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PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE

EIN 52-2336690 WASHINGTON, DC

Revenue 2024
$2,876,810
Expenses 2024
$3,654,052

Program services were 50.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
W052
Classification
2000
Street
1818 N STREET NW

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

PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE PROMOTES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, AN OPEN INTERNET, AND ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS AND CREATIVE WORKS. WE WORK TO SHAPE POLICY ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

Activities or mission (Part I)

PROMOTE FAIRNESS AMONGST LAWS GOVERNING DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS.

  • BROADBAND: PK WORKS TO SECURE BROADBAND ACCESS FOR EVERYONE. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, PK WORKS TO CREATE A CONSISTENT, LONG-TERM SUBSIDY TO HELP PEOPLE AFFORD ACCESS; PROMOTE COMPETITION AMONG PROVIDERS TO LOWER PRICES; AND REQUIRE PROVIDERS TO OFFER ON-SITE BACKUP POWER TO KEEP NETWORKS UP. PK ALSO URGES POLICYMAKERS TO BAN PROVIDERS FROM DISCRIMINATING AGAINST CONSUMERS. PK ALSO WORKS TO ENSURE THE GOVERNMENT MANAGES SPECTRUM IN WAYS THAT BENEFIT ALL AMERICANS.

    Expenses $947,837

  • DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT/COPYRIGHT: PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE (PK) WORKS TO CREATE A COPYRIGHT SYSTEM THAT RECOGNIZES THE ROLE THAT TECHNOLOGY PLAYS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES. PK SUPPORTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO REMIX CONTENT INTO NEW EXPRESSIONS OR CREATE OR SHARE LAWFUL CONTENT ONLINE. PK ADVOCATES FOR POLICIES THAT PROTECT INNOVATION WITHOUT CONSTRAINING FAIR USE. PK URGES CONGRESS TO FIX THE DMCA SO THAT CONSUMERS CAN OWN, LEND, OR REPAIR THEIR DEVICES.

    Expenses $736,008 · Revenue $3,547

  • PRESS/PUBLIC EDUCATION: PK'S MODES OF ADVOCACY INCLUDE EDUCATING THE PRESS, THE PUBLIC, AND POLICYMAKERS USING PLAIN-LANGUAGE ANALYSIS, WHITE PAPERS, BLOG POSTS, OP-EDS, FACT SHEETS, AND VIDEOS. PK EXPERTS ARE REGULARLY FEATURED IN THE NEWS, ON PODCASTS, AND IN OTHER MEDIA. PK'S WORK ALSO INCLUDES COORDINATING, HOSTING, AND FACILITATING EVENTS THAT PROVIDE A FORUM FOR POLICYMAKERS, THE PUBLIC, INDUSTRY, AND THE PRESS TO EXCHANGE IDEAS ABOUT PK'S CORE ISSUES. ADDITIONALLY, PK ORGANIZES AND RUNS COALITIONS TO HARNESS THE POWER OF PUBLIC INTEREST ORGANIZATIONS.

    Expenses $82,581

  • POLICY STRATEGY CENTER

    Expenses $77,412

  • INTERNATIONAL

    Expenses $2,493

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.

  • CHRISTOPHER J LEWIS

    PRESIDENT/CEO

    Total calculated
    $268,772
    From this org
    $252,001
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,771
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $252,001
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,560
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,211
    Filer's total
    $268,772

  • VIRGINIA LAM ABRAMS

    BOARD CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • LAURENT CRENSHAW

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • MICHAL ROSENN

    BOARD TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • MOSES BOYD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • MAURA COLLETON CORBETT

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • BREWSTER KAHLE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • MARCUS REESE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • VICKIE ROBINSON

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • GARY SLAIMAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • BRIAN VO

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • COURTNEY LEE

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $161,168
    From this org
    $132,090
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,078
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $132,090
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $3,963
    Nontaxable benefits
    $25,115
    Filer's total
    $161,168

  • MEREDITH C WHIPPLE

    CHIEF OF STAFF

    Total calculated
    $137,306
    From this org
    $126,265
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,041
    Hours/week
    40

  • CHARLOTTE SLAIMAN

    VICE PRESIDENT (THRU FEB)

    Total calculated
    $24,174
    From this org
    $22,350
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $1,824
    Hours/week
    40

  • HAROLD FELD

    SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $233,055
    From this org
    $198,446
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $34,609
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $198,446
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,953
    Nontaxable benefits
    $28,656
    Filer's total
    $233,055

  • ALISA VALENTIN

    BROADBAND POLICY DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $142,767
    From this org
    $138,609
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,158
    Hours/week
    40

  • JOHN BERGMAYER

    LEGAL DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $143,119
    From this org
    $127,358
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,761
    Hours/week
    40

  • SARA N COLLINS

    DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

    Total calculated
    $127,740
    From this org
    $123,471
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,269
    Hours/week
    40

  • STEPHEN L BENNETT

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

    Total calculated
    $119,168
    From this org
    $110,475
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,693
    Hours/week
    40

  • LISA MACPHERSON

    POLICY DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $126,751
    From this org
    $109,730
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,021
    Hours/week
    40

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
    $2,876,810
    Expenses
    $3,654,052
    Contributions
    $2,706,992
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $4,001,662
    Expenses
    $3,207,422
    Contributions
    $3,930,920
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $3,845,217
    Expenses
    $3,252,907
    Contributions
    $3,813,928
    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
    $3,004,007
    Expenses
    $2,972,978
    Assets (EOY)
    $4,572,647

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,768,704
    Expenses
    $2,824,111
    Assets (EOY)
    $4,820,777

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,754,024
    Expenses
    $2,721,684
    Assets (EOY)
    $3,634,724

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,153,552
    Expenses
    $2,871,526
    Assets (EOY)
    $4,367,874

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $5,629,518
    Expenses
    $2,837,102
    Assets (EOY)
    $5,010,054

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,133,213
    Expenses
    $2,734,628
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,202,528

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,105,881
    Expenses
    $2,687,009
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,819,987

  • 2014 · 990

    Revenue
    $4,064,859
    Expenses
    $2,682,837
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,361,398

  • 2013 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,645,912
    Expenses
    $2,100,628
    Assets (EOY)
    $961,159

  • 2012 · 990

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    $2,035,641
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,419,603

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. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

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.