Gender Justice Fund is a private independent foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2006, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing gender justice through philanthropic support and movement building.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.1M
+7.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$597K
+53.4% YoY
Grant Count
36
+12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
+36.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gender Justice Fund reported a distributable amount of $336K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Gender Justice Fund fights to end all forms of gender-based oppression through trust-based philanthropy and by amplifying community-led systems change.
The organization defines gender justice as the recognition of systems of misogyny and patriarchy that have historically oppressed women, trans, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and LGBTQ individuals. It encompasses demands for accountability, undoing of harm, and recognition that individuals at intersections of gender and other marginalized identities require varying levels of recompense.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Systems Change: Funds organizations working to achieve gender justice through policy, advocacy, and community organizing
- Culture Change: Supports organizations addressing misogyny, rape culture, and gender-based violence, with grantees convening to share resources, collaborate, and build the consent education movement
- Movement Building: Amplifies grantee work, advocates for gender-inclusive practices in the philanthropic sector, and fundraises for additional resources
Core Values:
The organization centers the most marginalized women, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals, including people of color, immigrants, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, and people impacted by the criminal justice system. It prioritizes solutions created and led by those most impacted by these issues and grounds work in understanding the intersections of sexism, misogyny, racism, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia.
Grantmaking
In 2018, Gender Justice Fund transitioned to a trust-based philanthropy approach based on the Whitman Institute model. This approach is designed to address power imbalances between grantmakers and grantees and is based on six principles:
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $2,461 to $50,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Gender Justice Fund primarily funds organizations in the Philadelphia area, with some activity in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2023-2024):
- Total Assets: $7,121,366
- Total Giving: $597,000
- Revenue (2023): $522,000
- Expenses (2023): $676,000
- Total Liabilities (2023): $31,800
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since December 2006. Required to file IRS Form 990-PF.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,121,366 | $6,637,116 | $6,358,465 |
| Revenue | $490,275 | $522,049 | $772,879 |
| Expenses | $1,280,907 | $675,821 | $729,303 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $924,254 | $642,383 | $680,031 |
| Net Investment Income | $159,917 | $316,977 | $478,239 |
| Distributable Amount | $335,583 | $259,568 | $274,469 |
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
157 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ardella's House ($50,000), I'm FREE ($50,000), Sankofa Healing Studio ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Abolitionist Law Center Pittsburgh, PW | Still We Rise Freedom Coalition | $20,000 |
| Abortion Liberation Fund of PA Philadelphia, PA | GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS | $11,000 |
| ACLU of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Still We Rise Freedom Coalition | $11,000 |
| Ardella's House Philadelphia, PA | GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS | $50,000 |
| Attic Youth Center Philadelphia, PA | Trans Resilience Fund | $17,000 |
| Body Empowerment Project milford, NJ | GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS | $5,000 |
| Bread and Roses Community Fund Philadelphia, PA | TRANS RESILIENCE FUND | $10,000 |
| Eastern PA Trans Equity Project Oreland, PA | TRANS RESILIENCE FUND & GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $21,000 |
| Education Law Center Philadelphia, PA | General Operating Support | $11,000 |
| Headlong Dance Theater Philadelphia, PA | For Ninth Planet | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Farrah Parkes: Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherella Williams | Board Chair | 2 | — |
| Vashti Bledsoe | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Jess Pastore | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Sylvia Rose White | TREASURER AS OF 07/01/24 | 1 | — |
| Elizabeth Diffley | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| Brennan Tomasetti | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Jane Napoli | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kendra Hypolite | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Shawn Towey | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Jocelyn Arnold | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kris Smith | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Farrah Parkes | Executive Director | 40 | $137,260 |
| lubna mian | board member (AS OF 07/01/24) | 1 | — |
| janis stacy | board member (AS OF 07/01/24) | 1 | — |
| anne mcguirk-molina | board member (AS OF 07/01/24) | 1 | — |
| naiymah sanchez | board member (AS OF 07/01/24) | 1 | — |
| stephanie keene roberts | board member (AS OF 07/01/24) | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Gender Justice Fund received a groundbreaking $2 million gift from MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving Open Call, demonstrating significant recent philanthropic support for the organization's work.
Giving Project Cohort Moves Half a Million to Gender Justice Across MinnesotaSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gender Justice Fund fund?
Gender Justice Fund fights to end all forms of gender-based oppression through trust-based philanthropy and by amplifying community-led systems change. The organization defines gender justice as the recognition of systems of misogyny and patriarchy that have historically oppressed women, trans, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and LGBTQ individuals. It encompasses demands for accountability, undoing of harm, and recognition that individuals at intersections of gender and other marginalized ide…
How do I apply for a grant from Gender Justice Fund?
**Approach:** In 2018, Gender Justice Fund transitioned to a trust-based philanthropy approach based on the Whitman Institute model. This approach is designed to address power imbalances between grantmakers and grantees and is based on six principles: • Offering multi-year, unrestricted funding • Transferring the onus of due diligence from grantee to grantmaker • Simplification and streamlining of grant submission and reporting processes • Transparency and responsiveness on the part of grantmak…
Where does Gender Justice Fund make grants?
Gender Justice Fund primarily funds organizations in the Philadelphia area, with some activity in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Vermont.
What size grants does Gender Justice Fund award?
In 2024, Gender Justice Fund awarded 36 grants totaling $597K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gender Justice Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gender Justice Fund reported a distributable amount of $336K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gender Justice Fund's EIN?
Gender Justice Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6259058. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gender Justice Fund'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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