ADVOCATES FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT

Cite this

Plain text ADVOCATES FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT. furp.org, nonprofit organization profile, tax years 2016–2024. https://furp.org/org/advocates-for-self-government-770099744. Retrieved 2026-11-01.

APA furp.org. (n.d.). ADVOCATES FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT [Nonprofit organization profile; tax years 2016–2024]. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://furp.org/org/advocates-for-self-government-770099744

MLA “ADVOCATES FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT.” furp.org, tax years 2016–2024, https://furp.org/org/advocates-for-self-government-770099744. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Retrieved 2026-11-01; covers tax years 2016–2024. Data: furp.org, CC BY 4.0.

2024 · Form 990 · revenue $1.0M · expenses $672K · assets $488K

EIN
77-0099744
Address
500 CAPITOL MALL STE 2050, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814-4754
Website
https://www.theadvocates.org
NTEE code
-
Exempt type
501(c)(3): charitable, religious, educational, scientific or literary (corporation)
Ruling date
November 1986 (when the IRS recognized its exemption)
IRS status
Exempt (unconditional) (IRS Business Master File) IRS data ↗
Tax-deductible donations
Yes: listed in IRS Publication 78 (public charity) Pub 78 ↗
Foundation status
Public charity supported by the public (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))
Cross-check
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer

Mission

To educate the general public about the political map and libertarian philosophy; to teach communications skills to libertarians, free market advocates and civil libertarians.

Each tax year counts once: when a return was amended, only the latest return for that period is used below (superseded returns stay listed, greyed, under Finances).

People paid by the organization

None of the 13 people listed on these returns reported compensation from the organization. They are listed below.

Officers and directors, no compensation reported

13 people listed on the returns with $0 (or no amount) in every compensation column: current people first. Hours are as filed on the latest return each person appears on.

NameLatest titleYearsHrs/wk (latest)CompensationOrganizations
Todd Rufer Director2021-2024 2 $0 reported 3
Emily Henkel Treasurer2021-2024 2 $0 reported 4
Chris Rufer Chairman2016-2024 4 $0 reported 4
Michael Sertic President2017-2024 40 $0 reported 3
Karrie Rufer Secretary2017-2024 2 $0 reported 2
John Guido (former) Treasurer through July 20212017-2021 2 $0 reported 3
Mike Sertic (former) President2021 40 $0 reported 1
Mark Rutherford (former) DIRECTOR2016 1 $0 reported 1
Doug Kippel (former) DIRECTOR2016 1 $0 reported 1
Emily Salvette (former) DIRECTOR2016 1 $0 reported 1
James Lark (former) CHAIRMAN2016 1 $0 reported 1
Diane Bast (former) SECRETARY2016 1 $0 reported 1
Brett Bittner (former) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR2016 40 $0 reported 1

People by year

2024 · 5 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman4 $0$0$0 $04
Michael Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $03
Emily Henkel Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $04
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Todd Rufer Director2 $0$0$0 $03
2023 · 5 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman4 $0$0$0 $04
Michael Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $03
Emily Henkel Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $04
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Todd Rufer Director2 $0$0$0 $03
2022 · 5 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman4 $0$0$0 $04
Emily Henkel Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $04
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Todd Rufer Director2 $0$0$0 $03
Michael Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $03
2021 · 6 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman5 $0$0$0 $04
Emily Henkel Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $04
John Guido Treasurer through July 20212 $0$0$0 $03
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Todd Rufer Director2 $0$0$0 $03
Mike Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $01
2020 · 4 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman2 $0$0$0 $04
John Guido Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $03
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Michael Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $03
2019 · 4 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman2 $0$0$0 $04
John Guido Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $03
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Michael Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $03
2018 · 4 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 3 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Chris Rufer Chairman2 $0$0$0 $04
John Guido Treasurer2 $0$0$0 $03
Karrie Rufer Secretary2 $0$0$0 $02
Michael Sertic President40 $0$0$0 $03
2017 · 4 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 4 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
CHRIS RUFER CHAIRMAN2 $0$0$0 $04
JOHN GUIDO TREASURER2 $0$0$0 $03
KARRIE RUFER SECRETARY2 $0$0$0 $02
MICHAEL SERTIC PRESIDENT2 $0$0$0 $03
2016 · 7 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
MARK RUTHERFORD DIRECTOR1 $0$0$0 $01
DOUG KIPPEL DIRECTOR1 $0$0$0 $01
EMILY SALVETTE DIRECTOR1 $0$0$0 $01
JAMES LARK CHAIRMAN1 $0$0$0 $01
DIANE BAST SECRETARY1 $0$0$0 $01
CHRIS RUFER TREASUERER1 $0$0$0 $04
BRETT BITTNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR40 $0$0$0 $01

