Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← All organizations

DEFENDING EDUCATION

EIN 86-1596460 ARLINGTON, VA

Revenue 2025
$6,635,388
Expenses 2025
$6,279,870

Program services were 72.4% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
R20
Classification
1000
Street
4532 CHERRY HILL RD STE 119

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).

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • NICOLE NEILY

    PRESIDENT SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $401,700
    From this org
    $390,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,700
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $390,000
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    $11,700
    Nontaxable benefits
    not reported
    Filer's total
    $401,700

  • SARAH PERRY

    VP and Legal Fellow

    Total calculated
    $175,128
    From this org
    $175,128
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,128
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    not reported
    Nontaxable benefits
    not reported
    Filer's total
    $175,128

  • MARISSA FALLON

    Director of Advocacy

    Total calculated
    $158,620
    From this org
    $154,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,620
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $154,000
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    $4,620
    Nontaxable benefits
    not reported
    Filer's total
    $158,620

  • PAUL RUNKO

    Sr Dir of Strategic

    Total calculated
    $153,000
    From this org
    $153,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $153,000
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    not reported
    Nontaxable benefits
    not reported
    Filer's total
    $153,000

  • ERIKA SANZI

    Sr Dir Communication

    Total calculated
    $150,000
    From this org
    $150,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • ANDREW KOZUSKO

    Director Development

    Total calculated
    $149,350
    From this org
    $145,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,350
    Hours/week
    40

  • PHILIP WILLARD

    CFOCOO

    Total calculated
    $36,779
    From this org
    $36,779
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • KENNETH MARCUS

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • KAROL MARKOWICZ

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • EDWARD BLUM

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • GARRETT EXNER

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MARY HASSON

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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 — 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

  • 2025
    Revenue
    $6,635,388
    Expenses
    $6,279,870
    Contributions
    $6,578,037
    Grants paid
    $15,000
  • 2024
    Revenue
    $5,331,408
    Expenses
    $4,971,032
    Contributions
    $5,159,340
    Grants paid
    $6,000
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $5,098,994
    Expenses
    $4,851,685
    Contributions
    $4,902,031
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $4,301,156
    Expenses
    $4,451,306
    Contributions
    $4,257,440
    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.

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.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Declared on its 2022 return

Declared as related by

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 10 September 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.