Judicial Watch Inc
64% goes to programs $13 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Judicial Watch Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, District of Columbia, registered in 1995, with $127,656,836 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 64% of spending to programs.
425 3rd St Sw Ste 800, Washington, DC, 20024 EIN 52-1885088 Since 1995
Revenue (FY2024)
$127.7M
▲ 22.4% vs prior year
Public Benefit median: $140K
Expenses (FY2024)
$55.3M
Net assets
$490.3M
Employees
63
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B
C+Program efficiency40% of the rating64% to programs · $13 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Judicial Watch Inc: 64% to programs · $13 to raise $100 earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating106 mo reserves · +57% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Judicial Watch Inc: 106 mo reserves · +57% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
BGovernance25% of the rating4 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Judicial Watch Inc: 4 of 6 checks met earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Judicial Watch Inc: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To promote integrity, transparency and accountability in government and fidelity to the rule of law through public advocacy, litigation, and monitoring and investigating federal, state and local government entities and officials, among other activities.
What they do
Legal - judicial watch prosecutes numerous lawsuits, typically on its own behalf but also on behalf of like-minded individuals or entities, to promote integrity, transparency and accountability in government and fidelity to the rule of law. since its inception in 1994, judicial watch has prosecuted or defended hundreds of lawsuits in furtherance of its public interest mission and obtained many noteworthy successes.
Investigations/research - judicial watch monitors and investigates the actions of federal, state and local government entities and public officials, typically using open records laws such as the freedom of information act. since its inception in 1994, judicial watch has served thousands of open records requests and secured the release of hundreds of thousands of previously undisclosed government records into the public domain. judicial watch also maintains databases of the records it obtains and makes these records available to the public.
Contact & location
- Address
- 425 3rd St Sw Ste 800, Washington, DC, 20024
- City
- Washington
- State
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Public & Societal Benefit
- Subcategory
- Alliances, Advocacy & Professional Societies
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $20.6M (FY2013) to $127.7M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $12.6MNet assets $490.3M
Operating margin
56.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$502.9M
Total liabilities
$12.6M
Net assets
$490.3M
Salaries & benefits
$13.8M
25% of expenses
Board members
3
0 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $127,656,836▲22.4% | $55,292,045▲3.9% | $490,254,514▲22.2% | $502,896,231▲21.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $104,336,382▲1.5% | $53,230,384▼7.2% | $401,312,533▲28.0% | $412,582,707▲26.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $102,787,643▼17.2% | $57,385,244▼0.2% | $313,631,449▲0.5% | $325,494,421▲2.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $124,212,420▲12.9% | $57,474,581▼4.8% | $312,110,219▲30.8% | $318,633,562▲30.2% | 990 |
| 2020 | $109,973,904▲20.6% | $60,400,307▲22.9% | $238,600,573▲43.4% | $244,810,790▲42.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $91,200,569▲27.1% | $49,144,797▲21.6% | $166,392,924▲51.2% | $172,039,252▲51.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $71,740,368▲35.2% | $40,431,062▲25.8% | $110,041,633▲22.9% | $113,273,603▲22.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $53,061,725▲16.9% | $32,128,134▲4.0% | $89,507,455▲40.7% | $92,365,593▲38.6% | 990 |
| 2016 | $45,391,916▲19.9% | $30,901,051▲26.2% | $63,634,313▲35.0% | $66,658,790▲34.8% | 990 |
| 2015 | $37,863,937▲22.9% | $24,486,270▲13.2% | $47,131,962▲30.4% | $49,452,511▲28.7% | 990 |
| 2014 | $30,811,460▲49.4% | $21,638,212▲22.5% | $36,135,037▲31.6% | $38,432,915▲30.3% | 990 |
| 2013 | $20,622,935 | $17,657,173 | $27,453,495 | $29,494,983 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Thomas J Fitton — $1,028,398 (1.86% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas J Fitton | President, Director | 40 | $1,028,398 |
| Paul J Orfanedes | Treasurer, Secretary, Director | 50 | $840,861 |
| Christopher J Farrell | Director of Investigations | 40 | $791,940 |
| Robert Patrick Sticht | Senior Attorney | 40 | $422,055 |
| Steven Andersen | Director of Development | 40 | $416,775 |
| John Albertella | Director of Direct Marketing | 40 | $346,411 |
| Robert Popper | Senior Attorney | 40 | $343,978 |
| Michael Bekesha | Attorney | 40 | $297,739 |
| Thornton Nobile | Senior Attorney | 40 | $275,618 |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Political Media Inc | Email Distribution & Management | $1,497,627 |
| Bank of America | Investment Management Fees | $1,108,985 |
| Intermarkets Inc | Digital Advertising | $960,000 |
| What If Holdings LLC | Digital Advertising | $680,000 |
| Direct Mail Processors Inc | Direct Mail Caging/data Processing | $589,272 |
Grants received · $38.2M total
386 grants to Judicial Watch Inc totaling $38.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Civil rights | 2024 | $372,587 |
| Greater Horizons | Human services | 2024 | $135,545 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For general operations | 2024 | $124,150 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Public affairs | 2024 | $123,880 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $95,377 |
| Christian Community Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $94,120 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $80,000 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $59,225 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $55,400 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For election integrity and to prevent government over-reach | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Community & human services | 2024 | $46,700 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $40,920 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $40,000 |
| Minneapolis Foundation | Donor advised, public affairs/society benefit | 2024 | $38,100 |
| Signatry Charitable Trust | Community development | 2024 | $32,700 |
Grants made · $57K in FY2024
3 grants totaling $57K in FY2024. All grants made by Judicial Watch Inc →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Conservative Union Foundation | Event sponsorship | $35,000 |
| Council For National Policy | Sponsorship/membership | $16,500 |
| Coalitions For America | Event sponsorship | $5,000 |
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Compare Judicial Watch Inc
Frequently asked questions
- Is Judicial Watch Inc a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Judicial Watch Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 52-1885088, based in Washington, District of Columbia. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Judicial Watch Inc's EIN?
- Judicial Watch Inc's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 52-1885088.
- How much revenue does Judicial Watch Inc report?
- Judicial Watch Inc reported $127,656,836 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Judicial Watch Inc's spending goes to programs?
- Judicial Watch Inc spends about 64% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Judicial Watch Inc have?
- CharityIndex grades Judicial Watch Inc B, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Judicial Watch Inc's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Judicial Watch Inc's latest Form 990 is $1,028,398, paid to Thomas J Fitton (President, Director).
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Data for Judicial Watch Inc (EIN 52-1885088) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.