FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, is a nonprofit civil liberties organization founded in 1999. It is dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought, with a particular focus on the educational sector. The organization operates from offices in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
The organization pursues its mission through several distinct projects. Its Litigation Project challenges unconstitutional policies in court, while the Policy Reform Project works directly to improve campus policies affecting expression. FIRE also provides direct support to individuals: its Individual Rights Advocacy project offers free assistance to people whose civil liberties have been violated, and its Campus Rights Advocacy project specifically assists students, professors, and campus groups facing such violations.
FIRE's work places it at the intersection of civil liberties and education. As of available reporting, the organization holds assets of over $74 million.