FIRE — Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
FIRE, formally the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, is an American nonprofit organization that defends freedom of expression. It was founded in 1999 by Alan Charles Kors and Harvey Silverglate as the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, initially focusing on universities. In 2022, it broadened its scope to society as a whole and adopted its current name.
What you can find
The website offers news about ongoing cases, legal explanations, research reports, and an annual ranking of the climate for free speech on American campuses. FIRE assists students and faculty members in legal proceedings and maintains databases of incidents.
Why it is on this list
FIRE does not take a position on gender itself, but handles cases in which statements on the subject led to sanctions, on both sides of the debate. See also science and debate.
Organization and funding
FIRE is based in Philadelphia and has an office in Washington. Its president is attorney Greg Lukianoff, co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind, which he wrote with Jonathan Haidt. In 2022, it received 1,526 requests for help, of which FIRE took on 246, according to the Bradley Impact Fund, one of its funders. According to tax filings, donations grew from $7.0 million in the fiscal year ending June 2015 to $36.5 million in the fiscal year ending June 2025. Major funders include the Bradley Foundation, the Sarah Scaife Foundation, and the Charles Koch Institute. The Bradley Foundation also helped establish the publishing house Encounter Books. The Knight Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies also contribute. When its name changed in June 2022, FIRE announced a $75 million expansion plan over three years.
Rankings and research
Since 2006, FIRE has rated university policies on expression using a red, yellow, or green light. The annual College Free Speech Rankings have been published since 2020 and are produced with research firm College Pulse. For the 2025 edition, more than 58,000 students at over 250 institutions were surveyed. FIRE has produced the So to Speak podcast since 2016 and has released documentaries.
Political orientation
FIRE describes itself as nonpartisan. Because of its funders, critics view the organization as conservative or libertarian. A related British group is Academics for Academic Freedom. More on the broader debate can be found under society.