Cities Forward Inc
Cities Forward Inc is a Washington, DC–based public charity that describes itself as a nonpartisan effort helping cities and local governments make participation in the democratic process a priority. It supports work to strengthen civic engagement and build relationships between residents and local government.
Cities Forward Inc at a glance
In short: Cities Forward Inc gave $3.7M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $367K), top state Michigan. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,671,850
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $367,185
- Median grant
- $175,000
- Total assets
- $213,307
- -75.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Michigan (42% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Cities Forward Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 6218 Georgia Avenue Ste 1-406, Washington, DC 20011
Phone: (646) 795-7978
Website: https://citiesforward.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cities Forward Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Count Mi Vote Education Fund ($1.6M). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
10 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 10 (30%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grants went to recipients in Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. Shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Michigan 42%, Wisconsin 28%, Oregon 14%, Pennsylvania 10%, and Arizona 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Count Mi Vote Education Fund Lansing, MI | Mission Support | $1,550,000 |
| City of Milwaukee Election Commission Milwaukee, WI | Mission Support | $786,850 |
| Pizza to the Polls Portland, OR | Mission Support | $525,000 |
| Committee of Seventy Philadelphia, PA | Mission Support | $285,000 |
| Municipal Department of the City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | Mission Support | $250,000 |
| Arizona State University Foundation for a New American University Tempe, AZ | Mission Support | $100,000 |
| Pa Alliance Foundation Philadelphia, PA | Mission Support | $100,000 |
| Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Scottsdale, AZ | Mission Support | $25,000 |
| Tohono O Odham Nation Sells, AZ | Mission Support | $25,000 |
| United National Indian Tribal Youth Inc DBA Unity Inc Mesa, AZ | Mission Support | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $213,307 | $6,204,000 | $6,854,575 | $3,671,850 | 10 |
| 2023 | $853,420 | $1,002,000 | $156,179 | — | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to help cities and local governments prioritize participation in the democratic process. In its 2024 filing, it described work on nonpartisan civic engagement, including helping residents access government services and benefits, strengthening neighborhood connections, and removing barriers to participation in civic life, including voting. It also described the Tribes Forward project as supporting tribal governments’ civic engagement efforts and fostering relationships between tribes and local election officials.
The 2024 grants went to election and civic-engagement organizations, local government entities, and tribal governments. For example, grantee Count MI Vote Education Fund describes its mission as encouraging an informed and involved Michigan electorate through education, training, and information. Pizza to the Polls describes its mission as educating people about civic duties and opportunities and increasing turnout. The Committee of Seventy describes its work as advancing representative, ethical, and effective government in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania through citizen engagement and public-policy advocacy. PA Alliance Foundation says it focuses on civic engagement and democracy advancement in Pennsylvania, including nonpartisan voter education and mobilization.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Cities Forward reported 10 grants totaling $3,671,850. Grant amounts ranged from $25,000 to $1,550,000, with a median grant of $175,000. The filing lists each grant’s purpose as “mission support.”
The largest grants were $1,550,000 to Count MI Vote Education Fund; $786,850 to the City of Milwaukee Election Commission; $525,000 to Pizza to the Polls; $285,000 to the Committee of Seventy; and $250,000 to the Municipal Department of the City of Milwaukee. Other grants were $100,000 to Arizona State University Foundation for a New American University, $100,000 to PA Alliance Foundation, and $25,000 each to Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Tohono O’odham Nation, and United National Indian Tribal Youth Inc. (doing business as UNITY Inc.).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Tanglis as secretary, Nina Zenni as treasurer, and Sam Oliker-Friedland as chair and assistant treasurer.
Cities Forward Inc's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Tanglis
Secretary
President → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nina Zenni
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Oliker-Friedland
Chair Assistant Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Peter Golfman (2023) — Secretary
- Former: Trevor Ostbye (2023) — Assistant Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Cities Forward Inc
How much does Cities Forward Inc give each year?
Cities Forward Inc gave $3.7M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990.
What is Cities Forward Inc's typical grant size?
Cities Forward Inc's median grant in 2024 was $175,000, and its average grant was $367,185, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Cities Forward Inc give grants?
Cities Forward Inc's top state is Michigan, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Wisconsin (28%) and Oregon (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (2 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does Cities Forward Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Cities Forward Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Mission Support" (10 grants).
Who are Cities Forward Inc's largest grantees?
Cities Forward Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Count Mi Vote Education Fund ($1,550,000), City of Milwaukee Election Commission ($786,850) and Pizza to the Polls ($525,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Cities Forward Inc?
Cities Forward Inc reported $213K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.2M.
What does Cities Forward Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to help cities and local governments prioritize participation in the democratic process. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cities Forward Inc?
Cities Forward Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check citiesforward.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Cities Forward Inc's EIN?
Cities Forward Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-1383745. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Cities Forward Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cities Forward Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cities-forward-inc-morg_5ff8ab35880f48bfa507848e7bbe527e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_931383745_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cities Forward Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cities-forward-inc-morg_5ff8ab35880f48bfa507848e7bbe527e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Cities Forward Inc'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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