PHOENIX CENTER FOR ADVANCED LEGAL & ECONOMIC PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES INC

EIN: 522079266 501(c)(3) Civil Rights & Advocacy

WASHINGTON, DC

Total Revenue
$1,296,247
Total Expenses
$1,147,565
Total Assets
$495,492
Net Assets
$487,330
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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
1998
Legal Domicile
DC
Principal Officer
LAWRENCE J SPIWAK
Phone
2022740235
Tax Period
2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31

PHOENIX CENTER FOR ADVANCED LEGAL & ECONOMIC PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES INC, founded in 1998, is a community nonprofit in the Civil Rights & Advocacy sector that reported $1.3M in total revenue in fiscal year 2025. Revenue surged 28% from the prior year, signaling strong growth momentum. Expenses of $1.1M left a modest 11% surplus.

Mission

THE PHOENIX CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1998 WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECONOMIC AND MATERIAL IMPLICATIONS OF REGULATORY AND ECONOMIC POLICY IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, THE CENTER SUPPORTS OBJECTIVE, SOLUTIONS-BASED ACADEMIC RESEARCH UNENCUMBERED BY POLITICAL HYPERBOLE, PARTISANSHIP, AND IDEOLOGICAL AGENDAS. ITS WORK IS GROUNDED IN FACT, LAW, AND ECONOMIC THEORY.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $979,999

THE PHOENIX CENTER FOR ADVANCED LEGAL & ECONOMIC PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES (WWW.PHOENIX-CENTER.ORG) IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) RESEARCH ORGANIZATION THAT STUDIES BROAD PUBLIC-POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO...

