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Lawfare Institute

Organization summary

Type of Nonprofit

Designated as a Organizations for any of the following purposes: religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition (as long as it doesn't provide athletic facilities or equipment), or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.

Category: Public, Society Benefit — Multipurpose and Other / Government and Public Administration (NTEE)

Donations to this organization are tax deductible.

Summary charts: organization finances over time

Revenue
$1.9M (2023)

Expenses
$1.67M (2023)

Total Assets
$1.06M (2023)

Total Liabilities
$0 (2023)

Source: Form 990 tax filings from 2014 to 2023

Tax Filings by Year

Form 990 is an information return that most organizations claiming federal tax-exempt status must file yearly with the IRS. Nonprofit Explorer has IRS digitized Form 990 data for filings processed in 2012 and later. If this organization filed an amended return, it may not be reflected below. Duplicate download links may indicate a resubmission or amendment to this organization's original return. Form 990 data is from the IRS.

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2023

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$1,900,130
Expenses
$1,670,734
Net Income
$229,396
Net Assets
$1,055,401
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $1,702,683
89.6%
Program Services $189,826
10.0%
Investment Income $100
0.0%
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $2,232
0.1%
Other Revenue $5,289
0.3%
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $74,296
4.4%
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $753,043
45.1%
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $1,055,401
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $1,055,401
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
Natalie Orpett (Executive Editor And Dgc) $153,776 $0 $43,764
David M Priess (Coo) $62,115 $0 $12,181
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $0 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Board Member) $0 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2022

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$1,626,237
Expenses
$1,862,252
Net Income
-$236,015
Net Assets
$739,005
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $1,407,840
86.6%
Program Services $218,180
13.4%
Investment Income $217
0.0%
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $194,404
10.4%
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $480,757
25.8%
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $739,005
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $739,005
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
Natalie Orpett (Executive Editor) $157,043 $0 $6,281
David M Priess (Coo) $156,996 $0 $37,408
Alexander Vindman (Pritzker Military Fellow) $129,094 $0 $6,281
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $7,500 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Director) $0 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2021

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$1,522,190
Expenses
$1,522,102
Net Income
$88
Net Assets
$975,020
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $1,440,540
94.6%
Program Services $81,432
5.3%
Investment Income $218
0.0%
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $131,137
8.6%
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $379,389
24.9%
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $975,020
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $975,020
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
Alexander Vindman (Pritzker Military Fellow) $157,154 $0 $14,144
David M Priess (Coo) $140,000 $0 $30,030
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $15,000 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
Susan Hennessey (Vice President) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Director) $0 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2020

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$1,655,542
Expenses
$1,361,690
Net Income
$293,852
Net Assets
$974,932
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $1,571,334
94.9%
Program Services $78,889
4.8%
Investment Income $5,319
0.3%
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $126,027
9.3%
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $193,097
14.2%
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $974,932
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $974,932
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
David M Priess (Coo) $126,026 $0 $0
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $15,000 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
Susan Hennessey (Vice Preside) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Director) $0 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2019

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$1,170,249
Expenses
$813,797
Net Income
$356,452
Net Assets
$681,080
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $1,039,217
88.8%
Program Services $130,938
11.2%
Investment Income $0
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $94
0.0%
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $115,570
14.2%
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $96,472
11.9%
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $681,080
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $681,080
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
David Priess (Coo) $115,570 $0 $0
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $15,000 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
Susan Hennessey (Vice Preside) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Director) $0 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2018

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$704,442
Expenses
$578,566
Net Income
$125,876
Net Assets
$324,574
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $630,024
89.4%
Program Services $74,418
10.6%
Investment Income $0
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $15,250
2.6%
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $46,057
8.0%
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $324,574
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $324,574
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $15,250 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0
Susan Hennessey (Vice Preside) $0 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Director) $0 $0 $0
David Priess (Coo) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2017

