Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$38,718,664

Total expenses

$39,817,874

Contributions and grants received

$29,668,013

Grants paid

$20,117,302

Program service revenue

$513,596

Investment income

$8,536,346

Other revenue

$709

Total assets, end of year

$96,930,292

Total liabilities, end of year

$9,917,784

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$87,012,508

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$35,989,167

Management and general expenses

$2,206,601

Fundraising expenses

$1,622,106

Program service expenses (Part III)

$35,989,167

Program services were 90.4% 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.

Mission and programs · 2024

• GLOBAL ADVOCACY - HRF DEFENDS HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH GLOBAL ADVOCACY, EXECUTING INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS AND DEPLOYING INTERNATIONAL LEGAL MECHANISMS TO INFLUENCE INSTITUTIONS AND POLICYMAKERS.IN 2024, HRF'S IMPACT LITIGATION PROGRAM FILED ELEVEN COMPLAINTS, TWO URGENT APPEALS, AND ONE JOINT PETITION BEFORE THE UN, AND RECEIVED TWO FAVORABLE DECISIONS FROM THE UN WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION. FOR THE 2024 SESSIONS OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, HRF SUBMITTED 10 UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEWS. HRF'S TYRANNY TRACKER (FORMERLY, THE POLITICAL REGIME PROJECT) CONTINUED TO TRACK AUTHORITARIANISM ACROSS THE WORLD, FINISHING RESEARCH REPORTS FOR 96 COUNTRIES. THE TYRANNY TRACKER CLASSIFIES COUNTRIES AS DEMOCRATIC, HYBRID AUTHORITARIAN, OR FULLY AUTHORITARIAN USING A UNIQUE METHODOLOGY DEVELOPED BY HRF.HRF'S GLOBAL ADVOCACY CONTINUED TO ADDRESS REGIONAL ISSUES AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS. IN 2024, THE UKRAINE SOLIDARITY FUND AND BELARUS SOLIDARITY FUND REACHED FUNDRAISING AMOUNTS OF $2.4 MILLION AND $1.1 MILLION, RESPECTIVELY, IN GRANTS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. IN THE WAKE OF WIDESPREAD PROTESTS RESPONDING TO DICTATOR NICOLS MADURO PROCLAIMING A FRAUDULENT VICTORY IN 2024, THE VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY FUND RAISED $419,000 TO PROVIDE DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO SECURE A PEACEFUL TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY. MEANWHILE, THE CHINESE COMMUNITY PARTY (CCP) DISRUPTION INITIATIVE CONTINUED TO WORK AGAINST XI JINPING'S BRUTAL REGIME, HOSTING A UYGHUR YOUTH MOBILIZATION WORKSHOP AND UNITING WITH THE HONG KONG DIASPORA AT THE UK-HK SYMPOSIUM. HRF'S KOREA DESK'S EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE OPPRESSIVE DICTATORSHIP IN NORTH KOREA CONTINUED WITH THE LAUNCH OF NK INSIDER (NKIN), THE FIRST ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWS PLATFORM ABOUT NORTH KOREA WRITTEN BY NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS. IN ITS FIRST YEAR, NKIN PUBLISHED 169 ARTICLES THAT REACHED 4,900 READERS IN 105 COUNTRIES. ALSO UNDER HRF'S KOREA DESK, THE FLASH DRIVES FOR FREEDOM INITIATIVE GRANTED MORE THAN 22,000 NORTH KOREANS ACCESS TO 42,000 HOURS OF FOOTAGE AND 1 MILLION HOURS OF READING MATERIALS. FINALLY, THE MENA DESK SUPPORTED CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS BY GRANTING $10,000 TO GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN LEBANON TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO LEBANESE CITIZENS CURRENTLY DISPLACED BY CONFLICT.HRF FURTHER EXPANDED ITS RESEARCH ON ISSUES INTERSECTING WITH AUTHORITARIANISM IN 2024. THE POLICY TEAM PUBLISHED TWO BRIEFS EXPOSING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND AUTHORITARIANISM. IN ITS SECOND SUCCESSFUL YEAR, THE COMBATING KLEPTOCRACY PROGRAM EXPOSED HOW DICTATORSHIPS USE FINANCIAL SECRECY AND INFLUENCE CAMPAIGNS TO SMOTHER DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION AND ENRICH THEMSELVES, WITH OP-EDS, REPORTS, AND AN INTERACTIVE "KLEPTOCRACY LAUNDROMAT" EXPO BOOTH. MEANWHILE, THE CELEBRITIES & DICTATORS PROGRAM BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE NECESSITY OF ABSTAINING FROM PARTICIPATION IN DICTATORS' ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE THEIR IMAGES THROUGH TOURISM, SPORTS, AND MUSIC.HRF IS UNIQUE IN ITS DIRECT SUPPORT OF DISSIDENTS ADVOCATING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. IN 2024, THE FINANCIAL FREEDOM PROGRAM GAVE GRANTS TO 96 PROJECTS THROUGH THE BITCOIN DEVELOPMENT FUND AND LONG TERM ACTIVIST SUPPORT, SUPPORTING INITIATIVES TO MAKE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGIES MORE SECURE, PRIVATE, AND RESILIENT TO BETTER SERVE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM.

