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FREDERICK DOUGLASS FAMILY FOUNDATION INC

ROCHESTER, NY · EIN 260757405 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A23 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · fdfi.org
revenue
$121K
expenses
$141K
net assets
$12K
employees
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

FREDERICK DOUGLASS FAMILY INITIATIVES ADVOCATES FOR A MORE EQUITABLE WORLD ON THE ISSUES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND RACISM. MODERN-DAY SLAVERY AND RACISM REMAIN TWO OF AMERICA'S MOST PERSISTENT PROBLEMS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (FDFI) works to combat human trafficking and systemic racism through education, youth empowerment, and civic engagement. The organization, rooted in the legacies of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, runs national prevention programs in schools, promotes literacy through book distribution, and is developing a museum in Rochester, NY. It partners with nonprofits and academic institutions to expand its impact.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2020

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    FREDERICK DOUGLASS FAMILY INITIATIVES PROVIDES SUPPORT TO TUTUDESK.ORG, AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE DEDICATED WRITING SURFACES TO CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING AND POOR REGIONS SUPPORTING LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND INSTANT EDUCATION INFRSTRUCTURE.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Frederick Douglass Books
Publishing imprint in partnership with Forefront Books and Simon & Schuster to support Black and Brown authors in publishing professional books with national distribution.
Frederick Douglass Museum & Media Center
Planned civic initiative in Rochester, NY, envisioned as a national center for civic education focused on freedom, democracy, and the legacy of Frederick Douglass.
One Million Abolitionists
Initiative to distribute one million copies of Frederick Douglass’s Narrative, including special Bicentennial and Douglass Family Editions, to young people worldwide to promote literacy and anti-racism education.
PROTECT
National human trafficking prevention education program offering trauma-informed, age-appropriate curriculum for K-12 students, professional development for educators, and protocol support for schools in partnership with 3Strands Global Foundation and Love Never Fails.
The FD200
Bicentennial initiative that honored 200 individuals embodying Frederick Douglass’s legacy across seven categories: abolitionist, writer, public servant, feminist, educator, entrepreneur, and diplomat.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Education 4 activities
    • Advocacy for federal anti-trafficking legislation
      Advocated for the advancement of H.R. 1144, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025, which was unanimously voted out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on July 22, 2025.
    • PROTECT human trafficking prevention education program
      Delivers grade-level appropriate human trafficking prevention education to K–12 students and adults through the PROTECT program, reaching over 804,744 students and 119,520 adults across six U.S. states: California, Utah, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, and Georgia.
    • PROTECT program impact research
      Conducts research by collecting testimonials and stories—over 32,000 to date—to document the impact of the PROTECT human trafficking prevention education program.
    • The Douglass Mind Blog
      Operates The Douglass Mind Blog to foster public dialogue and share updates on human trafficking prevention and shared opportunity initiatives.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • #DouglassWeek cultural programming
      Organizes and produces #DouglassWeek, an annual series of performances, installations, exhibits, and discussions in partnership with scholars, artists, and community groups that explore Frederick Douglass’ legacy through historical, creative, and cultural perspectives.
  • Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
    • Distribution of Frederick Douglass’s Narrative to youth
      Distributes special editions of Frederick Douglass's Narrative, including the Douglass Family Edition and a Bicentennial Edition, to young people in the United States and globally through the One Million Abolitionists project, with nationwide retail distribution via Simon & Schuster.
  • Literary and Cultural Publishing 1 activity
    • Frederick Douglass Books publishing imprint
      Operates Frederick Douglass Books, a joint publishing imprint that supports Black and Brown authors in publishing professional books distributed through traditional retail channels, and provides support for individuals to write and publish books to preserve their legacy.
  • Literacy Program Funding 1 activity
    • Funding literacy infrastructure for children in underserved regions
      Funds Tutudesk.org to supply dedicated writing surfaces to children in developing and poor regions, supporting literacy development and immediate educational infrastructure.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Immersive educational tour in Scotland
      Co-organizes an international educational tour in Scotland inspired by Frederick Douglass’s abolitionist travels, including a six-day immersive history and culture program based in Edinburgh with excursions to Dundee, Glasgow, Perth, and the Highlands, conducted in partnership with Footsteps to Freedom.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Partnership for Rochester cultural corridor development
      Entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Rochester to explore the development of a cultural corridor honoring Frederick Douglass and advance racial equity work in the city.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$121K
Contributions & grants$121K100%
Program service revenue
Investment income
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$141K
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$39K
Grants paid out
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$55K
Cash$116K
Investments$0
Liabilities$21K
Net assets$12K
Liquid reserves9.9 mo
4 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -29.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
KENNETH B MORRIS JR PRESIDENT 40 $36K
board members · 7
  • CARVIN EISON — BOARD MEMBER
  • CHARLES RANDOLPH-WRIGHT — BOARD MEMBER
  • DAVID BLIGHT — BOARD MEMBER
  • GABRIELLE KOEPPEL — BOARD MEMBER
  • MARIA WEAVER — BOARD MEMBER
  • NEGELLE MORRIS — BOARD MEMBER
  • TODD ALLEN — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 35

