Human Rights First

Overview

Mission

Human rights first is an independent, non-partisan, advocacy and action organization that works to advance free and equal societies. We hold perpetrators accountable, protect people from injustice, and strengthen institutions that safeguard universal rights. For almost 50 years, human rights first has built bipartisan coalitions and worked with lawyers and human rights defenders to address global challenges. The organization is based in New York, Washington, d.c., and los angeles.

What it reported doing in 2024

Policy and legal representationhuman rights first provides free legal representation to refugees seeking asylum in the united states. Working with a nationwide network of pro bono attorneys, the organization screens cases, trains lawyers, and works to ensure that asylum seekers and immigrants have access to due process. In 2024, human rights first assisted approximately 2,077 refugees and asylum 1,327,951. Asylum seekers from 83 countries, securing protection from 382 clients and family members. In addition, volunteer lawyers contributed than 97,000 hours of pro bono legal services. Hrf also connects clients with essential services and uses this experience to provide data-driven insights that strengthen fairness and efficiency in the legal process. These services protect vulnerable individuals from persecution and advance the rule of law in the united states.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 64% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
133116646
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2128455200
Rating
73
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Human Rights

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 82
  • Transparency & Controls: 61
  • Accountability: 93
  • Sustainability: 13
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 72.1%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.82 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96%; rating input score 96; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -61.4%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.73; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.47; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.5%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.9% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 72.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 24 of 25 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $8.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $256K · 44 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $399K reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 8 annual filings from 2017 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 15 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

44 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MARC TOBIAS (COO): $256,453 total reported compensation
  • ELEANOR ACER (SENIOR DIRECTOR GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION): $204,406 total reported compensation
  • LAURA SENKEVITCH (DIRECTOR DONOR RELATIONS): $194,524 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.