Foundation for Individual Rights and

What they fund

freespeechwillstudylookingstudentsacademicamendment

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

• Cosmos Institute1 grant · $250,000
• Alumni Free Speech Alliance1 grant · $173,800
• The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania5 grants · $105,700
• Arthur L Carter Journalism Institute at New York University1 grant · $75,000
• National Constitution Center2 grants · $50,000
• President and Fellows of Harvard College1 grant · $50,000
• Balaker Media Foundation2 grants · $49,700
• University of Washington (Grants)1 grant · $37,384
• Junior State of America1 grant · $36,000
• The Future of Free Speech1 grant · $35,144

Giving over time

Grant history

All 44 reported grants, largest first.

• $250,000

  Cosmos Institute · Austin, TX · 2024

  Fire and cosmos institute are collaborating on a fast grants project to promote the development of truth-seeking ai.

• $173,800

  Alumni Free Speech Alliance · Lancaster, SC · 2023

  Provide assistance to the alumni free speech alliance to cover overhead and administrative costs while afsa partners with fire to develop more independent alumni groups across the country.

• $75,000

  Arthur L Carter Journalism Institute at New York University · New York, NY · 2021

  Funds for collaborating on and promoting a curriculum educating college students about first amendment rights.

• $50,000

  President and Fellows of Harvard College · Cambridge, MA · 2024

  This is an intervention study that will test the hks practice of training students in civil disagreement by having them interact with ai chatbots to debate hot-button social issues as part of orientation. Attitudes and … read allThis is an intervention study that will test the hks practice of training students in civil disagreement by having them interact with ai chatbots to debate hot-button social issues as part of orientation. Attitudes and behaviors relating to civil disagreement will be measured before and after exposure to the intervention. less
• $49,200

  The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

  Two studies, one using survey data to see how political speech in the workplace has changed over the last 20 years, and another using surveys from national opinion research council to see how minor changes in situations… read allTwo studies, one using survey data to see how political speech in the workplace has changed over the last 20 years, and another using surveys from national opinion research council to see how minor changes in situations and context regarding controversial speech change support for a speaker's free expression. less
• $37,384

  University of Washington (Grants) · Chicago, IL · 2023

  Support for study looking at how dei statements from different ideological points of view are evaluated.

• $37,275

  Balaker Media Foundation · Fallbrook, CA · 2022

  Project to create a free expression counterbalance in the film industry.

• $36,000

  Junior State of America · Oakland, CA · 2022

  Funding provided to create free speech programming at three of jsa's spring conventions to educate high school students on the benefits of free speech.

• $35,144

  The Future of Free Speech · Nashville, TN · 2024

  This will be an international replication of the cfsr survey looking at brazilian campuses run by jacob mchangama's future of free speech at vanderbilt university.

• $35,000

  Georgetown University · Washington, DC · 2024

  John hasnas will recruit paper writers and speakers to host a symposium on the ethics of free speech on college campuses at georgetown, which will be open to the public.

• $33,593

  Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas · Fayetteville, AR · 2022

  A project with two components: a quantitative component looking at fire's campus free speech ratings to see how certain campus factors predict student attitudes towards free speech and a qualitative component involving … read allA project with two components: a quantitative component looking at fire's campus free speech ratings to see how certain campus factors predict student attitudes towards free speech and a qualitative component involving interviews of 20 scholars identified in scholars under fire. less
• $33,000

  Pembroke College Foundation · Williamsville, NY · 2023

  Support for a digital humanities project visualizing the evolution of first amendment-like protections in state constitutions, and interviews with judges who interpret said protections.

• $31,400

  California State University Long Beach · Long Beach, CA · 2023

  Support for project to create a general population baseline against which to compare the results of the college free speech rankings survey.

• $25,015

  George Mason University · Fairfax, VA · 2022

  Using the machine learning technique of natural language processing to examine if there is publication bias in top-tier academic journals for or against certain perspectives on controversial issues, such as diversity an… read allUsing the machine learning technique of natural language processing to examine if there is publication bias in top-tier academic journals for or against certain perspectives on controversial issues, such as diversity and inclusion programming, microaggressions, minimum wage, and violence in video games. less
• $25,000

  National Constitution Center · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

  Partnership with the national constitution center to host a first amendment summit on constitution day.

• $25,000

  National Constitution Center · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

  Funding provided to co-host a first amendment summit on september 13, 2023.

• $24,279

  University of South Florida Board of Trustees · Tampa, FL · 2024

  Mark pezzo will do 5 psychological experiments to see how different factors influence desire to censor in the educational context, including perceived offensiveness, falsity, and harm, as well as pragmatic concerns (los… read allMark pezzo will do 5 psychological experiments to see how different factors influence desire to censor in the educational context, including perceived offensiveness, falsity, and harm, as well as pragmatic concerns (loss of income, harm to reputation). less
• $22,500

  University of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA · 2023

  Support for a study looking at whether ideological preferences are signalled in education school job postings and if that has changed over time.

• $22,000

  The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

  Surveys will be utilized to find differences in support among the american public for the legality of disagreeable speech and protest for citizens and noncitizens and students and non-students.

• $22,000

  University of California Berkeley · Berkeley, CA · 2023

  Support for study examining whether there is ideological bias in federal science funding projects.

• $21,600

  Regents of the University of California · Riverside, CA · 2022

  Qualitative study looking at divisive concept bills in texas and florida, and examining both lawmakers' motivations for proposing the legislation, and faculty members' reactions to the legislation, involving direct inte… read allQualitative study looking at divisive concept bills in texas and florida, and examining both lawmakers' motivations for proposing the legislation, and faculty members' reactions to the legislation, involving direct interviews of these stakeholders and archival research on floor debate over the legislation. less
• $20,000

  New York University · New York City, NY · 2023

  Support for their new project cateloguing and creating a database of slapp lawsuits across the usa

• $20,000

  Mercatus Center · Arlington, VA · 2022

  Funding provided to co-host a pluralism lab on the topic of free speech and content moderation to educate undergraduate and graduate students.

