irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0COMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA: HRIC'S MEDIA WORK SUPPORTS DOMESTIC FORCES FOR CHANGE AND CONTRIBUTES TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEX CHALLENGES FACING RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS IN CHINA THROUGH PRESS RELEASES, STATEMENTS, CASE UPDATES, AND THE HRIC DAILY BRIEF, A DAILY SELECTION OF NEWS STORIES AND COMMENTARY RELATED TO HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA,DRAWN FROM CHINESE- AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWS AND ONLINE MEDIA SOURCES. HRIC HIGHLIGHTS CRITICAL HUMAN RIGHTS-RELATED ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH MEDIA INTERVIEWS, PUBLIC TALKS, AS WELL AS COMMENTARY PUBLISHED ON HRIC'S WEBSITE AND BY PRESS OUTLETS, AIMED AT PROMOTING INFORMED DISCUSSIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
- #2 $0POLICY ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH: HRIC'S POLICY ADVOCACY WORK IS AIMED AT 1) ADVANCING DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF CHINA'S INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS AND 2) BUILDING INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS OF AND SUPPORT FOR KEY CASES AND ISSUES CRITICAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIVERSE AND ACTIVE CIVIL SOCIETY SPACE IN CHINA. HRIC CONDUCTS THIS WORK THROUGH EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS AND ACTORS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENTS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ACADEMICS AND EXPERTS, AND UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS BODIES. HRIC MONITORS CHINA'S LEGAL, POLITICAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS, CONDUCTS IN-DEPTH RESEARCH, AND PRODUCES WHITEPAPERS AND REPORTS ON KEY TOPICS THAT IMPACT FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
HRIC Daily Brief
A daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language sources, to inform international understanding.
International Coalition Building
Collaborates with global NGOs and coalitions to issue joint statements, advocate for human rights defenders, and engage UN human rights mechanisms.
June Fourth Documentation Archive
Preserves texts, photos, and videos related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, including victim testimonies and family demands for truth and accountability.
Policy Advocacy and Research
Monitors legal, political, and technological developments in China; produces white papers and reports; engages governments, UN bodies, and stakeholders to advance human rights obligations.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Human Rights Advocacy and Public Education 3 activities
- Amplification and support of civil society and human rights defendersAmplifies the voices of human rights defenders and civil society actors in China through public statements, translations, dedicated web content, and international advocacy. Supports their work by building international awareness and expanding advocacy capacity.
- Public commentary and media engagement on human rights developmentsEngages in media interviews, public talks, panel discussions, and expert commentary to highlight critical human rights developments in China and Hong Kong, including police violence, political repression, and implications of major events such as the Olympics.
- Research and publication of human rights analyses and legal resourcesProduces in-depth research, white papers, reports, and bilingual legal charts on human rights issues in China and Hong Kong, including the National Security Law, counterterrorism policies, media censorship, and ethnic minority rights. Publishes historical documentation and policy analyses to support civil society and international accountability.
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Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 2 activities
- Advocacy before international bodies and policymakersRegularly submits testimony, statements, and civil society reports to UN human rights mechanisms, legislative bodies (including the U.S. Congress, European Parliament, and Canadian Parliament), and advisory panels to advance human rights compliance in China and Hong Kong. Monitors review processes and provides supplemental information to treaty bodies and special rapporteurs.
- Joint advocacy campaigns with international NGOsCollaborates with global human rights organizations to issue joint statements, coordinate advocacy campaigns, and promote civil society participation in international policy processes, including on transnational repression, digital authoritarianism, and accountability for abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
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Legal Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Capacity building through fellowship programsHosts the Robert L. Bernstein Fellowship, which provides an NYU Law School graduate with a one-year opportunity for full-time human rights work at HRIC, fostering next-generation human rights leadership.
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Nonprofit Investigative & Community Journalism 1 activity
- Production and distribution of curated human rights news and commentaryProduces and distributes the HRIC Daily Brief—a daily curated selection of news, commentary, and analysis on human rights in China from Chinese- and English-language sources—along with press releases, case updates, and multimedia content to inform global audiences.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$720K
Contributions & grants$702K98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$18K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$671K
Program expenses92%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$348K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$677K
Cash$414K
Investments$207K
Liabilities$88K
Net assets$589K
Liquid reserves11.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -16.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FENGSUO ZHOU | EXECUTIVE DI | 60 | $95K |
board members · 8
- ANDREW J NATHAN — DIRECTOR
- CHEUK KWAN — SECRETARY
- HAN DONGFANG — DIRECTOR
- HU PING — DIRECTOR
- LIU QING — DIRECTOR
- R SCOTT GREATHEAD — TREASURER
- ROCHELLE KORMAN — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM BERNSTEIN — CHAIR
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- Al Jazeera Partner — Provided expert commentary on Chinese political leadership and constitutional changes.
