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Grassroots International Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 04-2791159 Website

Grassroots International is a global grantmaking and movement support organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1983, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to accompanying, funding, and working in solidarity with social movements, predominantly in the Global South and the United States. The organization focuses on movements working on the frontlines of change around issues of land, territory, water, food, seeds, and environmental justice.

Key facts about Grassroots International Inc

EIN
04-2791159
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$1,467,900
Grants made (2024)
22
Average grant
$66,723
Median grant
$30,000
New grantees (estimate)
14% first-time grantees (3 of 22, 2024)
Total assets
$24,241,776
Primary geography
California (15% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Grassroots International Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Grassroots International Inc's 22 itemized 2024 grants were California (15%), District of Columbia (11%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants) and Berkeley, CA (2 grants). 36% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is Grassroots International Inc open to new grantees?

14%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 3 of 22 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $43K; repeat grants $70K. How we count

Medians: $20K first-time, $30K repeat.

  • 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$24.2M

-8.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.5M

-4.4% YoY

Grant Count

22

-8.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$67K

+4.3% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission Statement: To connect with global movements that defend land, territory, water, food, seeds, and the Earth, to address the root causes of injustice and oppression, and build alternative systems that nurture human rights, ecological justice, and collective liberation.

Vision: A world built on sustainability, equity, and dignity, in which a universal commitment to the health and wellbeing of the Earth and all its peoples, driven by strong global movements for social, economic, and ecological justice, has transformed production practices, consumption patterns, and economic and social relations.

Primary Focus Areas:

  • Land, water, and food as human rights
  • Environmental justice and ecological sustainability
  • Human rights advocacy
  • Democratic social change
  • Support for indigenous peoples and small farmers
  • Women's resource rights
  • Education and awareness programs related to international development

Grantmaking

Grassroots International distributed over $9 million in grantmaking in the most recent fiscal year, with approximately 200 grants awarded to groups in 20 countries at regional and global levels.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grassroots International funds movements globally, with particular concentration in:

  • The Global South
  • The United States
  • Middle East
  • Asia
  • Africa
  • The Americas

The organization concentrates efforts in areas where U.S. foreign policy has been an obstacle to positive change and where creative grassroots movements build local solutions to global problems.

Grant Distribution by State

28states

Share of all 22 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

WashingtonBerkeleyAlbuquerqueBrooklynMiamiSan FranciscoBemidjiBoulderCambridgeGloucesterNew YorkAtlantaDetroitFairbanksSan AntonioWeareCalabasasJacksonLos AngelesMinneapolis

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data (2024):

  • Total Assets: $24,241,776
  • Total Giving: $10,020,650
  • Total Revenues: $13,173,897
  • Total Expenses: $14,291,896
  • Number of Employees: 27

Previous Year (2023):

  • Total Income: $13.3 million
  • Total Expenses: $12.2 million
  • Total Assets: $26.6 million

Funding Support: The organization receives support from institutional funders including the Rockefeller Brothers Fund ($221,500 in 2021-2026), Tides Foundation ($210,000 in 2023), Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Libra Foundation, and Vanguard Charitable.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$7M$13M$20M$26M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$24,241,776$26,596,052$24,174,336
Revenue$13,173,897$13,199,695$23,819,415
Expenses$14,291,896$12,259,338$12,167,551
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$1,607,625$926,905$170,734
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$778K$2M$2M$3M74 grants202024 grants202126 grants202224 grants202322 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Instituto Para La Investigacin Y Accin En Agroecologa: $413KInstituto Para La InvestigacinY Accin En Agroecologa$413KTides Center: $175KTides Center$175KHaser: $140KHaser$140KGlobal Justice Ecology Project: $95KGlobal Justice Ecology Project$95KUS Campaign for Palestinian Rights: $95KUS Campaign for PalestinianRights$95KInstitute for Socio- Ecological Research: $90KInstitute for Socio-Ecological Research$90KComedores Sociales De Puerto Rico: $60KComedores Sociales De PuertoRico$60KFederation of Southern Cooperativesland Assistance Fund: $60KFederation of SouthernCooperativesland Assistance…$60KIndigenous Env Network: $45KIndigenous Env Network$45KGrassroots Global Justice Alliance: $40KGrassroots Global JusticeAlliance$40K

