The Fund for Nonviolence is a non-endowed private foundation established in 1997 and based in California (with offices listed in both Santa Cruz and Berkeley). The foundation cultivates and supports efforts to bring about social change that moves humanity towards a more just and compassionate coexistence, with a particular focus on dismantling structural racism, challenging state violence, and promoting active nonviolence.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$73.2M
+4.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.5M
+67.8% YoY
Grant Count
80
+23.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$119K
+36.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fund for Nonviolence reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting social change that advances universal justice and peace as essential conditions for realizing individual and collective human potential. The foundation recognizes that violence—whether direct or indirect, overt or built into social structures—is a dehumanizing obstacle to human potential, and believes in the transformative power of nonviolence as a means of inspiring progressive social change.
The foundation operates three primary grantmaking programs:
- Reimagining Public Safety
- Death Penalty Abolition
- Reparations, Accountability & Healing
The foundation also maintains a Legacy Fund to support continuing grantees and an Opportunity Fund to respond to urgent needs in additional areas.
Grantmaking Priorities
The foundation prioritizes social justice for marginalized communities and focuses on elevating the voices and leadership of people from those communities. The foundation seeks organizations that:
- Pursue structural changes to root causes of race, class, and gender injustice
- Value the active involvement of members of the communities most impacted by the violence and social injustice being addressed
- Understand and articulate the impact of their work on women and promote the leadership of women within the organization
- Work through networks, coalitions, and alliances
- Reflect the spirit of nonviolence in their organizational relations, structure, and process
- Demonstrate the capacity to reflect on their experience and adapt to lessons and insights
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only.
Grant Range
$50,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations across multiple states, with primary concentration in:
- California
- New York
- North Carolina
Grantmaking reaches organizations across 24 states, with particular support for organizations in California, New York, and North Carolina accounting for approximately 50% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $69.8 million
- Annual revenue: $3.23 million
- Annual expenses: $7.36 million
- Total liabilities: $163,000
- Annual giving rate: 8.1% of assets
Historical Growth: Total assets have grown from $3.6 million in 2011 to $69.8 million as of 2023.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $73,162,882 | $69,849,246 | $3,849,401 |
| Revenue | $11,888,212 | $3,227,984 | $129,826 |
| Expenses | $11,473,140 | $7,356,476 | $5,036,679 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,897,173 | $6,570,931 | $4,630,699 |
| Net Investment Income | $665,153 | $870,281 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $1,575,151 | $904,867 | $392,859 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include PolicyLink ($1,000,000), Equal Justice USA ($500,000), Center For Death Penalty Litigation ($472,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Equal Justice USA Brooklyn, NY | Program Support | $73,000 |
| Center For Death Penalty Litigation Durham, NC | Program Support | $472,000 |
| Arizona Capital Representation Proj Tuscon, AZ | Program Support | $75,000 |
| Floridians for Alts to the Death Pe Tampa, FL | Program Support | $75,000 |
| Center For Death Penalty Litigation Durham, NC | Program Support | $115,000 |
| Atlantic Ctr for Capital Representa Philadelphia, PA | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Georgians for Alts to the Death Pen Pine Lake, GA | Program Support | $45,000 |
| KY Coalition to Abolish Death Penal Louisville, KY | Program Support | $75,000 |
| NC Coalition for Alts to Death Pena Durham, NC | Program Support | $100,000 |
| TX Coalition to Abolish Death Penal Austin, TX | Program Support | $90,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Betsy Fairbanks serves as President and CEO of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mona Cadena | Chair/Dir | 1 | — |
| Betsy Fairbanks | Pres/CEO/Dir | 40 | $326,822 |
| Megan Kennedy-Choane | Director | 1 | — |
| Raquiba Labrie | Director | 1 | — |
| Carol Malnick | Treas/Dir | 1 | — |
| Lynda Marin | Sect'y/Dir | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fund for Nonviolence fund?
The foundation's mission centers on supporting social change that advances universal justice and peace as essential conditions for realizing individual and collective human potential. The foundation recognizes that violence—whether direct or indirect, overt or built into social structures—is a dehumanizing obstacle to human potential, and believes in the transformative power of nonviolence as a means of inspiring progressive social change. The foundation operates three primary grantmaking progr…
How do I apply for a grant from Fund for Nonviolence?
**Grant Activity:** • Approximately 65 grants awarded annually • Median grant size: $50,000 • Grant range: $2,000 to $1,000,000 • Average award: $50,000 • Total annual giving: approximately $5.6 million **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only.
Where does Fund for Nonviolence make grants?
The foundation funds organizations across multiple states, with primary concentration in: • California • New York • North Carolina Grantmaking reaches organizations across 24 states, with particular support for organizations in California, New York, and North Carolina accounting for approximately 50% of all grants.
What size grants does Fund for Nonviolence award?
In 2024, Fund for Nonviolence awarded 80 grants totaling $9.5M — an average of about $119K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Fund for Nonviolence required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Fund for Nonviolence reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Fund for Nonviolence's EIN?
Fund for Nonviolence's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0457185. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fund for Nonviolence's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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