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Nonprofiteer
← COUNTY CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM USA FOUNDATION INC

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by COUNTY CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM USA FOUNDATION INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$5,852,850
Total expenses
$3,886,816
Contributions and grants received
$5,852,758
Grants paid
$456,800
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$92
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$767,060
Total liabilities, end of year
$525,677
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$241,383
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$2,966,463
Management and general expenses
$663,266
Fundraising expenses
$257,087
Program service expenses (Part III)
$2,966,463

Program services were 76.3% 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

    $5,852,758

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $92 · excluded $92

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $456,800 · program services $456,800

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $433,322 · program services $51,143 · management and general $168,181 · fundraising $213,998

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,867,813 · program services $1,588,444 · management and general $250,989 · fundraising $28,380

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $107,169 · program services $90,095 · management and general $15,246 · fundraising $1,828

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $158,948 · program services $125,350 · management and general $31,414 · fundraising $2,184

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $71,790 · program services $71,790

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $17,427 · management and general $17,427

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $191,358 · program services $121,420 · management and general $60,495 · fundraising $9,443

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $11,027 · program services $8,696 · management and general $2,179 · fundraising $152

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $63,040 · program services $23,312 · management and general $39,728

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $63,869 · program services $50,368 · management and general $12,623 · fundraising $878

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $231,201 · program services $179,384 · management and general $51,817

  • 17 · Travel

    total $166,217 · program services $166,217

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $30,536 · program services $20,590 · management and general $9,946

  • 20 · Interest

    total $16,299 · program services $12,854 · management and general $3,221 · fundraising $224

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $133,485 · end of year $164,376

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $303,888 · end of year $586,535

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $78

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    end of year $502

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    end of year $15,647

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    end of year $144,566

  • 22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

    beginning of year $301,066

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $1,861,036 · end of year $381,111

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year -$1,724,651 · end of year $241,383

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM FOUNDATION ENGAGES IN TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR COUNTY CITIZENS. THESE ACTIVITIES CONSIST OF TWO KEY COMPONENTS: CIVIC EDUCATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO ENGAGE CITIZENS IN CIVIC EDUCATION & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH TRAINING AND EDUCATION.

  • CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM FOUNDATION ENGAGES IN TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR COUNTY CITIZENS. THESE ACTIVITIES CONSIST OF TWO KEY COMPONENTS: CIVIC EDUCATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. CIVIC EDUCATION - THE FOUNDATION ENGAGES IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO INFORM COUNTY CITIZENS REGARDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND ORDINANCES INCLUDING PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM, APPROVED PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY AND CLASSROOM BOOKS AND MATERIALS, AND CITY AND COUNTY ORDINANCES. THE FOUNDATION INFORMS CITIZENS OF THESE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY MEETINGS AND SPECIAL SEMINARS AND/OR EVENTS AT LOCAL CHURCHES AND OTHER MEETING VENUES. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES THIS INFORMATION TO EDUCATE CITIZENS WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE AWARE OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES (BOTH EXISTING AND PROPOSED) AS WELL AS LOCAL MUNICIPAL PROCEEDINGS AND RELATED AGENDA. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT - THE FOUNDATION WORKS TO ENGAGE CITIZENS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO TRAIN THEM WITH TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGARDING ISSUES OF CONCERN TO CITIZENS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR BUSINESSES. THESE ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON HELPING THOSE CITIZENS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN EFFECTIVE RESPONSES FROM, OR INITIATE COMMUNICATION WITH, THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. BY ENGAGING AND EQUIPPING THE CITIZENS, THEY CAN NOW HAVE A PART IN INFLUENCING PUBLIC POLICY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

    Expenses $2,966,463 · Grants $456,800

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Steve Maxwell

    PRESIDENT / EXEC. DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $213,998
    From this org
    $213,998
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    3 + 33 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $213,998
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $213,998
  • John Durham

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2 + 3 related
  • David Bendett

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Kevin Respress

    DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 5 related
  • Keith Rose

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2 + 6 related
  • Keith Smith

    DIRECTOR (PART YEAR)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 3 related
  • Steve Blackwelder

    CEO (PART YEAR)

    Total calculated
    $151,605
    From this org
    $117,038
    From related orgs
    $34,567
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $117,038 + $34,567 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $117,038 + $34,567 related
  • Colby Wiltse

    INTERIM CEO

    Total calculated
    $138,622
    From this org
    $80,204
    From related orgs
    $33,654
    Other
    $24,764
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related
  • Seth Jahn

    DIRECTOR OF SECURITY

    Total calculated
    $156,264
    From this org
    $114,129
    From related orgs
    $41,596
    Other
    $539
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $114,129 + $41,596 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $425 + $114 related
    Filer's total
    $114,554 + $41,710 related
  • Luis Cabrera

    TX FAITH DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $141,872
    From this org
    $92,341
    From related orgs
    $35,000
    Other
    $14,531
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related
  • Tara Schulte

    TX COUNTY DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $113,529
    From this org
    $75,275
    From related orgs
    $27,731
    Other
    $10,523
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related
  • Nicole Nolte

    MARKETING DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $112,819
    From this org
    $76,181
    From related orgs
    $27,440
    Other
    $9,198
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related
  • Sarah Calamunci

    FL STATE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $105,114
    From this org
    $76,998
    From related orgs
    $27,731
    Other
    $385
    Hours/week
    5 + 35 related

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 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 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

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 4A
SARAH CALAMUNCI RECEIVED SEVERANCE PAY OF $16,322.

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

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
2025
Filed
15 May 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.1
Source object
202611359349313151

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

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