Center for Community Change logo

Center for Community Change

Public charity · Grantmaker Washington, DC EIN: 52-0888113 Website

Center for Community Change, which uses the name Community Change, is a Washington, DC–based public charity and national organization. Founded in 1968, it works to build the power of low-income people, especially people of color, to influence policies and institutions and help create a multiracial democracy and fair economy.

Center for Community Change at a glance

In short: Center for Community Change gave $9.7M across 59 grants in 2025 (avg $164K), top state District of Columbia. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$9,663,121
+288.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
59
+68.6% vs 2024
Average grant
$163,782
+130.2% vs 2024
Median grant
$100,000
Total assets
$47,810,716
+32.1% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
58% first-time grantees (34 of 59, 2025)
Primary geography
District of Columbia (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Center for Community Change

Contact

Mailing address: 1536 U Street Nw, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 339-9300
Website: https://communitychange.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Center for Community Change funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Center for American Progress: $1.0MCenter for American Progress$1.0MUnited We Dream Network Inc: $1.0MUnited We Dream Network Inc$1.0MNational Immigration Law Center: $1.0MNational Immigration LawCenter$1.0MVoices of Community Activists and Leaders Inc: $929KVoices of Community Activistsand Leaders Inc$929KAssets Under Movement (Formerly Amalgamated Charitable Foundation): $525KAssets Under Movement(Formerly Amalgamated…$525KUnited Working Families: $500KUnited Working Families$500KMaine People's Resource Center: $375KMaine People's Resource Center$375KIsrc Education Fund (New Venture Fund): $300KIsrc Education Fund (NewVenture Fund)$300KCitizen Impact: $250KCitizen Impact$250KOnline to Offline Strategy Group (Working Families Organization): $247KOnline to Offline StrategyGroup (Working Families…$247K

The largest 2025 recipient was Center for American Progress ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $6.1M.

Grant Size Distribution

311 grants across all recorded years

141<$50K65$50–100K90$100–250K8$250–500K4$500K–1M3$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 141 grants of 311 (45%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Community Change describes working with community-based partners across the country. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (45%) and Washington, DC (21%), followed by California (6%), Maryland (5%), and Colorado (4%).

Grant Distribution by State

41states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.

Cities

WashingtonChicagoNew YorkPortlandBrooklynOaklandDenverSeattleMiamiLos AngelesPhiladelphiaSan FranciscoAtlantaHoustonAlbuquerqueBaltimorePhoenixDetroitKansas CityMilwaukee

Is Center for Community Change open to new grantees?

58%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 34 of 59 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $172K; repeat grants $153K. How we count

Medians: $100K first-time, $70K repeat.

  • 20% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 49% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2.5M$5M$7.5M$10M48 grants2019 84 grants2020 73 grants2021 93 grants2022 51 grants2023 35 grants2024 59 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2019) to $9.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 59 grants totaling $9.7M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Center for American Progress Washington, DCSupporting Capacities$1,000,000
United We Dream Network Inc Washington, DCSupporting Capacities$1,000,000
National Immigration Law Center Los Angeles, CASupporting Capacities$1,000,000
Voices of Community Activists and Leaders Inc Brooklyn, NYSpecial Projects$929,100
Assets Under Movement (Formerly Amalgamated Charitable Foundation) Washington, DCSpecial Projects$525,000
United Working Families Chicago, ILSpecial Projects$500,000
Maine People's Resource Center Portland, MESupporting Capacities$375,000
Isrc Education Fund (New Venture Fund) Washington, DCSpecial Projects$300,000
Citizen Impact Foxboro, MASpecial Projects$250,000
Online to Offline Strategy Group (Working Families Organization) Brooklyn, NYAdvancing a Governing Agenda$247,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$47,810,716$53,339,950$42,576,197$9,663,12159$68,592
2024$36,183,081$43,589,433$33,890,993$2,490,48235$102,065
2023$25,690,854$26,319,348$33,544,558$3,502,00051$12,820
2022$32,237,987$16,049,111$29,659,989$6,494,67493$86,588
2021$47,020,939$18,160,209$24,738,631$4,850,52573$39,435
2020$54,385,420$54,778,765$22,202,273$4,376,88484$73,946
2019$19,661,312$16,631,102$19,219,931$2,259,75048$72,547

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Community Change’s mission is “to build the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change the policies and institutions that impact their lives.” Its stated approach brings together community organizing and civic engagement, policy and advocacy, leadership development, strategic communications, and the incubation of movement projects. The organization also describes work on immigrant rights, child care justice, and income support.

Examples of 2024 grantees show support for organizations with varied missions. Voices of Community Activists & Leaders says it builds power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness. The National Employment Law Project says it works toward a just and inclusive economy where workers have expansive rights and thrive in good jobs. Somos un Pueblo Unido describes work to protect immigrants’ and workers’ rights in New Mexico, while Virginia Organizing says it brings people together to create a more just Virginia.

