Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← All organizations

FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION

EIN 33-0308483 SAN RAFAEL, CA

Revenue 2024
$1,438,342
Expenses 2024
$1,411,288

Program services were 60.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
Classification
1000
Street
534 4TH ST STE B

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

THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION PROTECTS AND PROMOTES A FREE PRESS, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.

Activities or mission (Part I)

DEDICATED TO ADVANCING FREE SPEECH, A FREE PRESS, GOVT. ACCOUNTABILITY & PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC AFFAIRS

  • STRATEGIC LITIGATION, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACYFAC USES INTEGRATED ADVOCACY - LITIGATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY ADVOCACY - TO ADVANCE OPEN GOVERNMENT, FREE-PRESS RIGHTS, AND THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW. SOME EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT FAC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024: - SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN FEDERAL COURT TO PREVENT ENFORCEMENT OF CALIFORNIA LAW CRIMINALIZING PUBLICATION OF SEALED ARREST REPORTS - IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF FIRST AMENDMENT CASE LAW.- LED COALITION OF 26 ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENT JOURNALIST DILAN GOHILL, 19, WHO WAS ARRESTED JUNE 5 WHILE COVERING PROTESTS AND THE OCCUPATION OF THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.- FAC WORKED IN THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE AND AT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE STATE TO ADVANCE LAWS AND POLICIES THAT STRENGTHEN FIRST AMENDMENT AND OPEN-GOVERNMENT RIGHTS, AND TO FIGHT LAWS THAT WOULD WEAKEN THOSE RIGHTS.- IN FEDERAL COURT, CHALLENGED ON FIRST AMENDMENT GROUNDS A LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT CRIMINALIZES JOURNALISM BY BARRING PRESENCE WITH INTENT TO OBSERVE OR RECORD AT "SIDESHOWS," DANGEROUS AUTOMOTIVE EVENTS THAT HAVE FREQUENTLY CAPTURED HEADLINES IN THE BAY AREA. - REPRESENTING A STUDENT JOURNALIST AT CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO, FAC OBTAINED SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGES IN HOW THE UNIVERSITY HANDLES PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS AFTER FILING A CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT LAWSUIT AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY.- FAC'S WORK ON AMICUS BRIEFS THROUGHOUT 2024, AT BOTH THE TRIAL COURT AND APPELLATE LEVEL, HELPED ADVANCE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF FREE EXPRESSION, PRESS FREEDOMS AND OPEN GOVERNMENT.- AS PART OF ITS PRESS FREEDOM INITIATIVE, FAC REPRESENTED, ON A PRO BONO BASIS, SEVERAL JOURNALISTS WHO WERE SUBPOENAED IN 2024 FOR THEIR CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES AND NOTES. SOME EXAMPLES OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING THE PUBLIC TO USE THEIR RIGHTS: - HOSTED DAYLONG WATCHDOG WORKSHOP FOR CENTRAL VALLEY JOURNALISTS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM PROVIDED TIPS AND TACTICS ON NEWSGATHERING ISSUES, INCLUDING ACCESSING PUBLIC RECORDS, COVERING PUBLIC MEETINGS, PROTECTING CONFIDENTIAL NEWS SOURCES AND RIGHTS AND RISKS SURROUNDING RECORDING IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS. - TRAINED SECOND ANNUAL COHORT OF CALIFORNIA LOCAL NEWS FELLOWS ON COVERING OPEN MEETINGS AND USING PUBLIC RECORDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY JOURNALISM.- MENTORED EARLY CAREER JOURNALISTS AS PART OF NATIONAL FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COALITION'S FOI BOOT CAMP FOR JOURNALISTS OF COLOR.- FAC RESPONDED TO 1,111 QUERIES ON ITS FREE LEGAL HOTLINE, EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING JOURNALISTS, ACTIVISTS AND OTHERS TO USE THEIR RIGHTS TO SPEAK AND PUBLISH FREELY, AND TO PROMOTE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY.- FAC HOSTED AND/OR ORGANIZED NUMEROUS WORKSHOPS ON PRESS FREEDOMS AND GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY LAWS. - UPDATED AND EXPANDED OUR EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF PUBLISHED RESOURCES.

    Expenses $847,339 · Revenue $1,818

  • PRESS FREEDOM INITIATIVEFAC'S PRESS FREEDOM INITIATIVE HELPS JOURNALISTS OPPOSE SUBPOENAS SEEKING THEIR CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES AND NOTES PROTECTED UNDER CALIFORNIA'S JOURNALIST SHIELD LAW.

  • LEGAL HOTLINE SERVICE IN 2024, FAC RESPONDED TO 1,111 QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESSING PUBLIC RECORDS, PARTICIPATING IN GOVERNMENT MEETINGS, AND FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, EMPOWERING THESE INDIVIDUALS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS.

  • LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHTFAC WORKS WITH ALLIES TO ADVOCATE FOR BILLS IN THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD EXPAND THE RIGHT OF PUBLIC ACCESS OR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, AND TO OPPOSE BILLS THAT WOULD LIMIT THESE RIGHTS.

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.

  • KATHERINE ROWLANDS

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • PETER SCHEER

    PAST PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • JULIET WILLIAMS

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • SCOTT LINDLAW

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • CHERYL BROWN

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • THOMAS BURKE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • ERWIN CHEMERINSKY

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • ABENICIO CISNEROS

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT LAR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • CARL DOUGLAS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • RICHARD GINGRAS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • JAY HARRIS

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • JEAN-PAUL JASSY

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • LINDA JUE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • QUENTIN KOPP

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • KARL OLSON

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • EDWARD WASSERMAN

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • CAROL MELAMED

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT LAR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • RICARDO SANDOVAL-PALOS

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT LAR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • ASHLEY ALVARADO

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • JANICE GIN

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • ANTONIA HERNANDEZ

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • IRENE LEE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • DAVID SNYDER

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $198,860
    From this org
    $188,633
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $10,227
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $188,633
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,327
    Nontaxable benefits
    $900
    Filer's total
    $198,860

  • DAVID LOY

    LEGAL DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $165,750
    From this org
    $157,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,750
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $157,000
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,850
    Nontaxable benefits
    $900
    Filer's total
    $165,750

  • KATHLEEN MORGAN

    PHILANTHROPY DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $141,318
    From this org
    $129,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $12,318
    Hours/week
    40

The first 25 listed. 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
    $1,438,342
    Expenses
    $1,411,288
    Contributions
    $1,395,017
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $1,332,966
    Expenses
    $1,248,369
    Contributions
    $1,310,433
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $1,061,344
    Expenses
    $1,000,521
    Contributions
    $1,050,360
    Grants paid
    $0

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

    Revenue
    $1,033,304
    Expenses
    $876,581
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,357,417

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $956,149
    Expenses
    $764,616
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,174,467

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $637,249
    Expenses
    $636,634
    Assets (EOY)
    $950,341

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $600,932
    Expenses
    $532,307
    Assets (EOY)
    $935,692

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $545,728
    Expenses
    $427,219
    Assets (EOY)
    $888,620

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $594,042
    Expenses
    $542,838
    Assets (EOY)
    $759,343

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $444,283
    Expenses
    $409,754
    Assets (EOY)
    $698,069

  • 2014 · 990

    Revenue
    $623,526
    Expenses
    $373,183
    Assets (EOY)
    $673,608

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

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

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

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 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.