Ashoka
Build an everyone a changemaker world Ashoka shall generally endeavor to: (continued in sch o)1) encourage and assist individuals (especially social entrepreneurs) to accelerate social innovation for the public good in the fields of, inter alia, economic advancement, protection of minorities, assistance to the poor, legal and civil rights, education, protection of the environment, health, and other public service work; 2) build an active mutual help fellowship among social entrepreneurs and innovators, both in the start-up phase and established, across all barriers; 3) educate various publics about other areas of the world and about social issues;4) enable social entrepreneurs to entrepreneur together and with others; 5) identify and to entrepreneur new patterns for the good; 6) build a world where everyone is a changemaker; and 7) identify and help build the frameworks of thought and patterns of organization that will enable and encourage these aforementioned goals
Ashoka at a glance
In short: Ashoka gave $821K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $411K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $821,357
- -61.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $410,679
- -80.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $410,679
- Total assets
- $90,251,320
- -6.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Virginia (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Ashoka funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Youth Venture Inc ($810K). Together the top 2 received $821K.
Grant Size Distribution
21 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 21 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ashoka gives
- Giving grew 387% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2021) to $2.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $821K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Venture Inc Arlington, VA | Contributions Disbursed | $810,219 |
| RG Food Inc Tulsa, OK | Contributions Disbursed | $11,138 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,251,320 | $35,143,033 | $42,606,216 | $821,357 | 2 | $2,339,131 |
| 2024 | $96,842,589 | $42,144,063 | $48,898,747 | $2,108,294 | 1 | $1,295,934 |
| 2023 | $89,355,676 | $25,830,738 | $46,025,141 | $92,500 | 1 | $787,096 |
| 2022 | $102,229,455 | $45,929,227 | $40,334,548 | $168,532 | 16 | $839,505 |
| 2021 | $104,488,565 | $52,979,773 | $40,874,251 | $10,000 | 1 | $1,311,112 |
| 2020 | $82,475,010 | $42,522,077 | $36,935,397 | $28,000 | 3 | $840,737 |
About Ashoka
Based on IRS filings
Ashoka is a public charity focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in Arlington, VA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $90.3M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $821K. Net investment income was $2.3M.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Ashoka is led by William Drayton, CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 10 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William Drayton
CEO
Chairman → CEO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$232K (2020) → $137K (2025)
Claire Fallender
Director & Global Leadyoung Init.
Director & Global Leadyoung Ini → Director & Global Leadyoung Init., 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$168K (2024) → $215K (2025)
Vipin Thekkekalathil
Director & Youth Years
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$160K (2025)
Fred Hehuwat
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Gordon
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sushmita Gosh
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger Harrison
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diana Wells
President Emeritus
Leadership Group Member → Leadership Team & President Emerita, 2022
Leadership Team & President Emerita → President Emeritus, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$201K (2020) → $219K (2025)
Conrad Carter
Leadership Group Member
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$142K (2022) → $164K (2025)
Tope Fajingbesi
CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$108K (2024) → $131K (2025)
Lisa Davis
Vice President of Integrity
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$118K (2024) → $154K (2025)
Arnaud Mourot
Lgm Changemaker Companies
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$258K (2025)
Leah Lizarondo Shannon
Leadership Group Member
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$159K (2025)
Marie Ringler
Europe Diamond Leader
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$178K (2025)
Jennifer Simpson
CFO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Robert Spoer (2020–2025) — Leadership Grp Member · Filing note: Deceased 724
- Former: Konstanza Frischen (2020–2024) — Tech & Humanity Advisor
- Former: Kyle Zimmer (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Sara Horowitz (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Felipe Vergara (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Emily Lawson (2024) — Leader, Change & Build Ctr Team
- Former: Njideka Harry (2024) — Leadership Group Memeber
- Former: Anne Evans (2020–2023) — Leadership Group Member
- Former: Samara Randhawa (2020–2023) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Stuart Yasgur (2020–2023) — Leadership Group Member
- Former: Kevin Yea (2020–2022) — CFO
- Former: Gretchen Zucker (2022) — Interim CFO
- Former: Desmond Roger Harrison (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Eduardo Felipe Vergara (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Vishnu Swaminathan (2020–2021) — Leadership Group Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $258K, to Arnaud Mourot (LGM Changemaker Companies). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ashoka
How much does Ashoka give each year?
Ashoka gave $821K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.1M across 1 grant.
How large is Ashoka?
Ashoka reported $90.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $35.1M.
What is Ashoka?
Ashoka is a public charity focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in Arlington, VA. It holds $90.3M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Ashoka operate?
Ashoka has awarded grants in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
What is Ashoka's EIN?
Ashoka's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0255908. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Ashoka's focus areas in our free grants database
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