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← INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue
$2,298,705
Total expenses
$2,287,154
Contributions and grants received
$2,045,374
Grants paid
$100,000
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$244,067
Other revenue
$9,264
Total assets, end of year
$6,277,667
Total liabilities, end of year
$85,722
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$6,191,945
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,967,418
Management and general expenses
$96,343
Fundraising expenses
$223,393
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,967,418

Program services were 86.0% 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

    $2,045,374

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $2,697

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $245,307 · related or exempt $245,307

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

    securities $1,240

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$1,240

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$1,240 · related or exempt -$1,240

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $28,748

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $19,484

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $9,264 · excluded $9,264

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $100,000 · program services $100,000

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $205,690 · program services $167,606 · management and general $13,507 · fundraising $24,577

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,005,091 · program services $818,993 · management and general $66,003 · fundraising $120,095

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $47,309 · program services $41,546 · management and general $1,314 · fundraising $4,449

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $85,647 · program services $68,807 · management and general $5,913 · fundraising $10,927

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $15,948 · program services $15,498 · fundraising $450

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $16,848 · program services $16,848

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $790 · program services $790

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $33,481 · program services $32,386 · management and general $145 · fundraising $950

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $28,234 · program services $23,641 · management and general $2,222 · fundraising $2,371

  • 17 · Travel

    total $36,487 · program services $35,239 · fundraising $1,248

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $80,300 · program services $80,300

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $10,828 · program services $8,662 · management and general $1,083 · fundraising $1,083

  • 24a · Other expenses: CONTRACTOR & CONSULTANT

    total $279,974 · program services $238,858 · management and general $4,946 · fundraising $36,170

  • 24b · Other expenses: PUBLICATIONS

    total $82,883 · program services $74,096 · management and general $0 · fundraising $8,787

  • 24c · Other expenses: TV PROGRAM

    total $70,711 · program services $70,711 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

  • 24d · Other expenses: UTILITIES

    total $68,519 · program services $63,350 · management and general $2,096 · fundraising $3,073

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $118,414 · program services $110,087 · management and general -$886 · fundraising $9,213

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $3,418,190 · end of year $3,266,663

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $37,500 · end of year $4,000

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

    $2,878,765

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

    $1,005,295

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $1,947,483 · end of year $1,873,470

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $887,302 · end of year $1,115,834

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $17,700 · end of year $17,700

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $36,845 · end of year $26,117

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $90,936 · end of year $59,605

  • 29 · Capital stock, trust principal or current funds

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 30 · Paid-in or capital surplus, or land, building or equipment fund

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 31 · Retained earnings, endowment or other funds

    beginning of year $898,846 · end of year $910,397

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE MISSION OF INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE IS TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS AND TO EDUCATE CITIZENS,LEGISLATORS AND OPINION MAKERS ABOUT PUBLIC POLICIES THAT ENHANCE PERSONAL AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM.

Activities or mission (Part I)

INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE IS ESTABLISHED UPON THE ETERNAL TRUTHS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. FOUNDED IN 1985, THE INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE IS A NON-PARTISAN, NON-PROFIT PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, DEDICATED TO PROVIDING TIMELY INFORMATION TO CONCERNED CITIZENS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND PUBLIC OPINION LEADERS. UNLIKE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHICH SEEK GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION AS THE BEST SOLUTION TO PUBLIC POLICY CHALLENGES, THE INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE SEEKS TO EXPLORE ALL ALTERNATIVES, EMPHASIZING FREE MARKET, PRIVATE-SECTOR SOLUTIONS. THE INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE IS RECOGNIZED BY FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS SETTING A FREEDOM AGENDA FOR COLORADO AND THE UNITED STATES. THROUGH THE INSTITUTE'S POLICY CENTERS, AREAS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE ARE ADDRESSED WITH A DEDICATED FOCUS. THE CENTERS ALLOW POLICY MAKERS, THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA, ACCESS TO A CONCENTRATED EDUCATIONAL SOURCE OF EXPERTISE AND EDUCATION ON SPECIFIC POLICY AREAS.

  • THE LIBERTY PROJECT - THE GOAL OF THE INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE'S LIBERTY PROJECT IS TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS, THE MEDIA, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND CONCERNED CITIZENS ON FREE MARKET SOLUTIONS TO PUBLIC POLICY CHALLENGES. THE LIBERTY PROJECT SERVES AS OUR GENERAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES CATEGORY. ITS PURPOSE IS EDUCATION ON POLICY ISSUES NOT SPECIFIED IN A PARTICULAR POLICY CENTER.

    Expenses $1,507,395 · Grants $100,000

  • SECOND AMENDMENT PROJECT - THE SECOND AMENDMENT PROJECT (SAP) HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS THE WORLD'S LEADING POLICY RESEARCH CENTER IN THE SUPPORT OF THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS AS LAID OUT IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. SAP DIRECTOR DAVID KOPEL STUDIES THE LEGAL PRECEDENTS, NEWS AND OPINIONS, IN COLORADO, THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD, TO PROVIDE A CONSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON TOPICS RANGING FROM LEGAL REFORM TO GUN RIGHTS.

    Expenses $312,839

  • EDUCATION POLICY CENTER - CALLING FOR GREATER INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS IN THE ROLE OF EDUCATING CHILDREN, THE INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE WAS THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO PROMOTE IDEAS SUCH AS OPEN ENROLLMENT, CHARTER SCHOOLS, SCHOOL REPORT CARDS AND VOUCHERS. THE EDUCATION POLICY CENTER, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PAM BENIGNO, CONTINUES ITS WORK IN THE AREAS OF SCHOOL CHOICE AND SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY WHILE ALSO DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF TEACHERS AND TAXPAYERS FROM UNION ABUSES.

    Expenses $147,184

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Deborah Donner

    BOARD OF TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Dick Wadhams

    BOARD OF TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Catherine Shopneck

    CHAIRMAN

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Joseph Smith

    BOARD OF TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mark Hillman

    BOARD OF TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mike Rosen

    BOARD OF TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jon C Caldara

    PRESIDENT OF II

    Total calculated
    $220,539
    From this org
    $205,689
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,850
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $205,689
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,850
    Filer's total
    $220,539

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

None.

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

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

  • COMPLETE COLORADO

    POLITICAL NEWS WEBSITE · CO

    Directly controlled by INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
16 May 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.1
Source object
202501899349300800

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