dossier ↑ parent activity group ·

research dossier

INTEGRITY FIRST FOR AMERICA INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 821110585 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · Micro (<$100K) · integrityfirstforamerica.org

revenue

expenses

net assets

employees

—

program ratio

74%

mission · from form 990

INTEGRITY FIRST FOR AMERICA IS A NONPARTISAN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO HOLDING THOSE ACCOUNTABLE WHO THREATEN LONGSTANDING PRINCIPLES OF OUR DEMOCRACY-INCLUDING OUR COUNTRIES COMMITMENT TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL JUSTICE. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORTING LEGAL ACTION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on holding accountable those who threaten democratic principles and civil rights. Engages in legal action and public information campaigns to counter white nationalist and extremist groups. Works in coalition with civil rights organizations to advocate for federal investigations into hate groups like Patriot Front.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

What they reported doing

#1 primary $574K

LITIGATION INTEGRITY FIRST FOR AMERICA (IFA) SUPPORTS CERTAIN LEGAL WORK IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS MISSION, MOST NOTABLY SINES V. KESSLER, A FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED BY MEMBERS OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA COMMUNITY OVER THE AUGUST 2017 VIOLENCE. THE LAWSUIT FILED IN OCTOBER 2017 AGAINST A NUMBER OF WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND HATE GROUPS ALLEGES THAT THE DEFENDANTS CONSPIRED TO COMMIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE, VIOLATING THE 1871 KU KLUX KLAN ACT AND VARIOUS STATE LAWS. THE PLAINTIFFS ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PARENTS AND STUDENTS, A REVEREND, AND OTHERS WHO PEACEFULLY PROTESTED WHEN THE WHITE SUPREMACISTS INVADED THEIR HOMETOWN. IN 2018, THE COURT ISSUED A DECISION ALLOWING THE CASE TO PROCEED TO TRIAL. IFA'S SUPPORT COVERS LEGAL WORK, SECURITY EXPENSES, AND EVIDENCE COLLECTION FOR LITIGATION.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Coalition Advocacy

Leads and participates in coalitions urging federal action against white nationalist groups, including filing formal requests for DOJ investigations into organizations like Patriot Front

Legal Accountability Initiative

Supports legal action against extremist groups through documentation, public advocacy, and collaboration with civil rights organizations

activities · 3 groups

What they do

Constitutional and Government Accountability Litigation 1 activity
- Develop legal and research tools to combat white supremacist movements
  
  Created a legal blueprint from the Charlottesville case that has been applied to litigation related to the January 6th Capitol attack and published case documents and exhibit databases for public use in research, advocacy, and journalism against extremism.
Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Services 1 activity
- Direct organizational resources to community and survivor support
  
  Committed to directing remaining organizational assets to support the Charlottesville community and survivors of the Unite the Right rally violence as part of its ongoing mission.
Uncategorized 5 activities
- Collect and preserve evidence of white supremacist organizing
  
  Conducted extensive discovery in the Unite the Right civil case, collecting over 5.3 terabytes of evidence through 92 subpoenas to non-parties, and preserving trial exhibits in a searchable, publicly accessible inventory to support ongoing research, journalism, and advocacy.
- Enforce court judgments and sanctions against white supremacist defendants
  
  Secured multiple court-ordered sanctions, contempt rulings, and financial penalties against defendants in the Charlottesville case, including jailing Elliott Kline for contempt, compelling payment of legal fees, and enforcing compliance with discovery orders. These actions imposed operational and financial consequences on key figures and groups in the white supremacist movement.
- Lead litigation against organizers of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville
  
  Directed and funded a landmark federal civil lawsuit (Sines v. Kessler) against neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the August 2017 Charlottesville violence, resulting in a November 23, 2021 jury verdict holding all defendants liable for civil conspiracy and awarding over $26 million in damages. The case established a legal precedent for holding hate groups accountable under Virginia law.
- Monitor and expose white supremacist groups and ideologies
  
  Conducted long-term monitoring of groups such as Patriot Front and publicly identified the "Replacement Theory" as a central motivating ideology behind recent white supremacist attacks, linking it to violence in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, El Paso, and Charlottesville.
- Support survivors of the Charlottesville violence through civil litigation
  
