Advocacy Action Fund Inc
Advocacy Action Fund Inc (AAF) is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization and grantmaking entity based in Menlo Park, California. Founded in December 2021, the organization raises and utilizes funds exclusively for social welfare purposes through strategic grantmaking and policy advocacy at federal, state, and local levels.
Key facts about Advocacy Action Fund Inc
- EIN
- 87-3941853
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $70,091,201
- Grants made (2024)
- 119
- Average grant
- $589,002
- Median grant
- $250,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 70% first-time grantees (57 of 81, 2024)
- Total assets
- $45,733,993
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Advocacy Action Fund Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Advocacy Action Fund Inc's 119 itemized 2024 grants were District of Columbia (34%), California (17%) and Massachusetts (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (51 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Boston, MA (5 grants) and Oakland, CA (5 grants). 19% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Energy Policy Advocacy" (22 grants), "Support for Education About Government Programs" (6 grants) and "Support for Signature Gathering for a Ballot Measure" (3 grants).
Is Advocacy Action Fund Inc open to new grantees?
70%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 57 of 81 grantees (70%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $915K; repeat grants $746K. How we count
Medians: $500K first-time, $247K repeat.
- 27% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2022–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Advocacy Action Fund Inc
- How to evaluate Advocacy Action Fund Inc as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$45.7M
-64.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$70.1M
+328.2% YoY
Grant Count
119
+116.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$589K
+97.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization is organized and operated exclusively for social welfare purposes. AAF focuses on three primary program areas:
Climate and Clean Energy: Advocates for stronger national climate policy measures that accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources. This program supports sustainability and environmental goals.
Technology and Competitiveness: Provides support for efforts to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness and democratic systems as emerging technologies reshape national security, economy, and society.
Reproductive Healthcare Access: Provides support to protect access to reproductive healthcare.
Grantmaking
AAF is an active grantmaking organization with significant grant activity. Recent grants include:
Grant Range
s range from $15,000 to $3,000,000, with median grants around $110,000-$150,000. In 2024, the organization made 55 grants totaling $16.4 million. In 2023, it made 37 grants totaling $8.4 million.
Ready to take the next step with Advocacy Action Fund Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AAF funds organizations and initiatives across multiple states and at the federal level, with documented grantmaking activity in California, Arizona, and Washington, D.C., among other jurisdictions.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 119 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $95,269,665 - $129,983,054
- Total Revenue: $105,746,953
- Total Expenses: $28,950,064
- Number of Employees: 6
As of December 2022:
- Total Assets: $95,300,000
- Total Revenue: $146,286,986
- Total Expenses: $9,451,179
- Number of Employees: 2
The organization has experienced significant growth since its founding in 2021. It maintains a small staff relative to its asset base and grantmaking activity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $45,733,993 | $129,983,054 | $95,269,665 |
| Revenue | $4,407,381 | $105,746,953 | $146,286,986 |
| Expenses | $87,935,833 | $28,950,064 | $9,451,179 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $4,417,110 | $54,420,263 | $73,096,951 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
211 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California ($10,000,000), Future Forward USA Action ($6,500,000 across 2 grants), Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights ($3,250,000 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CAMPAIGN FOR A SAFE AND HEALTHY CALIFORNIA Sacramento, CA | SUPPORT FOR BALLOT MEASURE | $10,000,000 |
| FUTURE FORWARD USA ACTION Washington, DC | SUPPORT FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT | $3,500,000 |
| FUTURE FORWARD USA ACTION Washington, DC | SUPPORT FOR VOTER OUTREACH CAMPAIGN | $3,000,000 |
| MONTANANS SECURING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Helena, MT | SUPPORT FOR BALLOT MEASURE COMMITTEE | $3,000,000 |
| CLIMATE CENTRAL INC Princeton, NJ | SUPPORT FOR CLIMATE INITIATIVES AND GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,025,000 |
| AMERICA VOTES Washington, DC | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC New York, NY | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATIONAL PLANNING | $2,000,000 |
| PROJECT 218 Burke, VA | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
| SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FUTURES INC Cambridge, MA | SUPPORT FOR A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROJECT FOCUSED ON PROTEIN FUNCTIONS | $2,000,000 |
| WORKER POWER PAC Phoenix, AZ | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Michael Kieschnick serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Advocacy Action Fund Inc. He also serves as President and Secretary of Green Advocacy Project, a related organization.
Jason Berkenfeld serves as Secretary of Advocacy Action Fund Inc.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Berkenfeld | Secretary & Director (To 2/1/24) | 1 | — |
| Michael Kieschnick | President, Treasurer & Director | 40 | $159,730 |
| Anne Yamamoto | Director (To 2/1/24) | 1 | $9,600 |
| Amy Rao | Secretary & Director (From 2/1/24) | 1 | — |
| Fran Codispoti | Director (From 2/1/24) | 1 | — |
| Brandon McKee | Sr. Director of Government Affairs | 40 | $159,979 |
| Yll Bajraktari | President & CEO - SCSP Action Program | 40 | $701,057 |
| Jenilee Keefe Singer | Sr. Director of Government Affairs | 40 | $275,467 |
| Kayla Lee Augustine | Executive Assistant | 40 | $100,655 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Advocacy Action Fund Inc fund?
The organization is organized and operated exclusively for social welfare purposes. AAF focuses on three primary program areas: 1. **Climate and Clean Energy**: Advocates for stronger national climate policy measures that accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources. This program supports sustainability and environmental goals. 2. **Technology and Competitiveness**: Provides support for efforts to strengthen America's long-term competi…
How do I apply for a grant from Advocacy Action Fund Inc?
AAF is an active grantmaking organization with significant grant activity. Recent grants include: • Green Advocacy Project: $3,000,000 (General Program Support, December 2023) • Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California: $1,500,000 (Support for Ballot Measure Committee, December 2023) • Arizona for Abortion Access: $1,000,000 (Support for Signature Gathering, 2023) • American Rivers Inc: $719,000 (Support for Regulations Facilitating a Transition to Clean Energy, 2023) • American Council for a…
Where does Advocacy Action Fund Inc make grants?
AAF funds organizations and initiatives across multiple states and at the federal level, with documented grantmaking activity in California, Arizona, and Washington, D.C., among other jurisdictions.
What size grants does Advocacy Action Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Advocacy Action Fund Inc awarded 119 grants totaling $70.1M — an average of about $589K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Advocacy Action Fund Inc's EIN?
Advocacy Action Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3941853. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.