Grant Size Distribution

170 grants across all recorded years

123<$50K30$50–100K10$100–250K6$250–500K$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Instituto Para La Investigacin Y Accin En Agroecologa ($412,900), Tides Center ($175,000), Haser ($140,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
INSTITUTO PARA LA INVESTIGACIN Y ACCIN EN AGROECOLOGA LAND AND RESOURCE RIGHTS OF RURAL PEOPLE$412,900
TIDES CENTER San Francisco, CALEGAL SUPPORT AND EDUCATION$175,000
HASER CULTURAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT$140,000
GLOBAL JUSTICE ECOLOGY PROJECT Randolph, NYEDUCATION FOR CLIMATE SOLUTIONS$95,000
US CAMPAIGN FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS Washington, DCGENERAL SUPPORT$95,000
INSTITUTE FOR SOCIO- ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH LAND AND RESOURCE RIGHTS OF RURAL PEOPLE$90,000
COMEDORES SOCIALES DE PUERTO RICO AGRICULTURE, ADDRESSING HUNGER$60,000
FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN COOPERATIVESLAND ASSISTANCE FUND East Point, GAGENERAL SUPPORT$60,000
INDIGENOUS ENV NETWORK Bemidji, MNGENERAL SUPPORT$45,000
GRASSROOTS GLOBAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE Washington, DCGENERAL SUPPORT$40,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Executive Director: Ms. Chung-Wha Hong

Director of Global Philanthropy: Saulo Araujo

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Chung-Wha Hong — Co-Executive Director: $130KChung-Wha HongCo-Executive Director$130KOrson Moon — Dir of Fin & Info Systems: $117KOrson MoonDir of Fin & Info Systems$117KCarol Schachet — Dir of PPL & Planning: $116KCarol SchachetDir of PPL & Planning$116KSara Mersha — Co-Executive Director: $108KSara MershaCo-Executive Director$108KSaulo Araujo — Director of Global Philanthropy: $105KSaulo AraujoDirector of Global Philanthropy$105KJovanna Garcia Soto — Program Director: $100KJovanna Garcia SotoProgram Director$100K

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Maria AguiarPresident and Chair1—
Kalila BarnettTreasurer1—
Hendrix BerryDirector1—
Bridget BrehenDirector1—
Grace GoldtoothDirector1—
Sam JacobsDirector1—
Jerrod MacfarlaneDirector1—
Maywa Montenegro De WitDirector1—
Mateo NubeDirector1—
Kathy MulveyDirector1—
Denise PerryDirector1—
Mamyrah ProsperDirector1—
Jesenia a SantanaSecretary1—
Diala ShamasDirector1—
Janvieve Williams ComrieDirector1—
Chung-Wha HongCo-Executive Director40$129,500
Sara MershaCo-Executive Director40$107,619
Orson MoonDir of Fin & Info Systems40$117,154
Carol SchachetDir of PPL & Planning40$115,576
Jovanna Garcia SotoProgram Director40$100,459
Saulo AraujoDirector of Global Philanthropy40$104,525

Contact Information

Main Office: 179 Boylston Street, 4th Floor Boston, MA 02130

Phone: 617-524-1400

Website: www.grassrootsonline.org

Tax Status: 501(c)(3) public charity EIN: 04-2791159 IRS Ruling Year: 1983

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Grassroots International Inc fund?

**Mission Statement:** To connect with global movements that defend land, territory, water, food, seeds, and the Earth, to address the root causes of injustice and oppression, and build alternative systems that nurture human rights, ecological justice, and collective liberation. **Vision:** A world built on sustainability, equity, and dignity, in which a universal commitment to the health and wellbeing of the Earth and all its peoples, driven by strong global movements for social, economic, and…

How do I apply for a grant from Grassroots International Inc?

Grassroots International distributed over $9 million in grantmaking in the most recent fiscal year, with approximately 200 grants awarded to groups in 20 countries at regional and global levels. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $8,000–$1,455,000 • 87% of the organization's budget goes to direct support for movements and education **Recent Grant Activity:** Notable recent grants include: • Tides Center: $175,000 for Legal Support and Education (2024) • Haser: $140,000 for Cultur…

Where does Grassroots International Inc make grants?

Grassroots International funds movements globally, with particular concentration in: • The Global South • The United States • Middle East • Asia • Africa • The Americas The organization concentrates efforts in areas where U.S. foreign policy has been an obstacle to positive change and where creative grassroots movements build local solutions to global problems.

What size grants does Grassroots International Inc award?

In 2024, Grassroots International Inc awarded 22 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $67K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Grassroots International Inc's EIN?

Grassroots International Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2791159. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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