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THE PHOENIX CENTER FOR ADVANCED LEGAL & ECONOMIC PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES (WWW.PHOENIX-CENTER.ORG) IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) RESEARCH ORGANIZATION THAT STUDIES BROAD PUBLIC-POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO GOVERNANCE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE LAW AND ECONOMICS OF THE DIGITAL AGE. IN 2025, THE PHOENIX CENTER MAINTAINED A ROBUST RESEARCH AGENDA WHICH CONTRIBUTED POSITIVELY TO THE POLICY DEBATE. ALL OF THE PHOENIX CENTER'S RESEARCH MAY BE DOWNLOADED FREE FROM ITS WEBPAGE AND FROM THE SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH NETWORK.KEY PUBLICATIONS IN 2025:- ONE (1) POLICY PAPER.- NINE (9) POLICY BULLETINS.- SIX (6) POLICY PERSPECTIVES.- TWO (2) LAW AND ECONOMICS IN BRIEFS.- FOUR PHOENIX CENTER PAPERS WERE PUBLISHED OR ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN PEER-REVIEWED ACADEMIC JOURNALS, INCLUDING CONCURRENCES, THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS LAW JOURNAL, THE JOURNAL OF REGIONAL ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC CHOICE.- PHOENIX CENTER STAFF HAD SEVEN (7) OP-EDS AND ESSAYS IN AN ASSORTMENT OF OUTLETS, INCLUDING THE YALE JOURNAL ON REGULATION AND THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY BLOG.- PHOENIX CENTER STAFF AUTHORED A CHAPTER IN THE FORTHCOMING RESEARCH HANDBOOK ON DIGITAL REGULATORY AGENCIES (EDWARD ELGAR).IN 2025, CITATIONS TO PHOENIX CENTER RESEARCH COULD BE FOUND IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS SUCH AS ECONOMIC INQUIRY, JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, THE REVIEW OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION, JOURNAL OF FINANCIAL STABILITY, THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY, INFORMATION ECONOMICS AND POLICY, INFORMATION & MEDIA, PUBLIC OPINION QUARTERLY, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FINANCE & ECONOMICS, INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF ECONOMICS & FINANCE, TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY, FRANCHISE LAW JOURNAL, JOURNAL OF CULTURAL ANALYSIS AND SOCIAL CHANGE, THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY IN MEDICINE, FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATION STUDIES, BEHAVIOR & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM, NOTRE DAME JOURNAL ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, MITCHELL HAMLINE LAW JOURNAL OF PUBLIC POLICY AND PRACTICE, THE HOUSTON LAW REVIEW AND THE TEXAS TECH LAW REVIEW, AMONG OTHERS.PHOENIX CENTER STAFF WERE INVITED TO PRESENT OUR RESEARCH AT A VARIETY OF CONFERENCES THIS YEAR, INCLUDING PARTICIPATING ON A PANEL AT THE NARUC WINTER POLICY SUMMIT, SPEAKING AT A CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY TECHFREEDOM AND CEI ENTITLED "BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN TO ROAST THE PIG: CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS OF FTC, FCC AND DOJ INTERFERENCE IN MEDIA AND SPEECH," PARTICIPATING IN A CAPITOL HILL SEMINAR SPONSORED BY THE GW COMPETITION & INNOVATION LAB ENTITLED "FREE SPEECH AND ANTITRUST: WHO CONTROLS THE PUBLIC SQUARE?", MODERATING A FEDERALIST SOCIETY WEBINAR ENTITLED "LITIGATION UPDATE: FTC V. MICROSOFT, AND PARTICIPATING IN A ROUNDTABLE SPONSORED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA LAW SCHOOL ENTITLED "THE NEW VIDEO MARKETPLACE: UPDATING THE LAW FOR CHANGING TIMES?"THE PHOENIX CENTER FILED TWO (2) AMICUS BRIEFS WITH ASSORTED COURTS.BOTH THE CENTER'S CHIEF ECONOMIST AND PRESIDENT REMAIN IN THE TOP 1% OF DOWNLOADED AUTHORS ON THE SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH NETWORK.KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES:- LAWRENCE SPIWAK (PRESIDENT) SERVES AS CO-CHAIR OF FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS BAR ASSOCIATION'S COMMITTEE FOR THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS LAW JOURNAL AND ALSO SERVES ON BOTH THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ANTITRUST PRACTICE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES.THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINS ITS COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING INDEPENDENT, ANALYTICAL RIGOR TO POLICY DEBATES, EMPHASIZING FACT-BASED RESEARCH OVER POLITICAL RHETORIC. THEIR WORK SPANS BROAD PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO GOVERNANCE AND SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE DIGITAL AGE'S LEGAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. THE PHOENIX CENTER CONTINUES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES AND THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM WHILE FOSTERING OPEN DEBATE ABOUT FUTURE POLICY DIRECTIONS.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

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Financial Overview (2025)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $1,295,000
Program Service Revenue $0
Investment Income $1,247
Other Revenue $0
TOTAL REVENUE $1,296,247

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $891
Salaries & Benefits $945,771
Fundraising Expenses $72,796
Program Expenses $979,999
Other Expenses $200,903
TOTAL EXPENSES $1,147,565

Year-over-Year Comparison

2025 2024 Change
Revenue $1,296,247 $1,016,238 +0.3%
Expenses $1,147,565 $1,121,856 +0.0%
Net Income $148,682 $-105,618 -2.4%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Governance

Voting Members
4
Independent Members
2
Employees
2
Volunteers
N/A

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
2
$907,420
Total Directors
4
$907,420
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
LAWRENCE J SPIWAK PRESIDENT 40.00
Officer Director
$364,500 $89,210 $453,710
GEORGE FORD PHD SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT/CHIEF ECONOMIST 40.00
Officer Director
$364,500 $89,210 $453,710
DARYL BASSETT DIRECTOR 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
JERRY B DUVALL DIRECTOR 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 $1,296,247 $1,147,565 $495,492 $148,682
2024 $1,016,238 $1,121,856 $345,637 $-105,618
2023 $948,231 $979,972 $479,929 $-31,741
2022 $902,952 $848,554 $501,907 $54,398
2021 $936,234 $800,372 $444,235 $135,862
2020 $973,525 $872,620 $314,150 $100,905
2019 $919,642 $979,510 $222,281 $-59,868
2018 $908,230 $804,800 $280,559 $103,430
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