Form 990 for tax year 2024
Filed by DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION AND DEFENSE FUND INC.
Totals
- Total revenue
- $4,193,819
- Total expenses
- $4,188,526
- Contributions and grants received
- $3,213,273
- Grants paid
- $29,120
- Program service revenue
- $796,534
- Investment income
- $131,673
- Other revenue
- $52,339
- Total assets, end of year
- $5,493,864
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,604,111
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $3,889,753
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $3,082,504
- Management and general expenses
- $796,118
- Fundraising expenses
- $309,904
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $3,082,504
Program services were 73.6% 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.
-
1c · Fundraising events
$108,000
-
1e · Government grants (contributions)
$1,967,349
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$1,137,924
-
2a · Program service revenue: Legal Fees
total $796,534 · related or exempt $796,534
-
3 · Investment income
total $131,673 · excluded $131,673
-
4 · Income from investment of tax-exempt bond proceeds
total $0
-
5 · Royalties
total $0
-
6d · Net rental income or loss
total $0
-
7d · Net gain or loss
total $0
-
8a · Fundraising events: gross income
$8,811
-
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c
$108,000
-
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses
$16,352
-
8c · Net income from fundraising events
total -$7,541 · excluded -$7,541
-
9c · Net income from gaming
total $0
-
10c · Net income from sales of inventory
total $0
-
11a · Other revenue: Other
total $59,880 · excluded $59,880
-
11e · Other revenue, total
$59,880
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments
total $0
-
2 · Grants to domestic individuals
total $29,120 · program services $29,120
-
3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals
total $0
-
4 · Benefits paid to or for members
total $0
-
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
total $478,549 · program services $150,124 · management and general $153,801 · fundraising $174,624
-
6 · Compensation of disqualified persons
total $116,655 · program services $96,418 · management and general $11,238 · fundraising $8,999
-
7 · Other salaries and wages
total $2,083,352 · program services $1,820,581 · management and general $236,974 · fundraising $25,797
-
8 · Pension plan contributions
total $115,368 · program services $104,087 · management and general $11,281
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $223,331 · program services $196,060 · management and general $25,481 · fundraising $1,790
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $189,968 · program services $150,274 · management and general $27,434 · fundraising $12,260
-
11a · Fees: management
total $0
-
11b · Fees: legal
total $0
-
11c · Fees: accounting
total $262,855 · management and general $262,855
-
11d · Fees: lobbying
total $0
-
11e · Fees: professional fundraising services
total $0
-
11f · Fees: investment management
total $0
-
11g · Fees: other
total $320,312 · program services $241,399 · management and general $22,327 · fundraising $56,586
-
12 · Advertising and promotion
total $2,035 · program services $1,310 · management and general $225 · fundraising $500
-
13 · Office expenses
total $36,016 · program services $21,609 · management and general $9,953 · fundraising $4,454
-
14 · Information technology
total $79,718 · program services $62,167 · management and general $8,972 · fundraising $8,579
-
15 · Royalties
total $0
-
16 · Occupancy
total $160,717 · program services $132,571 · management and general $17,732 · fundraising $10,414
-
17 · Travel
total $23,257 · program services $19,036 · management and general $975 · fundraising $3,246
-
18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials
total $0
-
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings
total $4,364 · program services $4,320 · management and general $16 · fundraising $28
-
20 · Interest
total $0
-
21 · Payments to affiliates
total $0
-
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization
total $20,999 · program services $17,347 · management and general $2,980 · fundraising $672
-
23 · Insurance
total $18,085 · program services $15,220 · management and general $1,766 · fundraising $1,099
-
24a · Other expenses: Dues & fees
total $23,821 · program services $20,860 · management and general $2,105 · fundraising $856
-
24b · Other expenses: Other expenses
total $4 · program services $1 · management and general $3
-
24e · All other expenses
total $0
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $407,467 · end of year $1,201,551
-
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments
end of year $0
-
3 · Pledges and grants receivable
beginning of year $380,059 · end of year $240,519
-
4 · Accounts receivable
beginning of year $37,388 · end of year $12,141
-
5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people
end of year $0
-
6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons
end of year $0
-
7 · Other notes and loans receivable
end of year $0
-
8 · Inventories for sale or use
end of year $0
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $38,437 · end of year $43,028
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$63,000
-
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation
$42,000
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
beginning of year $42,000 · end of year $21,000
-
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities
beginning of year $3,468,950 · end of year $3,611,307
-
12 · Investments: other securities
end of year $0
-
13 · Investments: program-related
end of year $0
-
14 · Intangible assets
end of year $0
-
15 · Other assets
beginning of year $429,269 · end of year $364,318
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $223,116 · end of year $351,806
-
19 · Deferred revenue
beginning of year $68,325 · end of year $717,410
-
25 · Other liabilities
beginning of year $627,669 · end of year $534,895
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $2,955,634 · end of year $3,111,681
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $928,826 · end of year $778,072
Mission and programs · 2024
Mission
To advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development.
