irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $421KTHE YOUTH FREE EXPRESSION PROGRAM (YFEP) IS DEDICATED TO THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, HELPING THEM ASSERT AND DEFEND THEIR RIGHT TO FREE EXPRESSION. ANY ATTEMPT TO RESTRICT THE CREATIVE AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM OF YOUNG PEOPLE IS HARMFUL. THE PROGRAM WORKS WITH STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO OPPOSE REMOVAL OF BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOMS, CENSORSHIP OF STUDENT-CREATED VISUAL ART, EFFORTS TO SILENCE STUDENT JOURNALISTS, CANCELLATION OF STUDENT-LED PLAYS AND MUSICALS, RESTRICTIONS ON STUDENT SPEECH ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND EFFORTS TO CENSOR HEALTH, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE CURRICULA.
- #2 $178KTHE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVOCACY PROGRAM (ACAP) HELPS ARTISTS AND CURATORS INVOLVED IN CENSORSHIP DISPUTES. OUR GOAL IS TO RESOLVE CONTROVERSIES AND DEVELOP STRATEGIC EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES THAT EQUIP ARTISTS AND INSTITUTIONS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO PROMOTE ARTISTIC FREEDOM. NCAC IS THE ONLY FREE SPEECH ORGANIZATION WITH A PROGRAM DEDICATED TO THE RIGHTS OF ARTISTS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Arts and Culture Advocacy Program (ACAP)
Supports artists and curators facing censorship, offering strategic advocacy and resources to protect artistic freedom, including the 'Don't Delete Art' digital campaign.
Free Expression Network (FEN)
A coalition of 45 leading free speech organizations coordinated by NCAC to share information, issue joint statements, and file amicus briefs in censorship cases.
Kids’ Right to Read Project (KRRP)
A subprogram of YFEP that provides advocacy, education, and support to combat book challenges and bans in schools and libraries nationwide.
Youth Free Expression Program (YFEP)
Empowers students, teachers, and parents to defend free expression in schools by opposing book bans, censorship of student art and journalism, and restrictions on curriculum and online speech.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 8 activities
- Arts and Culture Advocacy ProgramSupports artists and curators involved in censorship disputes and develops educational resources to promote artistic freedom and defend controversial or unpopular artistic expression.
- Direct intervention in censorship casesProvides direct advocacy and support to individuals, artists, curators, students, teachers, and librarians facing censorship challenges in schools, libraries, and cultural institutions, including issuing advocacy letters and strategic advice. The organization has defended hundreds of book titles across nearly every U.S. state and supported the restoration of censored artworks.
- Don't Delete Art campaignRuns a digital advocacy campaign launched in 2020 that highlights art censored on social media platforms and provides resources for artists navigating content moderation policies and restrictions.
- First Amendment education initiativesDevelops and distributes educational resources for educators and students, including a virtual First Amendment classroom with teaching modules for remote learning and tools to help youth assert their free expression rights in public discourse.
- Institutional free expression policy developmentAssists universities and cultural institutions in developing and strengthening free expression policies following censorship incidents to protect artistic and academic freedom.
- Kids’ Right to Read ProjectRuns a dedicated program that provides advocacy, education, and resources to students, teachers, and librarians confronting book challenges or bans in public schools and libraries, particularly around materials addressing race, religion, and sexuality.
- Policy and resource publicationProduces and publishes guides, policy papers, and practical resources for artists, authors, educators, and cultural professionals on resisting censorship, including strategies for advocacy, media engagement, and defending challenged works.
- Youth Free Expression ProgramOperates an educational initiative to inform and empower young people, teachers, and parents about free expression rights in schools, opposing censorship of student art, journalism, curriculum, and speech.
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Nonprofit Internship Programs 1 activity
- Internship and workforce developmentOffers rolling internship and work experience opportunities for higher education students to engage in free expression advocacy and organizational operations.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Public communication and outreachDistributes a biweekly e-newsletter to 12,000 subscribers and a biannual print edition of Censorship News to 8,000 recipients to inform the public about current free speech issues and censorship trends.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.18M
Contributions & grants$1.86M85%
Program service revenue$6K0%
Investment income$41K2%
Other revenue$270K
expenses
Total expenses$1.74M
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising22%
Salaries & benefits$1.09M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.25M
Cash$1.72M
Investments$488K
Liabilities$89K
Net assets$2.16M
Liquid reserves15.3 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +1.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEE ROWLAND | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $200K |
| JOSHUA CORDAY | KEY EMPLOYEE | 40 | $155K |
| CHRISTINE EMERAN | EMPLOYEE | 40 | $114K |
| BARBARA PYLES | EMPLOYEE | 40 | $113K |
| ELIZABETH LARISON | EMPLOYEE | 40 | $104K |
board members · 15
- AMBIKA KUMAR — DIRECTOR
- AMY BERKOWER WEISS — DIRECTOR
- EMILY JM KNOX — DIRECTOR
- ERIC FREEDMAN — DIRECTOR
- GINA MARIA LEONETTI — DIRECTOR
- JON ANDERSON — CHAIRMAN
- JON YAGED — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN BLOOM — DIRECTOR
- JUDY GOLD — DIRECTOR
- LIZ STORCH — DIRECTOR
- MITCHELL KAPLAN — DIRECTOR
- OREN TEICHER — TREASURER
- RANDALL L KENNEDY — DIRECTOR
- SHERYL ORING — DIRECTOR
- TONY LYONS — DIRECTOR
relationships · 41
Who they work with
- ACLU Partner — Founded by activists affiliated with the ACLU.