• $18,800

  Cornell Free Speech Alliance · San Antonio, TX · 2021

  Funds for supporting and advancing free expression, viewpoint diversity, and academic freedom on campus.

• $18,500

  Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University · Arlington, VA · 2024

  Co-hosted higher education summit in nashville, tn with the institute for humane studies for faculty and administrators.

• $17,500

  2way Interactive · Brooklyn, NY · 2024

  Fire sponsored the moynihan report, a current events news show hosted by michael moynihan on the 2way platform. The sponsorship featured fire staff in segments, host-led advocacy, and direct fundraising appeals that inv… read allFire sponsored the moynihan report, a current events news show hosted by michael moynihan on the 2way platform. The sponsorship featured fire staff in segments, host-led advocacy, and direct fundraising appeals that invited viewers to support fire's free speech mission. less
• $15,000

  Elena Velez Industry · Colgate, WI · 2024

  Partnership with elena velez to highlight the importance of free expression at her fashion show in nyc.

• $15,000

  Moviegoer · Billings, MT · 2024

  Increase fire's network of allies and build genuine, self-sustaining relationships to advance fire's mission.

• $15,000

  New York University · New York City, NY · 2023

  Support for participation in the first amendment summit including promotion to universities for virtual engagement and follow-up outreach for adoption of free speech orientation materials

• $13,860

  Brown University · Providence, RI · 2023

  Support for project studying whether viewpoint diversity affects success in group problem-solving

• $13,846

  Texas Christian University · Fort Worth, TX · 2024

  Chip stewart will run an experiment exposing people to labeled and unlabeled ai-generated content and authentic content to see whether and how labeling impacts people's perceptions of that content, to help understand im… read allChip stewart will run an experiment exposing people to labeled and unlabeled ai-generated content and authentic content to see whether and how labeling impacts people's perceptions of that content, to help understand implications of proposed legislation mandating labeling on ai-generation content. less
• $13,500

  The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

  Support for a study looking at political statements issued by academic journals and professional organizations

• $13,200

  The Regents of the University of California · Merced, CA · 2023

  Support for a project examining the scholarly output of academics before and after they face controversies related to their speech.

• $12,425

  Balaker Media Foundation · Fallbrook, CA · 2024

  Project to create a free expression counterbalance in the film industry.

• $12,050

  The Ohio State University · Columbus, OH · 2024

  Edward hohe will use a survey instrument to better understand how students who self-censor conceptualize that self-censorship, by offering hypothetical situations and seeing what variables cause them to indicate that th… read allEdward hohe will use a survey instrument to better understand how students who self-censor conceptualize that self-censorship, by offering hypothetical situations and seeing what variables cause them to indicate that they wouldn't self-censor. less
• $11,977

  Regents of the University of California · Merced, CA · 2023

  Support for study examining how misperceptions of partisan beliefs impacts the consequences subjects think are appropriate for speech

• $11,000

  The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

  Running a survey on academics to see whether and how socioeconomic background may relate to views on academic freedom and free speech, to test the hypothesis that those from diverse, blue collar, or low socioeconomic st… read allRunning a survey on academics to see whether and how socioeconomic background may relate to views on academic freedom and free speech, to test the hypothesis that those from diverse, blue collar, or low socioeconomic status may show greater tolerance for difference of opinion and heterodox views than academics that come from homogeneous, elite, or high socioeconomic status. less
• $10,000

  Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD · 2024

  Jacob bruggerman will create an oral history of the debates of the clipper chip, an early encryption device that caused massive debates about privacy as a civil liberty, and presaged the many debates over privacy and te… read allJacob bruggerman will create an oral history of the debates of the clipper chip, an early encryption device that caused massive debates about privacy as a civil liberty, and presaged the many debates over privacy and tech of the coming decades. less
• $10,000

  MIT Free Speech Alliance · Boston, MA · 2022

  Supporting administrative and outreach expenses for a new independent free speech focused alumni organization.

• $10,000

  New Tolerance Campaign · Oro Valley, AZ · 2022

  Funding provided to support campaigns at emerson college and columbia university to promote free speech on campus.

• $10,000

  The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

  Conducting studies to follow up on a replicated finding of "motivated confusion, or the tendency for people to claim that offensive scientific findings are incomprehensible, as a way of suppressing research that one fin… read allConducting studies to follow up on a replicated finding of "motivated confusion, or the tendency for people to claim that offensive scientific findings are incomprehensible, as a way of suppressing research that one finds morally offensive. less
• $10,000

  Unc Alumni Free Speech Alliance · Richmond, VA · 2022

  Supporting administrative and outreach expenses for a new independent free speech focused alumni organization.

• $7,500

  Harvard Alumni for Free Speech · Naples, FL · 2022

  Supporting administrative and website development expenses for a new independent free speech focused alumni organization.

• $6,500

  Rutgers the State University of New Jersey · Piscataway, NJ · 2022

  We are funding the startup costs of a new journal being launched by lee, dedicated to protecting academic freedom and free inquiry, called the journal for open inquiry in the behavioral sciences. Joibs has a unique publ… read allWe are funding the startup costs of a new journal being launched by lee, dedicated to protecting academic freedom and free inquiry, called the journal for open inquiry in the behavioral sciences. Joibs has a unique publishing model, called peer review with minimal gatekeeping meant to counter censorship. less

Who else funds this kind of work