First Amendment Coalition
First Amendment Coalition is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that provides free legal information, training, and advocacy on First Amendment rights, press freedom, and government transparency to journalists, lawyers, activists, and public officials.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersSan Rafael, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What First Amendment Coalition does
First Amendment Coalition (FAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public interest organization founded in 1988 and headquartered at 534 Fourth Street, Suite B, San Rafael, California. The organization provides free legal information, educational resources, and advocacy services focused on First Amendment rights, press freedom, and government transparency, with particular specialization in California-specific open government laws including the California Public Records Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, and the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
FAC's service portfolio comprises a free Legal Hotline staffed by volunteer attorneys, customized live and virtual training sessions for newsrooms and community organizations, and an extensive library of handbooks and Reporter's Field Guides covering topics such as police transparency (SB 1421, SB 16, AB 748), election day access, immigration enforcement, and California data sources. The organization also operates a Press Freedom Initiative that connects journalists facing subpoenas with qualified legal counsel, an active litigation docket pursuing records-access lawsuits against municipalities and school districts, and an annual Free Speech & Open Government Award. Digital resources include an educational video series, a searchable 'Asked & Answered' database of Legal Hotline responses, and explainer content.
The organization's business model is donation-dependent: as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (tax ID 33-0308483), FAC receives contributions from individuals, foundations, and organizations, and offers free membership. All services are provided at no charge. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products and is supported by a small staff of 1–10 employees under Executive Director David Snyder and Legal Director David Loy. FAC has earned a 2023 Top Rated Nonprofit designation from Charity Navigator and a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal.
First Amendment Coalition firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Amendment Coalition
- Legal name
- First Amendment Coalition
- Website
- https://firstamendmentcoalition.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- First Amendment Coalition is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that provides free legal information, training, and advocacy on First Amendment rights, press freedom, and government transparency to journalists, lawyers, activists, and public officials.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First Amendment Coalition industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Public Interest Legal Services
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA), Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights (BPADAGAE), Government Accountability, Ethics & Anti-Corruption Advocacy (BPAGAFAN)
Keywords
Where First Amendment Coalition is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Rafael
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
First Amendment Coalition business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The First Amendment Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (tax ID number 33-0308483) that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund its operations. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free services - No charges for any services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
First Amendment Coalition product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The First Amendment Coalition is a California-based nonprofit organization that provides free legal information through a volunteer-attorney Legal Hotline, publishes comprehensive handbooks and Reporter's Field Guides on the California Public Records Act, Brown Act, and Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, and conducts customized live and virtual training sessions on First Amendment rights and government transparency. The organization also runs advocacy and litigation programs, including the Press Freedom Initiative that connects journalists facing subpoenas with qualified legal counsel.
Product overview
First Amendment Coalition is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of advocacy programs, legal services, and educational resources focused on First Amendment rights, press freedom, and government transparency in California. The core offerings include: a free Legal Hotline service providing guidance on public records access and First Amendment protections; comprehensive handbooks and Reporter's Field Guides covering California transparency laws (California Public Records Act, Brown Act, Bagley-Keene Act), police transparency, election day access, and immigration enforcement; educational videos on protest coverage, police records access, and public records requests; and training sessions including customized newsroom trainings, watchdog workshops, and public meetings tutorials. Additional programs include the Press Freedom Initiative for journalist legal support, the Cases program for litigation support, and the annual Free Speech & Open Government Award. The organization also maintains digital resources including the Asked & Answered database and Explainers section.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Legal Hotline Free legal hotline providing information about access to public records, attendance at government meetings, court documents, and First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and press in California.
- Training Sessions
- California Public Records Act Primer
- Police Transparency Handbook
- California Brown Act Primer
- Guide to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
- FOIA Sample Request Letter
- Reporter's Field Guide: Police Shootings
- Reporter's Field Guide: Election Day Access
- Reporter's Field Guide: Immigration Enforcement
- Reporter's Field Guide: Data Sources in California
- Educational Videos Series
- Asked & Answered Database
- Explainers
- Press Freedom Initiative
Quantifiable outcome
- Free Legal Hotline available to all, with priority access for supporters and members
Companies that use First Amendment Coalition
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
First Amendment Coalition technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
First Amendment Coalition partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
First Amendment Coalition competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Student Press Law Center: Nonprofit providing legal assistance and resources to student journalists. Comparable in mission (press freedom legal support), service model (hotline + educational materials), and free-of-charge delivery to a journalist audience.
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: National nonprofit providing legal defense and resources to journalists, including a free legal hotline. Directly comparable in mission, service model (hotline + litigation + guides), and customer base (journalists and newsrooms).
- National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC): Coalition supporting state open-records and open-meings laws. Directly comparable as a free-expression / government-transparency advocacy organization focused on public records access, though operating as an umbrella coalition rather than a direct service provider.
- Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Nonprofit defending civil liberties in the digital world, including free expression and government transparency. Comparable as a donor-supported advocacy nonprofit with litigation, handbooks, and digital-rights training resources.
- Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE): Nonprofit defending First Amendment rights through litigation, advocacy, and education. Directly comparable in free-speech focus, litigation-heavy model, and hotline-style intake for individuals facing speech-related disputes.
Emerging players
- MuckRock: FOIA-focused platform helping journalists and researchers file and track public records requests. Comparable in government-transparency domain and journalist user base, though operates as a tech platform rather than a legal-advocacy nonprofit.
Broad incumbents
- PEN America: Larger national nonprofit defending free expression across literary, journalistic, and digital contexts. Comparable in free-expression mission and donor-supported advocacy model, with a broader portfolio (literature, education, international cases) beyond FAC's California focus.
- Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ): Largest journalism professional association in the U.S., advocating for press freedom and First Amendment rights. Comparable in press-freedom advocacy and training/journalist education, though organized as a membership association rather than a legal-services nonprofit.
Regional players
- California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA): California trade association for newspapers that advocates for open-government and press access at the state level. Comparable in California-specific open-government advocacy and journalist/newsroom audience, though organized as an industry trade association.
- ACLU of Northern California: Regional ACLU affiliate litigating civil liberties and First Amendment cases in California. Comparable in civil-liberties / free-speech litigation focus and California geography, though operates as part of a larger national ACLU network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
First Amendment Coalition social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Amendment Coalition financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Amendment Coalition leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
First Amendment Coalition funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Amendment Coalition M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about First Amendment Coalition
What does First Amendment Coalition do?
The First Amendment Coalition is a California-based nonprofit organization that provides free legal information through a volunteer-attorney Legal Hotline, publishes comprehensive handbooks and Reporter's Field Guides on the California Public Records Act, Brown Act, and Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, and conducts customized live and virtual training sessions on First Amendment rights and government transparency. The organization also runs advocacy and litigation programs, including the Press Freedom Initiative that connects journalists facing subpoenas with qualified legal counsel.
Is First Amendment Coalition a public or private company?
First Amendment Coalition is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was First Amendment Coalition founded?
First Amendment Coalition was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is First Amendment Coalition based?
First Amendment Coalition is headquartered in San Rafael, United States, in the North America region.
How does First Amendment Coalition make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are First Amendment Coalition's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Student Press Law Center, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). MuckRock is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are PEN America and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Regional players are California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA) and ACLU of Northern California.
Does First Amendment Coalition have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Amendment Coalition.
What industry is First Amendment Coalition in?
First Amendment Coalition's product category is Nonprofit Public Interest Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAL, Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy, with a secondary code of BPAGAFAA, Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8600.