Commonwealth Communications
Commonwealth Communications is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based public charity that describes itself as a digital and communications hub for Pennsylvania’s progressive, public-interest, and pro-democracy community. It provides communications, digital, public relations, and community-building support, and its 2024 filing describes work to expand voter access, inform voters, hold institutions accountable, support aligned candidates, and provide communications assistance to partner organizations.
Commonwealth Communications at a glance
In short: Commonwealth Communications gave $510K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $46K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 45% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $510,000
- +108.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +37.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $46,364
- +51.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $580,569
- -24.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (5 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (85% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Commonwealth Communications
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 22611, Philadelphia, PA 19110
Phone: (484) 432-5290
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Commonwealth Communications funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was People Power Pennsylvania ($250K). Together the top 10 received $495K.
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 28 grants of 44 (64%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s stated mission and program descriptions focus on Pennsylvania. In 2024, 85% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 10% to recipients in New York, and 5% to recipients in Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Commonwealth Communications open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 11 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $75K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 36% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $175K (2020) to $1.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $510K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| People Power Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Political | $250,000 |
| Project 26 Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Primary Purpose | $50,000 |
| Promote the Vote PA Philadelphia, PA | Primary Purpose | $25,000 |
| Organize Pennsylvania DBA One PA Pittsburgh, PA | Primary Purpose | $25,000 |
| API Pa Votes Philadelphia, PA | Political | $25,000 |
| Pennsylvania United Pittsburgh, PA | Political | $25,000 |
| CASA in Action Pac Hyattsville, MD | Political | $25,000 |
| Working Families Party Pac Brooklyn, NY | Political | $25,000 |
| Working Families Power Working Families Organization Inc Brooklyn, NY | Primary Purpose | $25,000 |
| New Pennsylvania Project Lemoyne, PA | Primary Purpose | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $580,569 | $3,498,805 | $3,700,167 | $510,000 | 11 |
| 2023 | $773,485 | $2,615,618 | $2,167,413 | $245,000 | 8 |
| 2022 | $375,720 | $5,476,702 | $5,284,959 | $1,175,000 | 21 |
| 2021 | $82,458 | $862,000 | $1,270,556 | — | — |
| 2020 | $508,266 | $5,984,990 | $5,498,172 | $175,000 | 4 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to promote social welfare through legislative and public action supporting non-partisan progressive values in Pennsylvania. Its 2024 filing describes a centralized voting-information site, voter guides covering state and federal candidates, public education and accountability work, and communications support for aligned partners and coalitions. The filing also says Commonwealth Communications supports Pennsylvania candidates aligned with its values and uses paid and organic media to support those candidates and oppose candidates and political parties at odds with those values.
The organization’s website describes its work as producing and testing creative, building ad campaigns, and organizing communicators to develop messaging and content. It also describes Megaphone as a volunteer community of storytellers, activists, and amplifiers who create and share content about shared values, freedom, economic fairness, and democracy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Commonwealth Communications reported 11 grants totaling $510,000. Grant amounts ranged from $15,000 to $250,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest grant was $250,000 to People Power Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, with the purpose listed as “POLITICAL.” Other grants included $50,000 to Project 26 Pennsylvania and $25,000 each to Promote the Vote PA, Organize Pennsylvania dba One PA, API PA Votes, Pennsylvania United, CASA in Action PAC, Working Families Party PAC, and Working Families Power Working Families Organization Inc. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as either “POLITICAL” or “PRIMARY PURPOSE.”
Among the grantees, Promote the Vote PA describes its mission as protecting democracy, preserving voting rights, and increasing access to voting on a nonpartisan basis. Organize Pennsylvania describes its work as campaigning for good, family-sustaining jobs, strong communities, and corporate accountability, and addressing social, racial, gender, and economic inequality. Working Families Organization Inc. describes its mission as advancing the interests of working-class, middle-class, and poor Americans through advocacy, public education, creative media, and community organizing.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joseph Abbott as “EXECUTIVE DI,” Sam Gehler as “SECRETARY-TR,” and John Jones and Hilary Mohaupt as members.
Commonwealth Communications's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Joseph Abbott
Executive Di
Executive Director → Executive Di, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$107K (2020) → $130K (2024)
Hilary Mohaupt
Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John Jones
Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sam Gehler
Secretary-Tr
Secretary-Treasurer → Secretary-Tr, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Reesa Kossoff (2020–2023) — Chair
- Former: Eric Rosso (2020) — Vice Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $130K, to Joseph Abbott (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Commonwealth Communications
How much does Commonwealth Communications give each year?
Commonwealth Communications gave $510K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $245K across 8 grants.
What is Commonwealth Communications's typical grant size?
Commonwealth Communications's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $46,364, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Commonwealth Communications that year got $75K on average.
Where does Commonwealth Communications give grants?
Commonwealth Communications gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (4 grants), Pittsburgh, PA (2 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does Commonwealth Communications give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Commonwealth Communications's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Primary Purpose" (6 grants) and "Political" (5 grants).
Who are Commonwealth Communications's largest grantees?
Commonwealth Communications's largest 2024 grantees include People Power Pennsylvania ($250,000), Project 26 Pennsylvania ($50,000) and Promote the Vote PA ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Commonwealth Communications?
Commonwealth Communications reported $581K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does Commonwealth Communications fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to promote social welfare through legislative and public action supporting non-partisan progressive values in Pennsylvania. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Commonwealth Communications?
Commonwealth Communications has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Commonwealth Communications's EIN?
Commonwealth Communications's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-4535961. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Commonwealth Communications's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Commonwealth Communications funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/commonwealth-communications-morg_d6a5bb964f3944caa575a1fa637b3165
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_844535961_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Commonwealth Communications funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/commonwealth-communications-morg_d6a5bb964f3944caa575a1fa637b3165},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Commonwealth Communications'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.
Commonwealth Communications down — hundreds of funders to go?