124 · fundraising $231

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $65,559 · program services $65,528 · fundraising $31

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $49,322 · program services $47,932 · management and general $495 · fundraising $895

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $39,932 · program services $36,942 · management and general $2,072 · fundraising $918

  • 17 · Travel

    total $10,251 · program services $10,057 · management and general $185 · fundraising $9

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $7,058 · program services $6,992 · management and general $66

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $27,899 · program services $27,048 · management and general $303 · fundraising $548

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $44,732 · program services $42,921 · management and general $930 · fundraising $881

  • 24a · Other expenses: Bad debt

    total $9,000 · management and general $9,000

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $491,230 · end of year $429,882

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $9,000 · end of year $0

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $41

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $33,312 · end of year $36,539

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $141,071

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $77,094 · end of year $142,421

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $81,510 · end of year $400,820

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $365,938 · end of year $55,292

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $9,000 · end of year $9,000

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

FDD Action is a non-profit, non-partisan 504(c)4 organization established to advocate for effective policies to promote U.S. National Security and defend free nations.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Advocate for effective policies to promote U.S. national security and defend free nations.

  • Provide policy analysis and advocacy to promote effective policies to strengthen U.S. National Security and defend free nations.

    Expenses $2,001,448

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Clifford May

    President

    Total calculated
    $844,320
    From this org
    $704
    From related orgs
    $793,905
    Other
    $49,711
    Hours/week
    2 + 60 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $704 + $439,412 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $322,500 related
    Other
    $0 + $31,993 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $10,350 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $39,361 related
    Filer's total
    $704 + $843,616 related

  • Lawrence Muscant

    Vice President

    Total calculated
    $552,839
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $512,378
    Other
    $40,461
    Hours/week
    2 + 50 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $339,612 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $150,000 related
    Other
    $0 + $22,766 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $10,350 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $30,111 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $552,839 related

  • William McCarthy

    Secretary/Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $567,834
    From this org
    $4,627
    From related orgs
    $548,961
    Other
    $14,246
    Hours/week
    2 + 48 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $4,627 + $394,219 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $150,000 related
    Other
    $0 + $4,742 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $10,350 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $3,896 related
    Filer's total
    $4,627 + $563,207 related

  • Toby Dershowitz

    SVP / Managing Dir (Q4)

    Total calculated
    $616,776
    From this org
    $572,480
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $44,296
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $360,000
    Bonus
    $187,500
    Other
    $24,980
    Deferred
    $10,350
    Nontaxable benefits
    $33,946
    Filer's total
    $616,776

  • Matthew Zweig

    Senior Director of Policy

    Total calculated
    $292,958
    From this org
    $227,900
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $65,058
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $204,950
    Bonus
    $22,500
    Other
    $450
    Deferred
    $6,989
    Nontaxable benefits
    $58,069
    Filer's total
    $292,958

  • Nicholas Stewart

    Senior Dir of Government Relations

    Total calculated
    $230,057
    From this org
    $205,048
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $25,009
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $189,808
    Bonus
    $15,000
    Other
    $240
    Deferred
    $6,151
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,858
    Filer's total
    $230,057

  • Tyler Stapleton

    Dir of Congressional Relations

    Total calculated
    $179,129
    From this org
    $149,348
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,781
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $141,595
    Bonus
    $7,500
    Other
    $253
    Deferred
    $4,496
    Nontaxable benefits
    $25,285
    Filer's total
    $179,129

  • Connor Pfeiffer

    Dir of Congressional Relations

    Total calculated
    $153,869
    From this org
    $130,932
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,937
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $126,190
    Bonus
    $4,583
    Other
    $159
    Deferred
    $3,027
    Nontaxable benefits
    $19,910
    Filer's total
    $153,869

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

  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 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
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Part I, Line 4b
Certain officers participated a split-dollar life insurance plan from FDD, a related organization, during FY 24. The terms and conditions of the plan are confidential and available to the IRS upon request.
Part I, Line 7
FDD's Bonus targets are set annually by management and the Compensation Committee. Bonuses are paid to staff based on performance and accomplishments. Regular employee bonuses are approved by management. Bonuses to the President and officers are set and approved by the Compensation Committee. FDD Action bonus targets are set annually by Management and the Board of Directors. The Managing Director's bonus is reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors. Non-management employee bonuses are approved by the Managing Director and one member of the Board.
Schedule J, Part I, Line 3:
FDD Action's related organization, FDD, uses the following methods to establish the compensation of its President: Compensation Committee; Independent Compensation Consultant; Form 990 of Other Organizations; Written Employment Contract; Compensation Survey; and Approval by the Compensation Committee

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
16 October 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202523019349300427

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