Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc
Design Industries Foundation Fighting, known as DIFFA, is a New York, NY-based public charity that raises awareness and grants funds to organizations addressing HIV/AIDS and related health and social issues. Its national work is organized through chapters in Chicago, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco.
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc at a glance
In short: Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc gave $437K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), mostly in Texas. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $436,600
- -33.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +12.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,593
- -40.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,150
- Total assets
- $1,672,779
- -12.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (7 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 322 West 52Nd Street, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 727-3100
Website: https://diffa.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Alpha Workshops ($20K). Together the top 10 received $180K.
Grant Size Distribution
119 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 117 grants of 119 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
DIFFA describes its work as nationwide, through chapters in Chicago, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco. In 2025, 80% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 14% to New York, 5% to California, and 2% to New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 28 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $17K first-time, $17K repeat.
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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $215K (2021) to $653K (2024). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $437K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Workshops Brooklyn, NY | Charitable | $20,000 |
| UCSF University of California San Francisco, CA | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Visual Aids for the Arts Inc New York, NY | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Aids Arms Dallas, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
| Aids Outreach Center Fort Worth, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
| Aids Services Dallas Dallas, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
| Childrens Medical Center ARM Dallas, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
| Cooks Children Medical Center Forth Worth, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
| Dallas Hope Charities Dallas, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
| East Texas Cares Tyler, TX | Charitable | $17,150 |
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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 | $1,672,779 | $914,439 | $1,225,863 | $436,600 | 28 | $12,989 |
| 2024 | $1,917,098 | $1,397,400 | $1,428,969 | $652,500 | 25 | $13,364 |
| 2023 | $1,883,026 | $1,021,698 | $1,491,081 | $607,500 | 23 | $7,537 |
| 2022 | $2,375,845 | $1,463,306 | $1,262,041 | $557,530 | 24 | $6,629 |
| 2021 | $1,908,919 | $819,446 | $728,687 | $214,500 | 19 | $6,530 |
| 2020 | $1,970,819 | $1,430,711 | $1,374,161 | $379,295 | 23 | $9,339 |
| 2019 | $1,905,952 | $1,900,717 | $2,033,897 | $358,500 | 21 | $10,296 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
DIFFA’s mission is to empower organizations providing critical support to people affected by HIV/AIDS, food and housing insecurities, and mental health challenges, while expanding healthcare access for underserved communities. Its stated program descriptions include grants to organizations with programs designed to fight AIDS, as well as training and education through information and referrals.
The grantees’ missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Visual AIDS for the Arts says it uses art to fight AIDS, support HIV-positive artists, and preserve a legacy. AIDS Arms says it promotes health equity through education, prevention, research, and personalized healthcare. Elevate North Texas describes providing short-term housing and case management for youth experiencing homelessness. Dallas Hope Charities says it provides food, shelter, and services, while Bridging Access to Care says it provides coordinated healthcare and supportive services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, DIFFA reported 28 grants totaling $436,600. Grants ranged from $8,575 to $20,000, with a median of $17,150. Notable awards included $20,000 each to Alpha Workshops, UCSF University of California, and Visual Aids for the Arts; and $17,150 each to AIDS Arms, AIDS Outreach Center, AIDS Services Dallas, Children’s Medical Center ARM, Cooks Children Medical Center, Dallas Hope Charities, East Texas Cares, Elevate North Texas, and HELP Center Texas. The listed grant purposes were “Charitable.”
DIFFA says its Grants Committee evaluates AIDS service organizations for fiscal responsibility and program effectiveness. The organization also describes its grants as unrestricted funding intended to help grantees meet critical needs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dawn Roberson as Executive Director; Cindy Allen as Chair Emeritus; and Joan MacKeith, Tina Brennan, Christine Abbate, Jamie Gagliano, Jon Otis, Brooke Horan, Gary Wheeler, and Donna Fishel as trustees. DIFFA’s team listing also identifies Steven Williams as Associate Director and Missy Bolds as Finance Manager.
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc is led by Dawn Roberson, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 22 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dawn Roberson
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$96K (2019) → $138K (2025)
Christine Abbate
Trustee
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donna Fishel
Trustee
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Polucci
Trustee
Trustee → President, 2023
President → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Wheeler
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joan MacKeith
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brooke Horan
Trustee
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dereine Coleman
Trustee
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Schimmel
Trustee
Trustee → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yiannos Vrousgas
Trustee
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jon Otis
Trustee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Lombard
Trustee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Gagliano
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherina Plath
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Corbin
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Rivas
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyler Offut
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abigail French
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonas Gabbai
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tina Brennan
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Allen
Chair Emeritus
Chair → Chair Emeritus, 2023
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Rockwell
Chair Emeritus
Trustee → Chair Emeritus, 2020
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (26)
- Former: Alan Siegel (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: William Murphy (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Troy Grichuk (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: David White (2024) — Trustee
- Former: llene Shaw (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Randi Pastrovic (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Jennifer Block (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: EILEEN McCOMB (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Eric Stroud (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Edward Wood (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: John Edelman (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Susan Blond (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Amy Torres (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Anastasia Kemper (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Brandon Torres (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jenn Hollister (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Joshua Plant (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Katia Lambert (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Prarthi Shah (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Edward Hogikyan (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Marc Valois (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Alfredo Paredes (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Barbara Prete (2019) — Executive Director - Former
- Former: Evette Rios (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Joyce Romanoff (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Lisa Kravet (2019) — Trustee
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $138K, to Dawn Roberson (Executive Direc).
Frequently asked questions about Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc
How much does Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc give each year?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc gave $437K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $653K across 25 grants.
What is Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's typical grant size?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's median grant in 2025 was $17,150, and its average grant was $15,593, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc that year got $17K on average.
Where does Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc give grants?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc gives mostly in Texas: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (12 grants), Fort Worth, TX (3 grants), Forth Worth, TX (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (28 grants).
Who are Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's largest grantees?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Alpha Workshops ($20,000), UCSF University of California ($20,000) and Visual Aids for the Arts Inc ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $914K.
What does Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc fund?
DIFFA’s mission is to empower organizations providing critical support to people affected by HIV/AIDS, food and housing insecurities, and mental health challenges, while expanding healthcare access for underserved communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check diffa.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's EIN?
Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3224150. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc funds
Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/design-industries-foundation-fighting-aids-inc-morg_8163e76d8f46487e83952ae08b51640f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133224150_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/design-industries-foundation-fighting-aids-inc-morg_8163e76d8f46487e83952ae08b51640f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids 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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