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 all 622 foundations and grantmakers
Believe in People Inc
Wichita, KS
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1
Total Given
$200.1M
Our American Future Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$31.7M
Grants
36
Total Given
$103.8M
League of Conservation Voters Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$37.1M
Grants
93
Total Given
$81.4M
Restoration of America
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Assets
$14.6M
Grants
29
Total Given
$55.2M
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Chicago, IL
Assets
$28.8M
Grants
83
Total Given
$37.1M
Democracy Matters Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
3
Total Given
$33.6M
Texas CASA Inc
Austin, TX
Assets
$19.3M
Grants
74
Total Given
$33.3M
Equal Justice Initiative
Montgomery, AL
Assets
$474.8M
Grants
1
Total Given
$30.0M
Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism Inc
Brentwood, TN
Assets
$102.2M
Grants
4
Total Given
$28.6M
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$961.9M
Grants
73
Total Given
$28.4M
Forward Action Fund
Concord, NH
Assets
$4.3M
Grants
16
Total Given
$25.7M
Nextgen Education Fund
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$6.7M
Grants
2
Total Given
$22.3M
Third Way Institute
Washington, DC
Assets
$28.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$21.9M
Action Now Inc
Houston, TX
Assets
$4.4M
Grants
68
Total Given
$17.9M
Way to Win Action Fund Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
99
Total Given
$17.6M
America Votes Education Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$17.4M
Building America's Future
Washington, DC
Assets
$9.2M
Grants
14
Total Given
$17.4M
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
Michigan Civic Action Fund
Madison Heights, MI
Assets
$1.4M
Grants
42
Total Given
$14.4M
Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc
Silver Spring, MD
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
110
Total Given
$14.3M
Guarantee Our Votes Project
Washington, DC
Assets
$15K
Grants
2
Total Given
$13.9M
Anti-Defamation League Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$177.2M
Grants
1
Total Given
$12.8M
Pa Alliance Action
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$635K
Grants
19
Total Given
$10.6M
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.