Highest-paid independent contractors

2024 · 1 contractor · $130K
NameLocationServicePaid
Sky High Visions LLCBoulder, COWebsite Development$130,332
2022 · 1 contractor · $117K
NameLocationServicePaid
Sky High Visions LLCBoulder, COWebsite development$117,145
2021 · 1 contractor · $109K
NameLocationServicePaid
Working Theory LLCAustin, TXStrategic Consultant$108,996
2019 · 1 contractor · $113K
NameLocationServicePaid
Thorium DesignRocklin, CAProgramming & IT Design$112,589
2016 · 1 contractor · $276K
NameLocationServicePaid
THE ENGLEHART GROUPINDIANAPOLIS, INPROGRAM SERVICES$276,407

Who the money went to

Grants this organization reported paying: Schedule I Part II of the Form 990, or the grants-paid list on the 990-PF. Open a year for every recipient. Recipients link to their own page when the grant names an EIN we have (990-PF grants list no EIN, so those link only on an exact, unique name and state). Grants to individuals are counted; their names are not shown.

2024 · 1 grant to organizations · $25K
2021 · 1 grant to organizations · $296K

Negative amounts are returned or refunded grants; they are listed last and left out of the totals of grants paid.

Who gave

Contributor names are not public for this form type.

Public charities filing Form 990 or 990-EZ report large donors on Schedule B, but the IRS withholds their names and addresses from public copies. Private foundations (990-PF) are different: their contributors are public.

Finances

Newest first. Each filing: its name on one row, its figures on the row beneath. Greyed filings are superseded by a later return for the same period and are left out everywhere else on this page.

RevenueExpensesAssetsNet assetsContributionsProgram revenueOfficer payEmployeesVolunteers
2024 · Form 990 period ending 2024-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$1,012,590$671,950 $488,183$488,183 $1,010,421$1,440 $000
2023 · Form 990 period ending 2023-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$861,466$772,703 $182,329$147,543 $860,940$526 $000
2022 · Form 990 period ending 2022-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$444,303$639,324 $141,551$58,780 $440,758$3,545 $000
2021 · Form 990 period ending 2021-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$908,718$882,837 $261,060$253,801 $904,980$3,198 $000
2020 · Form 990 period ending 2020-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$359,218$364,528 $227,920$227,920 $356,490$2,728 $000
2019 · Form 990 period ending 2019-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$367,493$302,195 $233,230$233,230 $366,047$1,446 $000
2018 · Form 990 period ending 2018-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$248,342$267,292 $167,932$167,932 $237,426$10,916 $003
2017 · Form 990 period ending 2017-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$265,749$126,341 $186,882$186,882 $256,251$9,498 $004
2016 · Form 990 period ending 2016-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$223,188$286,637 $47,474$47,474 $219,538$0 $000

Connected to

Organizations that list some of the same people on their returns (officers, directors, key employees on this organization’s latest return), and related organizations it lists on Schedule R.

Funders of this organization

4 grantors reported grants to this organization, $1,099,501 in all, tax years 2016 to 2024. Exact: the grantor wrote this organization's EIN. Fuzzy: the grantor wrote only a name (foundations' 990-PF has no EIN field), matched to the same or a near-identical name in the same state; the name as filed is shown. From the latest return for each grantor and year, so amended returns aren't counted twice. CSV

GrantorTypeMatchYears givenGrantsTotalLatest yearLatest year's amountGrants
DONORS TRUST INC DAF sponsor Exact 2020-2021, 2023-2024 4$977,900 2024$350,100
show
LIBERTY EARS INC Private foundation Fuzzy filed as “ADVOCATES FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT” 2022 1$104,000 2022$104,000
show
UNITED WAY WORLDWIDE DAF sponsor Exact 2016 1$16,609 2016$16,609
show
AMAZONSMILE FOUNDATION Private foundation Fuzzy filed as “ADVOCATES FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT” 2020-2023 4$992 2023$179
show

Nearby + Similar BETA

Organizations like this one: what they do and who they are linked to

Same category: NTEE code and revenue

No similar organizations found.

Who funds organizations like this

Not reported: none of these organizations has foundation or DAF-sponsor grants in the filings we have.

The full list · all similar organizations

Where the money went

Every expense line on each return, biggest first: Form 990 Part IX (with its program, management and fundraising columns), 990-EZ Part I, or 990-PF Part I. Event marks lines the organization itself describes as events. “Events” in each summary adds those lines, conferences and meetings, and the direct costs of fundraising events. Unusual is not the same as improper. Many of these patterns have ordinary explanations. Check the filing.

