Washington Legal Foundation: mission, leadership and finances
Washington public-interest firm founded in 1977 that litigates for free enterprise and business.
Also known as WLF
Organization
| Founded | 1977 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Washington, DC |
| EIN | 52-1071570 |
| Tax status | 501(c)(3) |
| Website | wlf.org |
Finances (IRS Form 990)
| Total revenue | $3.6 million |
|---|---|
| Total expenses | $1.9 million |
| Total assets | $35.4 million |
| Tax year | 2023 |
What it does
The Washington Legal Foundation, or WLF, is a nonprofit legal group that defends free enterprise and the rights of businesses in court. It files briefs and publishes legal studies.
Washington Legal Foundation is listed here in the category "Legal". A listing on 4conservative.com describes an organization; it is not an endorsement of it or of its positions.
History
It was founded in 1977 and has been led by Daniel Popeo and Richard Samp.
Washington Legal Foundation is a legal organization. It is headquartered in Washington, DC. Its IRS tax status is 501(c)(3). Like other organizations in this collection, it is described here from its own published material and from public records, and the facts on this page are limited to what those sources state.
Leadership and funding
It is funded by donations and files a Form 990, shown here.
The IRS figures on this page come from the latest Form 990 filing that ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists for the organization, for tax year 2023: total revenue of $3.6 million, total expenses of $1.9 million and total assets of $35.4 million at year end. ProPublica lists the filer as Washington Legal Foundation. The figures describe a single tax year and can differ sharply from year to year; check the filing itself and the organization's own site for the current picture.
Where it stands
WLF supports free enterprise, limited government and free speech for business.
These summaries reflect the organization's own stated mission and publicly known activities as of the date below; they are neutral descriptions, not evaluations. Related organizations on this site include Landmark Legal Foundation, Pacific Legal Foundation, The Federalist Society.
Sources
Profile last reviewed November 8, 2026