Disinformation Index Foundation (DIF)

The Disinformation Index Foundation (DIF), also known as the AN Foundation, is an American component of Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a London-based think tank focused on combatting alleged disinformation on online news sites. According to GDI, “brands unwittingly provide an estimated quarter of a billion dollars annually to disinformation websites. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Tech Policy
Location: San Antonio, TX View on map
Tax ID: 83-2235831
Most Recent Filing: 2023
Budget (2023): Assets: $0 Revenue: $2 Expenses: $5,129

Contents

    Tax Disclosure Controversy

    In April 2023, Disinformation Index Foundation and its sister-group, Disinformation Index Inc., released a redacted version of their 2021 tax returns due to an alleged “harassment campaign” carried out against the groups, which claim to have received “multiple threats and hacking attacks, including threats of violence against their children.” According to lawyers interviewed by the Washington Examiner, the groups’ claim did not legally warrant concealing information on their public tax disclosures. The redacted information includes the names of officers and directors, a phone number, and the source of a $115,000 donation. 2

    Finances

    From 2019 to 2020, the Disinformation Index Foundation’s revenue jumped from $19,612 to $569,219. 3 The organization’s 2021 revenue fell to $367,228. 4

    AI Ethics Initiative Challenge

    In December 2018, the Disinformation Index Foundation was one of 66 finalists out of over 500 applications in the AI Ethics Initiative’s AI and the News Open Challenge. DIF’s project submission was a proposal to create a disinformation rating system for digital websites and platforms. 5

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2023 $2 $5,129 View
    2022 $54,031 $393,580 $19,970 View
    2021 $63,059 $367,228 $576,535 View
    2020 $78,619 $569,219 $795,644 View
    2019 $4,685 $19,612 $17,421 View

    Expenses Detail

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $1,463,614
    • Number of Grants: 4
    • Number of Funders: 4

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $903,6142023 Oak FoundationTo provide core support to expand technological solutions that address online disinformation.
    $250,0002023 Foundation to Promote Open Societyto educate the public about disinformation and its harms
    $190,0002020 Tides FoundationHEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
    $120,0002021 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

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    References

    1. “Defunding Disinformation.” Global Disinformation Index. Accessed Aptil 16, 2023. https://www.disinformationindex.org/mission/#:~:text=Brands%20unwittingly%20provide%20an%20estimated,risk%20across%20the%20open%20web.
    2. Kaminsky, Greg. “‘Disinformation’ network blacklisting conservative news hides tax forms over ‘harassment’.” April 12, 2023. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/disinformation-inc-network-blacklisting-conservative-news-hides-tax-forms-harassment.
    3. “Disinformation Index Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/832235831.
    4. “Disinformation Index Foundation (AN Foundation) 2021 990 (1) (2).” Scribd. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.scribd.com/document/636388675/Disinformation-Index-Foundation-an-Foundation-2021-990-1-2#.
    5. “Meet the 66 finalists in the AI and the News Open Challenge.” AI Ethicist Initiative. December 4, 2018. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://aiethicsinitiative.org/news/2018/12/3/meet-the-66-finalists-in-the-ai-and-the-news-open-challenge.