Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy Foundations & Grantmakers
518 grantmakers focused on civil rights, social action & advocacy reported grants on their latest 990s. The 125 that made at least 5 grants gave $429.3M. The largest by giving are Our American Future Foundation, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Texas CASA Inc. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
518
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$429.3M
from the 125 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$47K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$146K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our American Future Foundation | Washington, DC | $103.8M | 36 |
| 2 | Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights | Chicago, IL | $37.1M | 83 |
| 3 | Texas CASA Inc | Austin, TX | $33.3M | 74 |
| 4 | American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $28.4M | 73 |
| 5 | Priorities USA Foundation | Washington, DC | $16.3M | 13 |
| 6 | California Court Appointed Special Advocate Association | San Diego, CA | $14.7M | 44 |
| 7 | Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc | Silver Spring, MD | $14.3M | 110 |
| 8 | Alliance Defending Freedom | Scottsdale, AZ | $10.5M | 37 |
| 9 | All Americans Vote | Washington, DC | $10.2M | 12 |
| 10 | The Asian American Foundation | Washington, DC | $9.1M | 68 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 9 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Where these funders are based
- District of Columbia 73 · $178.7M
- California 72 · $29.3M
- New York 47 · $55.4M
- Texas 27 · $39.1M
- Virginia 24 · $6.5M
- Massachusetts 18 · $8.8M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing 125 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Our American Future Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$31.7M
Grants
36
Total Given
$103.8M
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Chicago, IL
Assets
$28.8M
Grants
83
Total Given
$37.1M
Texas CASA Inc
Austin, TX
Assets
$19.3M
Grants
74
Total Given
$33.3M
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$961.9M
Grants
73
Total Given
$28.4M
Priorities USA Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$8.0M
Grants
13
Total Given
$16.3M
California Court Appointed Special Advocate Association
San Diego, CA
Assets
$13.0M
Grants
44
Total Given
$14.7M
Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc
Silver Spring, MD
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
110
Total Given
$14.3M
Alliance Defending Freedom
Scottsdale, AZ
Assets
$112.2M
Grants
37
Total Given
$10.5M
All Americans Vote
Washington, DC
Assets
$4.5M
Grants
12
Total Given
$10.2M
The Asian American Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$77.9M
Grants
68
Total Given
$9.1M
Ms Foundation for Women Inc
Brooklyn, NY
Assets
$129.3M
Grants
208
Total Given
$7.6M
NAACP Empowerment Programs Inc
Baltimore, MD
Assets
$89.5M
Grants
110
Total Given
$7.4M
Protect Democracy Project
Washington, DC
Assets
$94.8M
Grants
19
Total Given
$7.2M
Children's Defense Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$40.1M
Grants
34
Total Given
$7.0M
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Aajc Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$33.9M
Grants
53
Total Given
$6.9M
Voter Registration Project Education Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$3.2M
Grants
5
Total Given
$6.0M
Illinois Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates
Chicago, IL
Assets
$1.1M
Grants
30
Total Given
$5.9M
Human Rights Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$96.9M
Grants
38
Total Given
$4.9M
PA Alliance Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$2.0M
Grants
72
Total Given
$4.7M
Accelerate Change Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$26.7M
Grants
5
Total Given
$4.6M
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Inc
Austin, TX
Assets
$2.8M
Grants
30
Total Given
$4.6M
The Justice and Education Fund Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$279K
Grants
7
Total Given
$4.5M
Native Americans in Philanthropy
Washington, DC
Assets
$21.4M
Grants
18
Total Given
$4.4M
Michigan Voices
Detroit, MI
Assets
$6.2M
Grants
50
Total Given
$4.3M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
What are the largest civil rights, social action & advocacy foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Our American Future Foundation ($103.8M across 36 grants), Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights ($37.1M) and Texas CASA Inc ($33.3M). Together the top 10 account for 65% of the $429.3M given by the 125 grantmakers focused on civil rights, social action & advocacy that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $47K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $146K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in District of Columbia (73), California (72) and New York (47). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.