- Asian Lawyers Network Partner — Collaborates on publishing reports about the rights and conditions of lawyers in China.
- Bernstein Institute for Human Rights, NYU Law Partner — Collaborates on conferences and panels addressing human rights issues in Hong Kong and China.
- Bernstein Institute for Human Rights, NYU Law Partner — Presented on human rights in Hong Kong and international advocacy strategies.
- Congressional-Executive Commission on China Partner — Regularly participates in hearings and submits testimony on human rights issues in China and Hong Kong.
- Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) Government — Participated in a hearing on the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square events.
- Council on Foreign Relations Partner — Participated in a panel discussion on human rights and the 2022 Olympics.
- Council on Foreign Relations Partner — Participates in panel discussions on U.S.-China relations and human rights in China.
- European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights Partner — Engages in exchanges of views and advocacy on human rights conditions in China.
- European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights Partner — HRIC delivers interventions before the Subcommittee on Human Rights on matters related to EU-China relations and human rights agreements.
- European Union Coalition — Participates in the EU-NGO Human Rights Forum to address global human rights challenges.
- Hong Kong Free Press Partner — Participated in live interviews on developments in Hong Kong.
- International Federation for Human Rights Network — HRIC is a league member of FIDH, a federation of over 190 human rights organizations worldwide.
- NYU Law School Partner — Collaborates to provide a fellowship opportunity for its graduates to engage in human rights work at HRIC.
- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Partner — Engages through civil society submissions, monitoring, and provision of supplemental information on China's human rights obligations.
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Government — HRIC engages with the OHCHR through submissions, statements, and monitoring of mission activities related to China and Hong Kong.
- Politico Partner — Participated in a panel discussion on U.S. policy and Hong Kong.
- Politico Partner — Participated in panel discussions on U.S. policy responses to China's actions in Hong Kong.
- Radio Free Asia Partner — Collaborated on media interviews addressing human rights issues in China.
- Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) Partner — Engaged in media interviews on police violence during Hong Kong protests.
- Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) Partner — Provided expert commentary on police violence during Hong Kong protests.
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization Partner — Subject of a 2011 HRIC white paper analyzing counterterrorism and human rights impacts.
- Spectrum News Partner — Conducted interviews on transnational repression by the Chinese government.
- Taiwan National Human Rights Commission Partner — Co-hosted a public dialogue on transnational solidarity and accountability.
- The New York Times Partner — Provided commentary on the suppression of memory regarding the Tiananmen Square massacre and Hong Kong’s political status.
- Tiananmen Mothers Partner — Collaborated with HRIC to produce the documentary "Portraits of Loss and the Quest for Justice" using footage shot by the group.
- Tiananmen Mothers Partner — HRIC published a translation of a statement by the Tiananmen Mothers, indicating a collaborative relationship in amplifying their voices.
- U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China Partner — HRIC engages with CECC through testimony and policy interventions on human rights conditions in China and Hong Kong.
- U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China Partner — Zhou Fengsuo has testified before this U.S. legislative body, indicating engagement in policy advocacy.
- UN Human Rights Committee Government — HRIC submits input and responds to Concluding Observations from the UN Human Rights Committee regarding compliance with the ICCPR in Hong Kong.
+ 6 more
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.
- Amplification of Civil Society Voicesmethodology: civil-society-amplificationBy elevating the voices of Chinese human rights defenders and civil society actors through translation, media, and international platforms, we increase their protection and impact because global visibility reduces the risk of repression and strengthens transnational solidarity networks.
- Documentation as Accountability and Historical Memorymethodology: documentation_and_communicationBy systematically documenting human rights violations, personal stories, and legal repression, we sustain pressure for truth, justice, and institutional change because rigorous, evidence-based records preserve historical memory, enable legal and policy advocacy, and counter state-led narratives.
- International Advocacy for Domestic Changemethodology: international-advocacy-for-domestic-changeBy leveraging international human rights mechanisms, transnational advocacy networks, and global policy engagement, we produce pressure and accountability that strengthens domestic civil society and human rights protections in China because international scrutiny can amplify local voices, inform global stakeholders, and influence state behavior through diplomatic and institutional channels.
- Strategic Thematic Focus for Systemic Advocacymethodology: thematic-area-strategyBy organizing research and advocacy around key thematic areas—such as rule of law, government accountability, and fundamental rights—we produce more effective and sustained impact because focused, systemic analysis enables deeper expertise, coherent messaging, and targeted policy influence.