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from Form 990
Revenue
$429,140
Expenses
$263,821
Net Income
$165,319
Net Assets
$198,698
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $333,093
77.6%
Program Services $96,047
22.4%
Investment Income $0
Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Notable Expenses Percent of Total Expenses
Executive Compensation $0
Professional Fundraising Fees $0
Other Salaries and Wages $0
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $198,698
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $198,698
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Related Other
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $11,250 $0 $0
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0 $0
David Kris (Officer) $0 $0 $0
Susan Hennessy (Vice President) $0 $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2016

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from 990-EZ
Revenue
$180,503
Expenses
$159,967
Net Income
$20,536
Net Assets
$33,379
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $15,444
8.6%
Program Services $165,059
91.4%
Investment Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $33,379
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $33,379
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Other
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2015

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from 990-EZ
Revenue
$123,313
Expenses
$147,240
Net Income
-$23,927
Net Assets
$19,006
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $121,685
98.7%
Program Services $1,628
1.3%
Investment Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $19,006
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $19,006
Compensation
Key Employees and Officers Compensation Other
Benjamin Wittes (President) $0 $0
Jack Goldsmith (Secretary) $0 $0
Robert Chesney (Treasurer) $0 $0

Document Links

Fiscal Year Ending Dec.
2014

Extracted Financial Data

Extracted Financial Data from 990-EZ
Revenue
$60,973
Expenses
$24,922
Net Income
$36,051
Net Assets
$37,109
Notable Sources of Revenue Percent of Total Revenue
Contributions $45,448
74.5%
Program Services $15,525
25.5%
Investment Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets $0
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $0
Assets/Debt
Total Assets $37,109
Total Liabilities $0
Net Assets $37,109

Document Links

About This Data

Nonprofit Explorer includes summary data for nonprofit tax returns and full Form 990 documents, in both PDF and digital formats.

The summary data contains information processed by the IRS during the 2012-2019 calendar years; this generally consists of filings for the 2011-2018 fiscal years, but may include older records. This data release includes only a subset of what can be found in the full Form 990s.

In addition to the raw summary data, we link to PDFs and digital copies of full Form 990 documents wherever possible. This consists of separate releases by the IRS of Form 990 documents processed by the agency, which we update regularly.

We also link to copies of audits nonprofit organizations that spent $750,000 or more in Federal grant money in a single fiscal year since 2016. These audits are copied from the Federal Audit Clearinghouse.

Which Organizations Are Here?

Every organization that has been recognized as tax exempt by the IRS has to file Form 990 every year, unless they make less than $200,000 in revenue and have less than $500,000 in assets, in which case they have to file form 990-EZ. Organizations making less than $50,000 don’t have to file either form but do have to let the IRS they’re still in business via a Form 990N "e-Postcard."

Nonprofit Explorer has organizations claiming tax exemption in each of the 27 subsections of the 501(c) section of the tax code, and which have filed a Form 990, Form 990EZ or Form 990PF. Taxable trusts and private foundations that are required to file a form 990PF are also included. Small organizations filing a Form 990N "e-Postcard" are not included in this data.

Types of Nonprofits

There are 27 nonprofit designations based on the numbered subsections of section 501(c) of the tax code. See the list »

Get the Data

For those interested in acquiring the original data from the source, here’s where our data comes from:

  • Raw filing data. Includes EINs and summary financials as structured data.
  • Exempt Organization profiles. Includes organization names, addresses, etc. You can merge this with the raw filing data using EIN numbers.
  • Form 990 documents. Prior to 2017, these documents were obtained and processed by Public.Resource.org and ProPublica. Bulk PDF downloads since 2017 are available from the IRS.
  • Form 990 documents as XML files. Includes complete filing data (financial details, names of officers, tax schedules, etc.) in machine-readable format. Only available for electronically filed documents. Electronic data released prior to October 2021 is also available through Amazon Web Services.
  • Audits. PDFs of single or program-specific audits for nonprofit organizations that spent $750,000 or more in Federal grant money in a single fiscal year. Available for fiscal year 2015 and later.

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