Texas Freedom Network Education Fund

The Texas Freedom Network (TFN) Education Fund is a left-of-center think tank and nonprofit organization that opposes religious conservatives on issues such as sex education, legal abortion, and Bible study in public schools. 1 TFN has an affiliated 501(c)(4) lobbying arm, the Texas Freedom Network. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Abortion Policy, LGBT Policy
Website: tfn.org
Formation:

1996

President and Executive Director:

Val Benavidez 2

Location: Austin, TX View on map
Tax ID: 74-2788317
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $2,886,850 Revenue: $4,802,674 Expenses: $5,649,048

Contents

    Funding

    The Texas Freedom Network Education Fund raises money to support the Texas Freedom Network and is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While the TFN Education Fund does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation ($621,693 in 2020), 3 the Proteus Fund ($75,000 in 2015), 4 and the New Venture Fund ($30,000 in 2019). 5

    Board of Directors

    The Texas Freedom Network Education Fund board has substantial overlap with the board of directors of the Texas Freedom Network. Among others, it includes Cary Clack, an editorial writer for the San Antonio Express-News; 6 state legislative staffers Stephanie Chiarello and Odus Evbagharu; 7 8 and Jenn Longoria, director of programs at Jolt Action, a member of the advisory board of Battleground Texas, and a guest presenter at the New Leaders Council. 9 10

    Diane Ireson chairs the boards of both TFN and the Education Fund. 10

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $2,886,850 $4,802,674 $5,649,048 View
    2023 $3,367,618 $5,401,728 $5,578,252 View
    2022 $3,518,283 $5,990,271 $5,003,597 View
    2021 $2,536,262 $4,583,579 $3,974,075 View
    2020 $2,217,379 $4,918,275 $4,225,710 View

    Prior year filings: 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Valerie BenavidezPRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$318,327
    Carisa LopezDEPUTY DIRECTOR$136,037
    Kelsey HitchinghamCHIEF FINANCE OFFICER$132,150
    Lawrence GreenSR ORGANIZATIONAL ADVISOR/OMBUDSMAN$127,195
    Marti BierVP PROGRAMS$126,046

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $33,293,824
    • Number of Grants: 431
    • Number of Funders: 118

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

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $1,475,0002024 The Ford FoundationGeneral support to build a stronger, more inclusive democracy by organizing and educating young people of color and faith communities and building a leadership pipeline of youth leaders and core support for institutional strengthening
    $1,050,0002023 Telescope FundGENERAL SUPPORT
    $1,050,0002022 Telescope FundPROJECT SUPPORT
    $650,0002024 Windward FundENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
    $624,2002022 TIDES FOUNDATIONHEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
    $600,0002024 Silicon Valley Community Foundation
    $573,7332022 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $555,0002020 TIDES FOUNDATIONHEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
    $540,0002023 The Ford FoundationGeneral support to build a stronger, more inclusive democracy by organizing and educating young people of color and faith communities and building a leadership pipeline of youth leaders and project support for institutional strengthening.
    $500,7642021 The Susan Thompson Buffett FoundationPROJECT SUPPORT
    $500,0002022 Windward FundENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
    $500,0002021 Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc.GENERAL
    $450,0002020 Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc.GENERAL
    $430,0002024 NEO PhilanthropyProgram Grant
    $400,0002023 Windward FundENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
    $388,9502021 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $371,6932020 The Susan Thompson Buffett FoundationProject support
    $350,1892021 The Susan Thompson Buffett FoundationPROJECT SUPPORT
    $332,6522023 Voter Registration ProjectVOTER REGISTRATION
    $320,0002020 Windward FundENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
    $319,8002023 NEO PhilanthropyProgram Grant
    $305,0002020 NEO PhilanthropyProgram Grant
    $301,6582024 The Susan Thompson Buffett FoundationPROGRAM SUPPORT
    $300,0002022 NEO PhilanthropyProgram Grant
    $300,0002022 The Ford FoundationGeneral support to build a stronger, more inclusive democracy by organizing and educating young people of color and faith communities and building a leadership pipeline of youth leaders

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $3,865,843
    • Number of Grants: 25
    • Number of Recipients: 15

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

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $478,6252022 Jolt Action IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $433,9572020 Jolt Action IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $303,6252022 Youth Rise Texas IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $292,6772023 Center for Public Policy PrioritiesTURNED OVER REMAINING BALANCE OF FUNDS HELD AS PRIOR FISCAL AGENT
    $255,6252020 Youth Rise Texas IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $227,0832021 Jolt Action IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $206,3342024 Jolt Action IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $135,4172021 Youth Rise Texas IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $110,0002023 Youth Rise Texas IncREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU
    $75,0002022 Texas Civil Rights ProjectHIVE FUND REGRANT FOR DFGU GRANT
    $45,0002022 Centro Por La JusticiaREGRANT OF TX4ALL
    $35,0002022 Radical RegistrarsHIVE FUND REGRANT FOR DFGU GRANT
    $25,0002022 Good Deed CorpsHIVE FUND REGRANT FOR DFGU GRANT
    $25,0002022 Pure JusticeHIVE FUND REGRANT FOR DFGU GRANT
    $15,0002020 Deeds Not WordsSUBGRANT FROM TFP GRANT
    $9,5002024 Radical RegistrarsREGRANT UNDER TERMS OF TYPA MOU

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

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Mission.” Texas Freedom Network, 2021. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://tfn.org/mission/.
    2. “Val Benavidez.” Texas Freedom Network, 2021. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://tfn.org/tfn-media-kit/.
    3. Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020, Part XV, Line 3a.
    4. Proteus Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2015, Schedule I, Part II.
    5. New Venture Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.
    6. “Cary Clack.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-clack-52a6a748/.
    7. “Stephanie Chiarello.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-chiarello/.
    8. “About.” Odus Evbagharu. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://www.odusevbagharu.com/about-odus-evbagharu.html.
    9. “Jenn Longoria.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-longoria-tx/.
    10. “Board of Directors.” Texas Freedom Network, 2021. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://tfn.org/board/.