-
Legal Advocacy - DREDF advances the civil rights of people with disabilities through impact litigation and advocacy in courts, legislatures, and administrative agencies.In 2025, DREDF continued major litigation challenging the failure of Kaiser and California regulators to require adequate wheelchair coverage in Affordable Care Actregulated health plans. A settlement with state agencies led to adoption of a new California benchmark plan requiring meaningful wheelchair benefits, scheduled to take effect in 2027 pending federal approval, while DREDF continues to pursue individual claims against Kaiser.DREDF also continued monitoring in Armstrong v. News-om, enforcing disability rights in California prisons, with a focus on safety for people with mobility disabilities during emergencies.In education, DREDF secured an attorney fee award following its successful litigation in C.B. v. Moreno Valley Unified School District, which resulted in damages, district-wide reforms, and a precedent-setting ruling protecting disabled students from discriminatory discipline.DREDF led enforcement of Californias prohibition on discrimination against Section 8 voucher holders, filing suit against 30 Los Angeles housing providers for refusing to rent to a disabled voucher participant.DREDF educated communities on emerging threats to civil rights protections, provided statewide training and technical assistance to legal aid programs as an IOLTA Support Center, and filed 17 amicably briefs in state and federal appellate courts in FY2025.
Expenses $1,844,789 · Grants $29,120 · Revenue $796,534
-
Child and Family Advocacy - DREDFs Parent Training and Information Center provides technical assistance and training on the rights of families and children with disabilities in special education to parents, advocates and professionals. In FY 2025, our education advocates made 2,865 contacts to families across 30 counties in Northern California, directly helping parents and students navigate the special education system and learn their rights in the IEP process. DREDFs education advocates also presented 36 trainings and conducted outreach at 19 events across Northern California. Notably, DREDF kicked off a new, recorded training series, Special Education Academy, that walks attendees through the special education process and can be accessed on DREDFs YouTube channel afterward. The topics of DREDFs additional trainings ranged from supporting foster youth in special education, supporting tribal children with IEPs, learning the basics of special education rights and the IEP process, understanding disability accommodations in post-secondary education, and supporting related professionals as experts in the IEP process. The education advocates also attended several county educational fairs and resource fairs aimed at special education families to increase awareness of DREDFs resources and support for families across Northern California who seek assistance in understanding their rights under special education law.
Expenses $557,168
-
National Disability Policy and Research - DREDF conducts research, monitors public policy, and provides technical assistance on issues affecting people with disabilities. We advocate for disability civil and human rights in coalition with disability, civil rights, and community organizations, particularly where disability intersects with race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+ status, and immigration status.In 2025, DREDF was deeply engaged in defending federal programs critical to people with disabilities, including Medicaid, health insurance, food assistance, special education, fair housing, accessible transportation and infrastructure, and civil rights enforcement. We issued public alerts and plain-language guidance, mobilized constituents, amplified partner advocacy, submitted comments to Congress, and participated in Hill visits to protect funding and inclusive policies relied on by Californians with disabilities.DREDF also produced policy papers on key issues, including source-of-income discrimination in housing, emerging strategies in Olmsted litigation to expand accessible housing, and the safety and accessibility needs of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled communities in autonomous vehicle transportation.Our advocacy continued on reproductive justice and family integrity for people with disabilities, including protecting the right to marry, raise children, and retain access to health care and community supports. We also expanded work on artificial intelligence and disability bias, tracking federal efforts to preempt state regulation and engaging advocates and people with disabilities to develop strategies to identify and address discriminatory impacts of AI, and to equip legal services and community advocates to respond effectively.
