Foundation to Promote Open Society
The Foundation to Promote Open Society is a private foundation based in New York, NY. The Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros in 1979, support independent groups working for rights, equity, and justice through grantmaking and other activities. The stated purpose is to build vibrant, tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their people.
Key facts about Foundation to Promote Open Society
In short: Foundation to Promote Open Society gave $481.5M across 738 grants in 2024 (avg $652K), top state New York. 35% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 26-3753801
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $481,525,362
- Grants made (2024)
- 738
- Average grant
- $652,473
- Median grant
- $257,214
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (205 of 590, 2024)
- Total assets
- $10,843,807,551
- Primary geography
- New York (25% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.8B
+3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$481.5M
-36.6% YoY
Grant Count
738
-45.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$652K
+15.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Foundation to Promote Open Society reported a distributable amount of $521.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Foundation to Promote Open Society open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 205 of 590 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $504K; repeat grants $983K. How we count
Medians: $250K first-time, $375K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 80% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes a mission to champion democratic solutions to urgent challenges through grantmaking, advocacy, impact investing, strategic litigation, and support for ideas and education.
Its 2024 grants included general support for human-rights and civil-society organizations, support for academic institutions and research, and program-related investment activities. Examples of grantee missions illustrate the range of organizations supported: Bard College says it aims to provide a challenging academic program and a supportive environment for exchanging ideas; Central European University says it promotes open-society values and critical thinking; and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace says it generates strategic ideas, supports diplomacy, and trains scholar-practitioners to advance peace.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 738 grants totaling $481,525,362. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $44,927,239, with a median of $257,214.
Among the largest reported grants were $44,927,239 to Open Society Foundation London for non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies; $25 million to Soros Economic Development Fund for program-related investment activities; $20 million to The Boston Foundation for the FOKAL designated fund; and $20 million to Bard College for general support. Other large grants included $15 million to Central European University for research, outreach, and operating costs of its Budapest-based units, and $5.2 million to Amnesty International Limited for general support.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Foundation to Promote Open Society?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as spanning six global regions through offices and a network of national and regional foundations. Its 2024 grants included recipients in the United States and organizations with international or regional work, including Open Society Foundation London and Roma Foundation for Europe.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 738 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $481.5M (2024) to $2.4B (2021). In 2024 it made 738 grants totaling $481.5M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Open Society Foundation London ($53.0M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $183.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($290,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
6,999 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 2,442 grants of 6,999 (35%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Open Society Foundation London | To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world | $44,927,239 |
| Soros Economic Development Fund New York, NY | To Support Grantee's Program Related Investment Activities | $25,000,000 |
| The Boston Foundation Boston, MA | To Support the Fokal Designated Fund | $20,000,000 |
| Bard College Annandaleonhudson, NY | To Provide General Support | $20,000,000 |
| Roma Foundation for Europe | To Provide General Support | $15,602,337 |
| Central European University New York, NY | To support research, outreach activities and operating costs of the budapest-based units of central european university in the 2024/25 academic year | $15,000,000 |
| Open Society Foundation London | To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world | $8,072,761 |
| Amnesty International Limited | To Provide General Support | $5,200,000 |
| Institute for Human Sciences | To Provide General Support | $3,810,000 |
| Open Society Foundation for Albania | To Provide General Support | $3,347,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10,843,807,551 | $935,043,439 | $460,769,902 | $481,525,362 |
| 2023 | $10,502,606,362 | $842,821,637 | $874,683,497 | $759,038,806 |
| 2022 | $10,595,087,232 | $677,301,845 | $478,664,220 | $486,240,040 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,843,807,551 | $10,502,606,362 | $10,595,087,232 |
| Revenue | $935,043,439 | $842,821,637 | $677,301,845 |
| Expenses | $460,769,902 | $874,683,497 | $478,664,220 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $503,984,141 | $775,088,667 | $491,259,531 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,467,579,344 | $1,304,480,048 | $1,245,729,787 |
| Distributable Amount | $521,764,580 | $510,031,453 | $529,722,245 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists George Soros as director and chairman; Andrea E Soros and Alexander Soros as directors; Maija Arbolino as treasurer; and Catherine Livingston and Debbie Fine as secretary. Livingston’s filing role is listed through January 17, 2024, and Fine’s as of that date.
Foundation to Promote Open Society is led by George Soros, Director & Chairman since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
George Soros
Director & Chairman
Chairman → Director & Chairman, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alexander Soros
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea E. Soros
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maija Arbolino
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Livingston
Secretary
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Debbie Fine
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Andrea Soros Colombel (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Gail Aidinoff Scovell (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Deborah Fine (2022) — Secretary
- Former: Patrick Gaspard (2020) — Director & President
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 224 West 57Th Street, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 548-0600
Frequently asked questions about Foundation to Promote Open Society
How much does Foundation to Promote Open Society give each year?
Foundation to Promote Open Society gave $481.5M across 738 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $759.0M across 1,342 grants.
What is Foundation to Promote Open Society's typical grant size?
Foundation to Promote Open Society's median grant in 2024 was $257,214, and its average grant was $652,473, across 738 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Foundation to Promote Open Society that year got $504K on average.
Where does Foundation to Promote Open Society give grants?
Foundation to Promote Open Society's top state is New York, with 25% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (9%) and Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (101 grants), New York, NY (98 grants), San Francisco, CA (17 grants) and Annandaleonhudson, NY (11 grants).
Does Foundation to Promote Open Society give general operating support?
Yes: 48% of Foundation to Promote Open Society's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (355 of 738) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Foundation to Promote Open Society's largest grantees?
Foundation to Promote Open Society's largest 2024 grantees include Open Society Foundation London ($53,000,000 across 2 grants), Bard College ($26,745,450 across 11 grants) and Soros Economic Development Fund ($25,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($290,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Foundation to Promote Open Society?
Foundation to Promote Open Society reported $10.8B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $504.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $521.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Foundation to Promote Open Society fund?
The foundation’s filing describes a mission to champion democratic solutions to urgent challenges through grantmaking, advocacy, impact investing, strategic litigation, and support for ideas and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation to Promote Open Society?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Foundation to Promote Open Society's EIN?
Foundation to Promote Open Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3753801. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Foundation to Promote Open Society accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
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