2024 · Form 990 · $671,950 spent · pay $0 · grants $25,000 · events $1,551
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $368,883$233,902$80,989$53,992 54.9%
Information technology $155,397$155,397-- 23.1%
Advertising and promotion $65,695$65,695-- 9.8%
Office expenses $46,751$35,067$5,558$6,126 7.0%
Grants to US organizations and governments $25,000$25,000-- 3.7%
Travel $5,853$4,974$826$53 0.9%
Fees: accounting $2,820-$2,820- 0.4%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $1,551$1,551-- 0.2%
Total$671,950100%

View the filing

2023 · Form 990 · $772,703 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $35,851
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $536,305$386,736$73,347$76,222 69.4%
Information technology $94,032$94,032-- 12.2%
Travel $36,930$31,415$1,144$4,371 4.8%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $35,851$35,815$36- 4.6%
Office expenses $35,594$832$19,206$15,556 4.6%
Advertising and promotion $28,903$28,853-$50 3.7%
Fees: accounting $5,088-$5,088- 0.7%
Total$772,703100%

View the filing

2022 · Form 990 · $639,324 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $4,209
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $463,357$335,598$66,627$61,132 72.5%
Information technology $86,787$86,787-- 13.6%
Advertising and promotion $37,764$37,764-- 5.9%
Office expenses $25,944$5,523$3,375$17,046 4.1%
Travel $18,758$16,658$2,100- 2.9%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $4,209$4,209-- 0.7%
Fees: accounting $2,505-$2,505- 0.4%
Total$639,324100%

View the filing

2021 · Form 990 · $882,837 spent · pay $0 · grants $296,000 · events $4,170
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $441,481$305,527$113,640$22,314 50.0%
Grants to US organizations and governments $296,000$296,000-- 33.5%
Information technology $74,902$74,902-- 8.5%
Advertising and promotion $34,779$34,779-- 3.9%
Office expenses $22,894$4,076$5,495$13,323 2.6%
Travel $8,611$1,231$5,003$2,377 1.0%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $4,170$2,088$809$1,273 0.5%
Total$882,837100%

View the filing

2020 · Form 990 · $364,528 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $325,026$301,535$12,533$10,958 89.2%
Office expenses $20,242$4,624$7,370$8,248 5.6%
Advertising and promotion $11,660$11,660-- 3.2%
Information technology $7,144$5,083$2,061- 2.0%
Travel $236$236-- 0.1%
Other (as described)Taxes and licenses $220-$220- 0.1%
Total$364,528100%

View the filing

2019 · Form 990 · $302,195 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $6,816
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $268,550$261,508$2,034$5,008 88.9%
Office expenses $9,877$1,644$2,280$5,953 3.3%
Information technology $8,522$6,461$2,061- 2.8%
Fees: accounting $7,601-$7,601- 2.5%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $6,816--$6,816 2.3%
Travel $809$809-- 0.3%
Other (as described)Taxes and licenses $20-$20- 0.0%
Total$302,195100%

View the filing

2018 · Form 990 · $267,292 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $1,679
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $185,214$175,705$9,509- 69.3%
Office expenses $68,290$63,421$4,773$96 25.5%
Information technology $6,856$3,428$3,428- 2.6%
Travel $5,153--$5,153 1.9%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $1,679--$1,679 0.6%
Other (as described)Taxes and licenses $100-$100- 0.0%
Total$267,292100%

View the filing

2017 · Form 990 · $126,341 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $1,615
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: other services $100,087$85,074$5,004$10,009 79.2%
Office expenses $11,987$9,522$1,985$480 9.5%
Information technology $5,169$5,014$129$26 4.1%
Fees: accounting $3,677$3,126$184$367 2.9%
Travel $2,232$2,232-- 1.8%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $1,615$1,615-- 1.3%
Other (as described)POSTAGE AND PRINTING $1,539--$1,539 1.2%
Other (as described)TAXES AND LICENSES $35-$35- 0.0%
Total$126,341100%

View the filing

2016 · Form 990 · $286,637 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $6,862
LineAs describedTotalProgramManagementFundraisingShare
Fees: management $236,688$201,189$11,829$23,670 82.6%
Other (as described)POSTAGE AND PRINTING $17,822--$17,822 6.2%
Information technology $16,426$15,933$411$82 5.7%
Office expenses $8,467$6,726$1,402$339 3.0%
Conferences, conventions and meetings $6,862$6,862-- 2.4%
Advertising and promotion $357$339$11$7 0.1%
Travel $15$15-- 0.0%
Total$286,637100%

View the filing

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