Alliance Defending Freedom: CEO salary, finances and where donations go
“Alliance Defending Freedom exists to keep the door open for the gospel by advancing every person's god-given right to live and speak the truth. We contend for the truth in law, policy, and the public square, and equip the alliance to do the same.”
Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.
Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated
We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Part IV line 27 answered yes.
Form 990 Part IV, line 27; Schedule L Part IIIPart IV line 28b answered yes.
Form 990 Part IV, lines 28a–28c; Schedule L Part IVFor each dollar donated, Alliance Defending Freedom spent 12¢ on fundraising, or about 13¢ counting joint costs.
Fundraising ÷ $109.8M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IXThe charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.
Allied support and training: adf seeks to cultivate allies across multiple professions who contend for truth in law, policy, and the public square. Adf provides training, education, events, amicus curiae opportunities, and other supportive initiatives so that adf's mission can be multiplied through a committed community.
Education: as a legal advocacy organization, adf seeks to educate the public about the importance of protecting the fundamental freedoms within its mission. This is accomplished through a variety of channels, including public speaking; digital, electronic, and print resources; social media; events; and a comprehensive website. Key examples include a parental rights toolkit to help parents know their rights and a quarterly magazine entitled faith & justice. These and other educational initiatives increase awareness about key cultural and legal issues of the day, while serving to identify…
Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2013 to 2025.
Reportable pay in FY ending Jun 2025, from the charity and related organizations.
| Contractor | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Ahead Inc | It infrastructure and services | $2,378,537 |
| Action Mailing Corp | Direct marketing services | $2,133,104 |
| Shapiro & Duncan | Hvac services | $1,927,812 |
| Lansdowne Resort and Spa | Event space and hosting services | $1,594,767 |
| Jw Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort | Event space and hosting services | $1,582,163 |
Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.
Kristen Waggoner, Ceo, President & Chief Counsel, received $584,869 in reportable compensation in FY ending Jun 2025, 0.5% of Alliance Defending Freedom's $108.6M in spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part VIIAlliance Defending Freedom reported 77.9% of FY ending Jun 2025 spending as programs, 12.2% as fundraising and 9.9% as management. That includes $1.1M of joint mail and ad costs counted as programs; without them, programs were 76.8%.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part IXNet assets were $99.8M at the end of FY ending Jun 2025, about 11.0 months of spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025), Part XIts latest Form 990 triggered 2 of our twelve screening rules: grants or assistance to an insider or their family; business transactions with insiders or their companies. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Form 990 (FY ending Jun 2025)Amir Arani, “Alliance Defending Freedom: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/alliance-defending-freedom/