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CITIZEN ACTION DEFENSE FUND

EIN 85-0910069 OLYMPIA, WA

Largest nonprofits in Washington

Revenue 2024
$736,646
Expenses 2024
$734,746

Program services were 64.7% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
I83
Classification
1000
Street
111 21ST AVE SW

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO SUSTAIN, DEFEND AND PROVIDE THE MEANS TO PRESERVE THE INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ALL WASHINGTONIANS, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF RELIGION, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION, PARTICULARLY DURING DECLARED STATES OF EMERGENCIES, AND TO CARRY ON OTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PURPOSE AS ALLOWED BY LAW.

Activities or mission (Part I)

CITIZEN ACTION DEFENSE FUND IS A WATCHDOG FOR ALL WASHINGTONIANS, HELPING TO ENSURE THAT STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PLAY BY THE RULES AND THAT THE PUBLIC'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. WE ACHIEVE THESE GOALS BY SUPPORTING AND PURSUING STRATEGIC, HIGH-IMPACT LITIGATION IN CASES WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, RESTRAIN GOVERNMENT OVERREACH, AND PROTECT FREE MARKETS.

  • LITIGATION - CADF FILES LAWSUITS, REPRESENTS AFFECTED PARTIES, AND INTERVENES IN OTHER CASES WHEN THE STATE ENACTS LAWS THAT VIOLATE THE STATE OR FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONS, WHEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TAKE ACTIONS THAT INFRINGE UPON FIRST AMENDMENT OR OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, OR WHEN AGENCIES PROMULGATE RULES IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.CADF V. OFM. CADF PREVAILED IN LITIGATION AGAINST THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR WITHHOLDING DOCUMENTS FROM BILLION-DOLLAR NEGOTIATIONS WITH PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS.UNDIVIDED MEDIA V. CITY OF SEATTLE. CADF FILED A PUBLIC RECORDS LAWSUIT IN STATE COURT TO OBTAIN RECORDS REGARDING A COUNCILMEMBER'S PUBLIC SAFETY VOTE.CADF ET AL. V. STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL. LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT TO BLOCK OR DELAY RESTRICTIONS TO THE NATURAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HARMED BUSINESSES AND HOMEOWNERS IN WASHINGTON STATE.SMITH V. WSDOT. CADF DEFENDED A WHISTLEBLOWER WHO WAS FORCED OUT OF HIS JOB AFTER HE WAS PRESSURED TO LIE ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S CAP AND TRADE PROGRAM ON FUEL COSTS.N. PEARL ST. V. TACOMA. CADF CHALLENGED AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEASURE (THE TACOMA INITIATIVE) THAT WILL INCREASE THE COST OF HOUSING IN TACOMA.DORIOT V. WSDOT. CADF FILED A SUIT ON BEHALF OF A SMALL BUSINESS CHALLENGING THE STATE LEGISLATURE'S PASSING OF A TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE THAT VIOLATED THE SINGLE SUBJECT REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION.WALSH V. HOBBS. CADF INTERVENED IN A LAWSUIT THAT CHALLENGED THE LAW THAT ALLOWED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WRITE MISLEADING ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR STATEWIDE INITIATIVES.

    Expenses $450,383

  • COMMUNICATION - CADF ENGAGES WITH THE MEDIA, THE PUBLIC, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, LAWMAKERS AND STAFF, AND DONORS ON LEGAL ISSUES THAT ADVANCE FREE MARKETS, RESTRAIN GOVERNMENT OVERREACH OR DEFEND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

    Expenses $24,961

  • EDUCATION - CADF EDUCATES WASHINGTON CITIZENS ABOUT LEGAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEIR FREEDOM AND RIGHTS UNDER THE FEDERAL AND STATE CONSTITUTIONS. CADF ALSO PROVIDES A GUIDE TO ASSIST AND EDUCATE STATE VOTERS ON THE RECORD OF DECISIONS OF JUDGES AND WHETHER THEY ARE BIASED OR INCONSISTENT WITH CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND COMMON SENSE.

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

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Jackson Maynard

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $327,950
    From this org
    $327,950
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $327,950
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $327,950

  • Dann Mead Smith

    CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Steve Gordon

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Paul S Graves

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Craig Williamson

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $736,646
    Expenses
    $734,746
    Contributions
    $736,646
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $430,726
    Expenses
    $429,441
    Contributions
    $430,726
    Grants paid
    $17,850

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990-EZ

    Revenue
    $36,750
    Expenses
    $81,270
    Assets (EOY)
    $15,495

  • 2020 · 990-EZ

    Revenue
    $144,325
    Expenses
    $110,676
    Assets (EOY)
    $33,649

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

  • LUCY BURNS INSTITUTE

    $17,850

    2023 TO PILOT AND COMPLETE RESEARCH REGARDING JUDICIAL BIAS IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM.

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 1 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.