  Provided direct legal and organizational support to nine Charlottesville residents injured in the 2017 Unite the Right rally, enabling them to pursue a civil lawsuit over four years and achieve a legal victory that secured accountability and damages.

financials · form 990EZ · fy2023

revenue

Total revenue$0

Contributions & grants——

Program service revenue——

Investment income——

Other revenue—

expenses

Total expenses$0

Program expenses74%

Admin / overhead13%

Fundraising14%

Salaries & benefits—

Grants paid out—

Largest expense lineProfessional Fees

balance sheet

Total assets$0

Cash$29K

Investments$0

Liabilities$29K

Net assets$0

4 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -100.0%

leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

board members · 5

AMY SPITALNICK — EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DMITRI MEHLHORN — BOARD MEMBER
DOUG THORNELL — BOARD MEMBER
EILEEN HERSHENOV — BOARD MEMBER
SUSAN TURNBULL — BOARD MEMBER

relationships · 19

Who they work with

Charlottesville Area Community Foundation Partner — Partnering to establish a dedicated fund supporting survivors of the Unite the Right violence in Charlottesville.
Charlottesville community Partner — Collaborated with local residents and injured individuals to pursue legal action against white supremacist organizers.
Charlottesville plaintiffs Partner — Worked alongside plaintiffs from the Charlottesville case to achieve a legal victory against white supremacist actors.
Congregate Charlottesville Partner — Collaborating with IFA and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation to support survivors of the Unite the Right violence.
Cooley LLP Partner — Provided pro bono legal support in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit
DC Attorney General Karl Racine Partner — Cited IFA's Charlottesville lawsuit as an inspiration and source of momentum for the District’s lawsuit against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
Human Rights First Partner — IFA's leader will serve as Senior Advisor on Extremism, continuing engagement with IFA supporters through this partnership.
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center Partner — Collaborated on the Donald & Sue Pritzker Voices of Conscience event highlighting efforts to combat hate and genocide.
Kaplan Hecker & Fink Partner — Provided pro bono legal support in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit
Kessler Partner — Defendant in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit pursued by IFA on behalf of plaintiffs.
North Idaho Pride Alliance Partner — Partner organization referenced in advocacy efforts related to the Coeur d’Alene Pride event and response to Patriot Front
Office of Governor J.B. Pritzker Government — Engaged in public dialogue around civil rights and hate, with the governor delivering remarks on the significance of IFA's legal work.
Paul, Weiss Partner — Provided pro bono legal support in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit
Plaintiffs in Sines v. Kessler Partner — Represented members of the Charlottesville community who were targeted during the 2017 white supremacist rally, including injured individuals and local activists.
Roberta Kaplan Partner — Legal counsel who represented plaintiffs in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit
Sines Partner — Co-plaintiff in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit supported by IFA.
Unicorn Riot Partner — Published early leaks of Discord server contents used in evidence collection for the Unite the Right trial.
Unite the Right Partner — Extremist group targeted through legal action by Integrity First for America.
Western States Center Partner — Coalition partner in calling for a federal investigation into Patriot Front

strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

Community Empowerment Through Legal Action

methodology: community_empowerment_through_legal_action
By engaging communities in legal action against extremism, the organization fosters collective agency and resilience, because visible legal challenges demonstrate that communities can effectively resist hate and reclaim power through the justice system.
Conspiracy Litigation to Disrupt Organized Extremism

methodology: conspiracy_litigation
By proving unlawful conspiracy in civil court, the organization targets the coordinated planning behind extremist violence, thereby undermining group cohesion and deterring future collaboration, because demonstrating legal liability for collective action exposes the organizational structure of hate networks.
Strategic Civil Litigation for Accountability

methodology: strategic_litigation
By using civil litigation to hold white supremacist organizers legally and financially accountable, the organization deters future hate-based violence and establishes replicable legal precedents, because legal liability disrupts the operational capacity of extremist groups and validates victims' experiences without amplifying hate rhetoric.
Systemic Accountability for Enablers of Extremism

methodology: systemic-counter-extremism
By holding institutional enablers — including media figures, platforms, and officials — accountable for normalizing ideologies like Replacement Theory, the organization weakens the ecosystem that sustains white supremacist violence, because systemic change requires disrupting not just perpetrators but also those who amplify and legitimize extremist rhetoric.