Who they work with

  • 3Strands Global Partner — Partner organization in the PROTECT program providing human trafficking prevention education to students.
  • 3Strands Global Foundation Partner — Co-developed the PROTECT human trafficking prevention education program and manages its implementation.
  • 3Strands Global Foundation Partner — Partnered to develop PROTECT, a human trafficking prevention education program.
  • Amazon Web Services Partner — Employer of Elihu "Eli" Miles, Board Treasurer
  • Arena Stage Partner — Organization producing "American Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Words," co-written by Board member Charles Randolph-Wright
  • Arizona State University Partner — Partners to process and analyze survey data from the PROTECT program.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Partners with FDFI to process and analyze survey data from the PROTECT program.
  • City of Rochester Partner — Collaborating to explore the development of a cultural corridor dedicated to Frederick Douglass.
  • Footsteps to Freedom Partner — Co-organizes an immersive history and culture program in Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • Footsteps to Freedom Partner — Collaborates with Footsteps to Freedom to organize the Frederick Douglass in Scotland Tour.
  • Forefront Books Partner — Jointly established the Frederick Douglass Books publishing imprint to support Black and Brown authors.
  • Forefront Books Partner — Jointly launched the Frederick Douglass Books publishing imprint to support Black and Brown authors.
  • Forefront Books Partner — Partner in operating the Frederick Douglass Books publishing imprint.
  • Frederick Douglass Family Foundation (Initiatives), Inc. Government — Identified as the legal entity for Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) public charity.
  • Georgetown University Partner — Employer of Jeremy Scott Alexander, Director of Government Affairs at FDFI
  • Globe Lane Initiative Partner — Co-producer and organizing partner for #DouglassWeek events.
  • Government of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme Government — Supporting partner in #DouglassWeek programming, particularly related to Douglass’ journey to Ireland.
  • History Channel Partner — Partner in the One Million Abolitionists project to distribute copies of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography.
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee Government — Engaged in advocacy efforts resulting in the committee's unanimous vote to advance H.R. 1144.
  • Leary Ventures Partner — Firm founded by Kristin M. Leary, Senior Advisor and Co-Founder of the Frederick Douglass Ireland Project
  • Library of Congress Government — Hosted the FD200 gala celebration honoring individuals who embody Frederick Douglass's legacy.
  • Love Never Fails Partner — Co-developed the PROTECT human trafficking prevention education program.
  • Love Never Fails Partner — Partner organization in the PROTECT program providing human trafficking prevention education to students.
  • Love Never Fails Partner — Partnered to develop PROTECT, a human trafficking prevention education program.
  • Mass Humanities Partner — Collaborating institution in the development and delivery of #DouglassWeek programs in Massachusetts.
  • Museum of African American History I Boston & Nantucket Partner — Collaborates on #DouglassWeek programming, including hosting events and providing scholarly expertise.
  • National Park Service Partner — Partner in the One Million Abolitionists project to distribute copies of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography.
  • Netflix Partner — Platform for which Michelle and Barack Obama acquired film rights to David W. Blight's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Frederick Douglass
  • Novo Nordisk Inc. Partner — Employer of Negelle Morris, Board member and Corporate Executive
  • Simon & Schuster Partner — Distributes the Douglass Family Edition of Narrative to retail outlets nationwide.
+ 5 more
strategies · 5

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.

  • Comprehensive Prevention Model for Human Trafficking
    methodology: comprehensive prevention and early intervention
    By integrating student education, staff training, response protocols, and data analysis, the organization reduces children's vulnerability to human trafficking because a multi-system approach addresses both individual and institutional risk factors.
  • Intersectional Advocacy for Racial and Labor Justice
    methodology: intersectional advocacy
    By addressing modern slavery and racism as interconnected systemic barriers, the organization advances social justice because these issues are mutually reinforcing and require joint intervention to dismantle.
  • Legacy-Based Civic Engagement
    methodology: legacy-based civic agitation
    By grounding social justice initiatives in Frederick Douglass’s legacy of education, storytelling, and persistent agitation, the organization inspires civic engagement and policy change because historical continuity lends moral authority and resonance to contemporary advocacy.
  • Legislative Advocacy for Victim Protection
    methodology: legislative-advocacy-for-victim-protection
    By advocating for the reauthorization and strengthening of federal anti-trafficking laws, the organization enhances victim protection and prosecution of traffickers because policy change institutionalizes long-term safeguards and accountability.
  • Storytelling and Narrative Empowerment
    methodology: storytelling-as-empowerment
    By supporting marginalized authors to publish their stories, the organization advances racial equity and healing because reclaiming narrative control fosters identity affirmation and challenges dominant historical omissions.