  Expenses $26,858,411 · Grants $19,277,041 · Revenue $401,009

• COMMUNITY OUTREACH - SINCE ITS FOUNDING, HRF HAS CULTIVATED A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, CONNECTING ACTIVISTS, DISSIDENTS, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS WHO SHARE IN THEIR DEDICATION TO THE PROTECTION OF DEMOCRACY.IN 2024, IN THE FORM OF MICROGRANTS, HRF PROVIDED FUNDING TO ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES OF DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IN 12 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. THROUGH TARGETED SKILLS-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, HRF AUGMENTED THE ABILITIES OF AT-RISK ADVOCATES, ARTISTS, AND STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY IN COUNTRIES RULED BY AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES. THE ANNUAL FREEDOM FELLOWSHIP PROVIDED A COHORT OF NINE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES WITH THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK THROUGH HANDS-ON TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP SESSIONS, INCLUDING A WEEK-LONG WORKING RETREAT IN COSTA RICA. IN AUGUST 2024, HRF ALSO HELD ITS FIRST-EVER RESILIENCE RETREAT IN COSTA RICA, EQUIPPING 20 ACTIVISTS FROM 12 COUNTRIES WITH THE RESOURCES AND PRACTICES NECESSARY TO BECOME RESILIENCE MOVEMENT LEADERS. IN DECEMBER, HRF AND 14 ACTIVISTS FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ASSEMBLED IN GHANA FOR THE THIRD EDITION OF THE GEORGE AYITTEY DEMOCRACY RETREAT, WHERE THEY LEARNED ABOUT BEST PRACTICES FOR ADVOCACY IN THE FACE OF AUTHORITARIANISM, AND STRENGTHENED SOLIDARITY ACROSS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.HRF'S OSLO SCHOLARS PROGRAM EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY, PROVIDING 26 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH INTERNSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S LEADING HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT NINE DIFFERENT CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS.FINALLY, THE 2024 OSLO FREEDOM FORUM (OFF), HRF'S 16TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN OSLO, PROVIDED A PLATFORM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH A GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 1,400 ATTENDEES. AT THE EVENT, HRF HONORED THREE DISSIDENT ARTISTS WITH THE HAVEL PRIZE AND RECOGNIZED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LATE ALEXEI NAVALNY WITH THE MASEKO PRIZE.

  Expenses $7,540,612 · Grants $786,441 · Revenue $112,587

• AUDIENCE EDUCATION - THROUGH CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS, IMPACTFUL STORYTELLING, AND STRATEGIC MEDIA COVERAGE, HRF CONTINUED TO EDUCATE GLOBAL AUDIENCES ON THE THREAT OF AUTHORITARIANISM IN 2024. HRF HIGHLIGHTED THE INTERSECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WITH VARIOUS SECTORS, AMPLIFYING THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM ACROSS INDUSTRIES AND AUDIENCES.HRF AUGMENTED ITS MEDIA PRESENCE ACROSS VARIOUS PLATFORMS IN 2024, GARNERING 22,000 MEDIA MENTIONS, 82 BILLION GLOBAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS, AND 24 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS. HRF'S WORK WAS FEATURED IN TOP INTERNATIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS INCLUDING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, THE NEW YORK TIMES, REASON, FOREIGN POLICY, NPR, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, THE ECONOMIST, AND OTHERS.HRF'S PUBLIC-FACING PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO EXPOSE BROAD AUDIENCES TO HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES. TWO COLLEGE FREEDOM FORUM EVENTS IN 2024 CONNECTED STUDENTS AT UNIVERSIDAD FRANCISCO MARROQUN (IN GUATEMALA) AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY WITH RENOWNED ACTIVISTS WORKING TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. HRF REPRESENTATIVES SPOKE AT CONFERENCES SUCH AS SXSW, RIGHTSCON, AND THE BITCOIN CONFERENCE. WITH THE RELAUNCH OF THE DISSIDENTS & DICTATORS PODCAST, HRF REACHED 91,000 LISTENS BY 2,500 LISTENERS WITH STORIES AND ANALYSES FROM ACTIVISTS, JOURNALISTS, ARTISTS, AND SCHOLARS ON THE FRONTLINES OF DEMOCRACY.

  Expenses $1,059,939 · Grants $3,820

• OTHER PROGRAMS

  Expenses $530,205 · Grants $50,000

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

Listed in Part VII

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

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

• PMART CONSULTANCY INC

  $200,000

  VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY FUND

• HUMANO Y LIBRE FOUNDATION

  $179,722

  VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY FUND

• CITIZEN POWER INITIATIVES FOR CHINA

  $55,000

  BTC DEV FUND & CCP DISRUPTION INITIATIVE

• STUDENTS FOR A FREE TIBET INC

  $35,000

  FREEDOM FELLOWSHIP & MICROGRANT

• IDEAS BEYOND BORDERS

  $30,000

  GENERAL SUPPOT & BITCOIN DEVELOPMENT FUND

• VOCES DE LA MEMORIA INC

  $30,000

  VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY FUND

• BITSHALA LLC

  $25,000

  BITCOIN DEVELOPMENT FUND

• LIBRERIA DE SATOSHI INC

  $25,000

  BITCOIN DEVELOPMENT FUND

• CADAL FOUNDATION INC

  $20,000

  TO ASSIST IN THE PUBLICATION OF BOOKS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND ACTIVISM

• HONG KONG DEMOCRACY COUNCIL

  $20,000

  CCP DISRUPTION INITIATIVE

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

13 November 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202523179349312452

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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