Freedom 250 disclosure push could rebound on Trump-linked anniversary project
A GOP bill aimed at nonprofit dark money could require new details from Freedom 250, the Trump-linked America 250 celebration vehicle.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
4 min read
A Republican push for more Freedom 250 disclosure could land on a project tied to President Trump’s own celebration plans, according to CBS News reporting, nonprofit experts and government records.
Freedom 250 is the entity behind America’s 250th birthday celebration. The National Park Foundation, a congressionally chartered nonprofit that raises money for the National Park Service, created it as a Delaware limited liability company in October 2025 rather than launching a separate charity.
Government records cited by CBS News show the National Park Foundation received about $90 million in federal money for the anniversary. Documents reviewed by the network show Freedom 250 also sought seven-figure corporate sponsorships while making no public financial filings of its own.
Will Freedom 250 have to disclose its donors?
The GOP bill would likely force the National Park Foundation to report certain details about its relationship with Freedom 250, including how much money moved through the arrangement and who manages it, University of Notre Dame law professor Lloyd Mayer told CBS News. Mayer said the measure would not require disclosure of individual Freedom 250 donors.
The foundation told CBS News that Freedom 250 has had no foreign or individual donors. It said corporate sponsors are listed on Freedom 250’s website, except for a small number that asked to remain anonymous, which the foundation described as typical nonprofit practice. Listed sponsors include Chevron, Boeing, ExxonMobil and Mastercard.
The structure at the center of the fight is known in the nonprofit world as fiscal sponsorship. In plain terms, a charity can house and financially oversee a project that does not have its own tax-exempt status. Brian Mittendorf, an Ohio State University professor who studies nonprofit accounting, told CBS News that charities must disclose ownership of entities such as Freedom 250, but do not have to separately list how that project raised or spent money.
Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee advanced legislation last week that would require charities to report fiscal sponsorship arrangements on tax returns. The bill would also add a 20% tax on funds considered improperly routed through such arrangements, rising to 100% if not fixed.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent backed the measure last week, saying it fits with Treasury work on transparency, tax administration and reporting by tax-exempt organizations. The House Ways and Means Committee did not respond to CBS News requests for comment, and the White House Press Office did not answer questions about Trump’s position on the bill or any contact with Treasury about it.
Who runs Freedom 250?
Corporate filings reviewed by CBS News list Ruth Prescott, executive vice president and chief governance officer of the National Park Foundation, as Freedom 250’s beneficial owner. Those filings do not name White House officials.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Congress in May that he was not aware of the final decision maker for Freedom 250, and later told CNN the group was run out of the White House. National Park Foundation president and CEO Jeff Reinbold testified in February that the foundation created Freedom 250 at the request of the National Park Service.
The foundation told CBS News it agreed with the National Park Service to manage congressionally appropriated funds and ensure Freedom 250 properly distributes and accounts for project money. The Interior Department did not respond to CBS News requests for comment.
Freedom 250 has been under Democratic scrutiny as well. A July interim staff report from Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee called it a “shadow organization” capable of steering the anniversary toward Trump’s partisan agenda. A White House official, speaking on background to CBS News, said Freedom 250 connected partners and communities to raise civic participation and bring the anniversary to a national scale.
Some conservatives in the nonprofit sector warned the GOP effort could sweep more broadly than intended. Lawson Bader, president and CEO of DonorsTrust, told CBS News the bill would affect groups on both the right and left. Marc Wheat, general counsel for Mike Pence-founded Advancing American Freedom, said disclosure tools have previously been used against conservatives.
The Treasury Department and IRS are also weighing changes to Form 990, the annual filing for tax-exempt groups, to require clearer reporting on government grants, contracts and fiscal sponsorships. Mayer told CBS News those rules should reach Freedom 250’s activities because the project receives federal funding.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.