Humanity for Freedom Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
922144342
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2023
Location
Arlington, VA, USA
Phone
2026804017
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Relief

Reported finances

Revenue
$16,927
Expenses
$1,102,652
Assets
$0
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

People named in this filing

  • Michael Waters (Director)
  • Paul Jacob (Director)
  • Mark Rose (Director)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Humanity for Freedom Foundation is a non-profit that assists those who face the evils of authoritarianism as well as undertakes research promotes public policies that support freedom and helps the courageous opponents of authoritarianism. Working across conflict zones HFF provides on-the-ground support to displaced peoples and those living through war against authoritarian regimes as well as helping countries BE PREPARED for future conflict. HFF helps protect and rebuild peoples lives around the world whose freedom is under attack by authoritarianism.

What it reported doing in 2025

HFF Freedom Light is a series of investigative reports podcasts op-eds news programs and related initiatives focused on exposing authoritarian disinformation propaganda and subversive activities around the world. We released key reports and insights including The Fight for Africa: Where Russian Chinese and Middle Eastern Efforts Converge to Control and Exploit the Continent; Russian Disinformation in the Balkans: Geopolitics History and the Impact of the Ukraine War; Chinas Use of AI and Its Negative Impact on the World; and America Stands With Taiwan. We also expanded our outreach through the Freedom Light Editorial Cartoons which use visual commentary to challenge authoritarian narratives and through our flagship podcast and television program Around the World featuring global experts and frontline voices confronting rising authoritarianism and reaching audiences in more than 60 countries. Although the organization is ceasing operations the reports media initiatives and educational content produced through Freedom Light will remain publicly accessible and continue contributing to global awareness and discussion surrounding authoritarian threats and the defense of democratic values.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 82% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 91
  • Transparency & Controls: 76
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 9
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 99%; rating input score 99
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.61 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Pass
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -6,414.2%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 25.6% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -6% per year; rating input score 0; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -0% per year; rating input score 0; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 99% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 3 people listed
  • Consistency: 43 of 43 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2024 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 6 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 26/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 3/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 58/100.