Expenses $506,962
-
Media - DREDF continues to expand its strategic communications efforts to enhance outreach across traditional and social media, elevating disability civil rights. This year, DREDF responded to over 80 press inquiries. In February 2025, DREDF experienced a massive increase in page views and followers due to its coverage of a case that threatened Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. DREDF has over 43,000 followers on social media, over 18,000 subscribers to its email list, and its website averages 1,000 daily page views. During FY 2025, the website had 920,000 views.
Expenses $102,147
-
Public Education & Technical Assistance - DREDF continues to prioritize theaccessibility of its materials when it amplifies key disability issues through itspartnership with the California Office of Community Partnerships and StrategicCommunications (OCPSC). DREDF serves as a trusted messenger of OCPSC to Californianswith disabilities. DREDF conducted trainings and provided technical assistance ondisability access and inclusion to community-based organizations throughoutCalifornia, building the capacity of over 600 community workers to effectivelyserve and support disabled people and their families.
Expenses $71,438
As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.
Listed in Part VII
-
Maria M Uzeta
Int. ED/Dep Dir
- Total calculated
- $193,974
- From this org
- $157,592
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $36,382
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $157,592
- Bonus
- not reported
- Other
- not reported
- Deferred
- $15,784
- Nontaxable benefits
- $20,598
- Filer's total
- $193,974
-
Claudia Center
Legal Director
- Total calculated
- $192,256
- From this org
- $161,745
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $30,511
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $161,745
- Bonus
- not reported
- Other
- not reported
- Deferred
- $16,970
- Nontaxable benefits
- $13,541
- Filer's total
- $192,256
-
Silvia Yee
Policy Director
- Total calculated
- $180,588
- From this org
- $135,912
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $44,676
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $135,912
- Bonus
- not reported
- Other
- not reported
- Deferred
- $13,164
- Nontaxable benefits
- $31,512
- Filer's total
- $180,588
-
Mary Lou Breslin
Sr. Policy Advisor
- Total calculated
- $167,102
- From this org
- $150,807
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $16,295
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $150,807
- Bonus
- not reported
- Other
- not reported
- Deferred
- $15,093
- Nontaxable benefits
- $1,202
- Filer's total
- $167,102
-
Susan Henderson
Former Executive Director
- Total calculated
- $160,310
- From this org
- $142,842
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $17,468
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $142,842
- Bonus
- not reported
- Other
- not reported
- Deferred
- $15,656
- Nontaxable benefits
- $1,812
- Filer's total
- $160,310
-
Susan Freundlich
Development Dir.
- Total calculated
- $141,299
- From this org
- $136,794
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $4,505
- Hours/week
- 40
-
Christina Pinedo
Communications Dir
- Total calculated
- $141,252
- From this org
- $115,221
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $26,031
- Hours/week
- 40
-
Nicole Bohn
Executive Dir.
- Total calculated
- $127,383
- From this org
- $118,618
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $8,765
- Hours/week
- 40
-
H Stephen Kaye
Board Chair
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 3
-
Anne Cohen
Vice Chair
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Meriah Nichols
Treasurer
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Hari Srinivasan
Secretary
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Dorene Giacopini
Board Member
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Aubrie Lee
Board Member
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Tauna Szymanski
Board Member
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Rain Marshall
Board Member
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Benita Shaw-Ayala
Board Member
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
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 · Compensation committee
- 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
- 3 · Written employment contract
- 3 · Compensation survey or study
- 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
- 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
Answered no
- 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.
-
DREDF Development Partnership Inc
501(c)(3) · Supporting organization of DREDF, Inc. · DC
Directly controlled by NA
Provenance
- Return type
- form_990
- Tax year
- 2024
- Filed
- 23 June 2026
- IRS schema version
- 2024v5.2
- Source object
- 202621749349300527
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