- American Booksellers for Free Expression Network — Relies on NCAC’s expertise and knowledge base to address emerging free expression controversies.
- American Booksellers for Free Expression Partner — Co-founded and supports the Kids' Right to Read Project.
- American Civil Liberties Union Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- American Civil Liberties Union Partner — Lee Rowland previously served as a lawyer with the ACLU and has represented organizations affiliated with NCAC, suggesting an ongoing collaborative relationship
- American Federation of Teachers Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- American Library Association Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- Association of American Publishers Network — Jon Yaged serves on the Board of the Association of American Publishers and the NCAC receives support or affiliation through this connection
- Association of American Publishers Partner — Supports NCAC’s work in uniting diverse voices to defend free expression and assist educators, students, and activists in resisting censorship.
- Authors Guild Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- Brennan Center for Justice Partner — Lee Rowland worked as a Democracy counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, focusing on First Amendment rights, indicating a professional affiliation with shared mission areas
- Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Partner — Supports the Kids' Right to Read Project.
- Directors Guild of America Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- FCC Government — Federal agency whose policy action NCAC is challenging on constitutional grounds.
- Frederick Joseph Partner — Collaborated with NCAC by providing advice for authors facing censorship based on experience with challenges to his book _The Black Friend_.
- Free Expression Network Coalition — Leads the Free Expression Network, an alliance of 45 leading First Amendment organizations that collaborate on joint campaigns, amicus briefs, and legislative advocacy.
- Free Expression Network Coalition — National Coalition Against Censorship is part of an alliance of organizations dedicated to protecting free expression and opposing suppression of constitutionally-protected speech.
- Higher education institutions Partner — Collaborates with schools and academic programs to support internships through course credit or third-party financial arrangements.
- Jo Knowles Partner — Collaborated with NCAC by providing advice for authors facing censorship based on experience with challenges to her book _Pearl_.
- Jonathan Evison Partner — Collaborated with NCAC by providing advice for authors facing censorship based on experience with challenges to his book _Lawn Boy_.
- Lambda Legal Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- Lesléa Newman Partner — Collaborated with NCAC by providing advice for authors facing censorship based on experience with challenges to her book _Heather Has Two Mommies_.
- Meg Medina Partner — Collaborated with NCAC by providing advice for authors facing censorship based on experience with challenges to her book _Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass_.
- National Center for Science Education Partner — Partners with NCAC to defend the integrity of science education against censorship and distortion of scientific consensus on evolution and climate change.
- National Council of Teachers of English Partner — Supports the Kids' Right to Read Project.
- National Education Association Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- New York Civil Liberties Union Partner — Lee Rowland served as Policy Director for the New York Civil Liberties Union and has overlapping advocacy work with NCAC
- PEN America Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
- People for the American Way Coalition — Member organization of the National Coalition Against Censorship
+ 11 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.
- Artist Support Through Strategic Communicationmethodology: artist-support-through-strategic-communicationBy equipping artists with strategic messaging and tactical responses, they are better able to resist or prevent censorship attempts, because prepared communication reduces vulnerability to suppression and strengthens public defense of artistic expression.
- Coalition-Based Advocacy for Free Expressionmethodology: coalition-based_advocacyBy uniting diverse organizations in collective action, the coalition amplifies its advocacy impact and increases pressure on government entities to refrain from retaliatory censorship, because a unified front is more influential than isolated actors.
- Peer-Informed Advocacy for Book Challengesmethodology: peer-informed_advocacyBy developing resources based on experiences of censored authors, the organization creates more effective, practical responses to book challenges, because real-world insights yield higher credibility and utility than theoretical guidance.
- Unconditional Defense of Free Expressionmethodology: unconditional_defense_of_free_expressionBy defending even controversial or objectionable speech, the organization upholds the integrity of First Amendment protections for all, because selective defense enables erosion of rights under ideological pretexts.
- Youth-Centered Education as Censorship Preventionmethodology: youth-centered_education_and_empowermentBy educating young people about their free expression rights and involving them in advocacy, future censorship is prevented and democratic engagement strengthened, because empowered youth become active defenders of free speech in their communities.