Grantmaking

In 2024, Community Change reported 35 grants totaling $2,490,482. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $700,000, with a median of $40,000. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 59 grants totaling $9.7 million.

The largest reported grant was $700,000 to Cornell University for a Health Equity Project. Other large awards included $200,800 to Voices of Community Activists & Leaders for special projects; $169,182 to Washington Center for Equitable Growth for special projects; $142,500 to the National Employment Law Project for special projects; and $140,500 to Project HOPE for the Chicago Migrant Project. Other reported awards included $120,000 to Fusion Partnerships for health equity, childcare, and infrastructure campaigns, and $100,000 each to Washington Interfaith Network for infrastructure campaigns and Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition for just recovery and cross-movement convening.

The organization states that grant terms are reviewed and that its president and/or COO has final approval authority. It says restricted grants are applied to the projects specified in grant agreements and that grant-funded activities are monitored through regular staff meetings, monthly project financial reviews, and financial reports from grantees.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Lorella Praeli and Dorian Warren as co-presidents. It also lists Sherece West-Scantlebury as chair, Judy Patrick as vice-chair, Julia Taylor Kennedy as treasurer, and Becky Wasserman as secretary. Other listed members are Muneer Ahmad, Arlene Holt Baker, Roxanne Brown, and James Cadogan.

Center for Community Change is led by Dorian Warren, Co-President since 2022 (on filings since 2019); 9 of 25 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Dorian Warren

    Co-President

    President & Vice President → President Then Co-President, 2021

    President Then Co-President → Co-President, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    24.5 hrs/week

    $200K (2019) → $221K (2025)

  • Lorella Praeli

    Co-President

    Vice President → Vice President Then Co-President, 2021

    Vice President Then Co-President → Co-President, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    31.5 hrs/week

    $70K (2020) → $284K (2025)

  • Sherece West-Scantlebury

    Chair

    2nd Vice Chair → Vice Chair, 2023

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Grecia Lima

    National Political Director

    On filings since 2023

    35 hrs/week

    $192K (2023) → $190K (2025)

  • Alice Randall

    Director People Administration

    Director of People & Culture → Director People Administration, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    35 hrs/week

    $198K (2024) → $198K (2025)

  • Jennifer Wells

    Program Director & Economic Justice

    Director of Economic Justice → Program Director & Economic Justice, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    35 hrs/week

    $168K (2024) → $173K (2025)

  • Ryan Young

    COO & CFO

    Chief of Ops & Sustainability → Chief Operating & Financial Officer, 2020

    Chief Operating & Financial Officer → CFO & COO, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    28 hrs/week

    $161K (2019) → $194K (2025)

  • Seth J. Borgos

    Strat Adv on Learning & Strategy

    Director of Res. & Program Development → Strat Adv on Learning & Strat Development, 2024

    Strat Adv on Learning & Strat Development → Strat Adv on Learning & Strategy, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    35 hrs/week

    $144K (2019) → $202K (2025)

  • Afua Atta-Mensah

    Chief of Programs

    On filings since 2023

    26.3 hrs/week

    $213K (2023) → $240K (2025)

  • John Pomeranz

    General Counsel

    On filings since 2023

    35 hrs/week

    $192K (2023) → $216K (2025)

  • Arlene Holt Baker

    Member

    Chair of the Board → Board Chair, 2022

    Board Chair → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Becky Wasserman

    Secretary

    Secretary, Co-Chair, Fund. & Res. Inn. → Secretary, Co-Chair, Fund & Res. Inn., 2021

    Secretary, Co-Chair, Fund & Res. Inn. → Secretary, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christina M. Greer

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Donna Katzin

    Member

    Chair & Committee on the Board → Board Member, 2021

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Cadogan

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Judy Patrick

    Vice Chair

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2023

    Chair → Vice Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Julia Taylor Kennedy

    Treasurer

    Board Member → Treasurer, Chair & Finance Committee, 2020

    Treasurer, Chair & Finance Committee → Treasurer, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Crystal Hayling

