Nonprofit · EIN 86-1596460
DEFENDING EDUCATION
Tax-exempt · ARLINGTON, VA 22207
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $6,635,388 | $6,279,870 | $355,518 | $1,288,901 | $233,503 | $1,055,398 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $5,331,408 | $4,971,032 | $360,376 | $980,016 | $280,136 | $699,880 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $5,098,994 | $4,851,685 | $247,309 | $1,204,628 | $865,124 | $339,504 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $6,578,037
- Membership dues
- $38,621
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $0
- Other revenue
- $57,351
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $15,000
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $1,277,081
- Other salaries and wages
- $890,893
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $2,480,853
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $1,759,721
- Accounting fees
- $58,890
- Travel
- $306,580
- Program services (functional)
- $4,544,688
- Management and general (functional)
- $891,234
- Fundraising (functional)
- $843,948
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $980,016
- Total assets, end of year
- $1,288,901
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $233,503
- Net assets, end of year
- $1,055,398
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $1,055,398
- Gross receipts
- $6,635,388
- Employees
- 24
- Year formed
- 2021
- State of legal domicile
- VA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NICOLE NEILY | PRESIDENT SECRETARY Officer | 40 | $390,000 | $11,700 |
| SARAH PERRY | VP and Legal Fellow Officer | 40 | $175,128 | $0 |
| MARISSA FALLON | Director of Advocacy Highest-paid employee | 40 | $154,000 | $4,620 |
| PAUL RUNKO | Sr Dir of Strategic Key employee | 40 | $153,000 | $0 |
| ERIKA SANZI | Sr Dir Communication Highest-paid employee | 40 | $150,000 | $0 |
| ANDREW KOZUSKO | Director Development Highest-paid employee | 40 | $145,000 | $4,350 |
| PHILIP WILLARD | CFOCOO Officer | 40 | $36,779 | $0 |
| KENNETH MARCUS | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| KAROL MARKOWICZ | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| EDWARD BLUM | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GARRETT EXNER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARY HASSON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 11 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NICOLE NEILY | PRESIDENT SECRETARY Officer | 40 | $349,583 | $8,988 |
| MICHELE EXNER | Senior Advisor Key employee | 40 | $197,583 | $6,000 |
| CAROLINE MOORE | Vice President Officer | 40 | $184,667 | $13,371 |
| MARISSA FALLON | Director of Advocacy Highest-paid employee | 40 | $149,250 | $14,376 |
| ERIKA SANZI | Director Outreach Highest-paid employee | 40 | $142,583 | $0 |
| ANDREW KOZUSKO | Director Development Highest-paid employee | 40 | $109,583 | $11,029 |
| KENNETH MARCUS | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| KAROL MARKOWICZ | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| EDWARD BLUM | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| GARRETT EXNER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| MARY HASSON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 0 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 10 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NICOLE NEILY | PRESIDENT SECRETARY Officer | 40 | $332,750 | $8,650 |
| CAROLINE MOORE | Vice President Officer | 40 | $166,186 | $4,986 |
| MARISSA FALLON | Director of Advocacy Highest-paid employee | 40 | $145,093 | $4,053 |
| ERIKA SANZI | Director Outreach Highest-paid employee | 40 | $134,792 | $0 |
| ALEXIS NESTOR | Investigative Fellow Highest-paid employee | 40 | $104,583 | $2,838 |
| KENNETH MARCUS | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| KAROL MARCOWICZ | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| EDWARD BLUM | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GARRETT EXNER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARY HASSON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 4532 CHERRY HILL RD STE 119, ARLINGTON, VA 22207-3304
- In care of
- % NICOLE NEILY
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Nicole Neily, 4532 CHERRY HILL RD Ste 119, Arlington, VA 22207
- Signed the 990
- NICOLE NEILY, Executive Director
- Phone
- (571) 206-1795
- Website
- https://defendinged.org/
- Return prepared by
- Howard Sckolnik CPA
Mission
National grassroots organization working to reclaim our schools from activists promoting harmful agendas. Through network and coalition building investigating reporting, litigation, and engagement on local, state, and national policies, we fight educational - Cont. sched O
Program accomplishments
- Litigation and legal work: filing lawsuits, civil rights complaints, and amicus briefs, publishing legal commentary. Investigations and research: operating a tip line, filing public records requests, and reviewing open source material to identify and expose spending and activism in Americas schools. Advocacy and network building: educating parent leaders and activists on policy issues, training them on tactics, and connecting them with peers in their states and across the country.Expenses $4,544,688 · grants $15,000
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 86-1596460
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2021
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Civil rights, social action and advocacy (R20)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $1,288,901
- Income (IRS master file)
- $6,635,388
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $6,635,388 | $6,279,870 | $1,288,901 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $5,331,408 | $4,971,032 | $980,016 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $5,098,994 | $4,851,685 | $1,204,628 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $4,301,156 | $4,451,306 | $773,953 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 86-1596460).
Questions about DEFENDING EDUCATION
- What is the EIN of DEFENDING EDUCATION?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of DEFENDING EDUCATION is 86-1596460.
- Is DEFENDING EDUCATION tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2021.
- Are donations to DEFENDING EDUCATION tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does DEFENDING EDUCATION file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of DEFENDING EDUCATION due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did DEFENDING EDUCATION last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of DEFENDING EDUCATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Nicole Neily.
- Who are the officers and directors of DEFENDING EDUCATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 12 people; 7 received compensation from the organization, the highest $390,000 (NICOLE NEILY, PRESIDENT SECRETARY).
- How much revenue does DEFENDING EDUCATION have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $6,635,388, expenses of $6,279,870 and total assets of $1,288,901 at year end.
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