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Muneer Ahmad

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Renay Loper

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Roxanne Brown

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jamila Michener

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kiisha Morrow

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Paulina Gonzalez-Brito

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Daniel Lee

    Member

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (36)
  • Former: Dianne Yamashiro-Omi (2021–2024) — Member
  • Former: Irma Rivera (2022–2024) — Director of Finance Reporting & Compliance
  • Former: Jeff Parcher (2023–2024) — Director of Communications
  • Former: Julia Foster (2023–2024) — Chief of Staff
  • Former: Robin Tanner (2023–2024) — Member
  • Former: Elizabeth K. Rayfield (2019–2023) — Director of Inst. Advisor
  • Former: Jackie Jenkins-Scott (2019–2023) — Member
  • Former: Jonathan Heller (2019–2023) — Member
  • Former: Manuel Pastor (2019–2023) — Member
  • Former: Jeffrey W. Parcher (2019–2022) — Director & Public Affairs
  • Former: Sulma Arias (2021–2022) — Director & Immigrant Rights
  • Former: Wendoly Marte (2021–2022) — Director & Economic Justice
  • Former: Grecia Lima Marquez (2022) — National Political Director
  • Former: Cecilia Ortiz (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: David Jones (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Deepak Pateriya (2019–2021) — Chief of Staff
  • Former: Chirag Mehta (2021) — Director of Policy & Ideas
  • Former: Kim Huckabone (2021) — Director of Human Resources
  • Former: Susan Wefald (2021) — Director of Field Support
  • Former: Ester Lopez (2019–2020) — Vice Chair
  • Former: Jane Fox-Johnson (2019–2020) — Secretary, Chair & Committee
  • Former: Jeff Berman (2019–2020) — Treasurer, Chair & Finance
  • Former: Mary Lassen (2019–2020) — Managing Director
  • Former: Peter Colavito (2019–2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Quinn Delaney (2019–2020) — Imm. Past Board Chair
  • Former: Sam Fulwood (2019–2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Tim Sweeney (2019–2020) — Co-Chair, Fund. & Res.
  • Former: Katherine M. Kahan (2020) — Director of Legal & Advocacy Affairs
  • Former: Katherine Ollenburger (2020) — Director of Brand Strategy
  • Former: Angelica Matos (2019) — Director of Immig. Rights & Racial Justice
  • Former: Deepak Bhargava (2019) — President - Ex-Officio
  • Former: Diane Feeney (2019) — Board Member
  • Former: Kelly Brown (2019) — Board Member
  • Former: Mary Willis (2019) — Board Member
  • Former: Sherece West Scantelebury (2019) — Board Member
  • Former: Steven Savner (2019) — Director of Public Policy

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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

Lorella Praeli — Co-President (See Sched O): $284KLorella PraeliCo-President (See Sched O)$284KAfua Atta-Mensah — Chief of Programs: $240KAfua Atta-MensahChief of Programs$240KDorian Warren — Co-President (See Sched O): $221KDorian WarrenCo-President (See Sched O)$221KJohn Pomeranz — General Counsel: $216KJohn PomeranzGeneral Counsel$216KSeth Borgos — Strat ADV on Learning & Strategy: $202KSeth BorgosStrat ADV on Learning & Strategy$202KAlice Randall — DIR. People Administration: $198KAlice RandallDIR. People Administration$198KRyan Young — COO/CFO (See Sched O): $194KRyan YoungCOO/CFO (See Sched O)$194KGrecia Lima — National Political Director: $190KGrecia LimaNational Political Director$190KJennifer Wells — Program Director, Economic Justice: $173KJennifer WellsProgram Director, Economic…$173K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $284K, to Lorella Praeli (Co-President (See Sched O)). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Center for Community Change

How much does Center for Community Change give each year?

Center for Community Change gave $9.7M across 59 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 35 grants.

What is Center for Community Change's typical grant size?

Center for Community Change's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $163,782, across 59 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Center for Community Change that year got $172K on average.

Where does Center for Community Change give grants?

Center for Community Change's top state is District of Columbia, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (16%) and California (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (14 grants), Chicago, IL (6 grants), Brooklyn, NY (4 grants) and Oakland, CA (3 grants).

Does Center for Community Change give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 59 grants with a stated purpose on Center for Community Change's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Advancing a Governing Agenda" (27 grants), "Special Projects" (23 grants) and "Supporting Capacities" (9 grants).

Who are Center for Community Change's largest grantees?

Center for Community Change's largest 2025 grantees include Center for American Progress ($1,000,000), United We Dream Network Inc ($1,000,000) and National Immigration Law Center ($1,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Center for Community Change?

Center for Community Change reported $47.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $53.3M.

What does Center for Community Change fund?

Community Change’s mission is “to build the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change the policies and institutions that impact their lives.” See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Center for Community Change?

Center for Community Change has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check communitychange.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Center for Community Change's EIN?

Center for Community Change's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-0888113. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 28, 2026)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 12, 2020)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 11, 2021)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 8, 2022)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 14, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Center for Community Change funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/center-for-community-change-morg_0f3309c724e94c28a28d97715b55544e

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_520888113_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Center for Community Change funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/center-for-community-change-morg_0f3309c724e94c28a28d97715b55544e},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-11-06. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Center for Community Change's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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