Guardian of Rights Fund

501(c)(4) organization New York, NY EIN: 88-2922670
N/A

Guardian of Rights Fund is a public charity based in New York, NY, formed in 2022. Its stated program supports tax-exempt organizations advocating for pro-voter policies, defending the Constitution, and promoting a healthy democracy.

Guardian of Rights Fund at a glance

In short: Guardian of Rights Fund gave $10.3M across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $941K), mostly in New Jersey. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$10,350,000
-5.9% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
11
-42.1% vs 2024
Average grant
$940,909
+62.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$500,000
Total assets
$25,974,241
-21.1% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
36% first-time grantees (4 of 11, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
New Jersey (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Guardian of Rights Fund

Contact

Mailing address: 107 Greenwich Street Suite 26Th Fl, New York, NY 10006
Phone: (973) 597-2446

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Guardian of Rights Fund funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Democracy Defense Project Inc: $5.6MDemocracy Defense Project Inc$5.6MFuture Now Action: $1.0MFuture Now Action$1.0MCenter for Secure and Modern Elections: $750KCenter for Secure and ModernElections$750KAmericans for Prosperity: $500KAmericans for Prosperity$500KNew Venture Fund: $500KNew Venture Fund$500KRightcount Inc: $500KRightcount Inc$500KWestern Futures Fund Inc: $500KWestern Futures Fund Inc$500KJohn Hopkins University: $250KJohn Hopkins University$250KThird Way: $250KThird Way$250KFund for States: $250KFund for States$250K

The largest 2025 recipient was Democracy Defense Project Inc ($5.6M). Together the top 10 received $10.1M.

Grant Size Distribution

39 grants across all recorded years

<$50K1$50–100K5$100–250K18$250–500K9$500K–1M5$1–5M1$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 18 grants of 39 (46%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in five states: New Jersey, 54%; Washington, DC, 29%; Virginia, 10%; Wyoming, 5%; and Maryland, 2%.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.

Cities

WashingtonSheridanAlexandriaArlingtonChicagoShort HillsWilmingtonAnnandaleBaltimoreBilingsFalls ChurchLansingNew YorkTampa

Is Guardian of Rights Fund open to new grantees?

36%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 4 of 11 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $313K; repeat grants $1.3M. How we count

Medians: $250K first-time, $500K repeat.

  • 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5M$10M$15M0 grants2022 9 grants2023 19 grants2024 11 grants2025

From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.0M (2023) to $11.0M (2024). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $10.3M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Democracy Defense Project Inc Short Hills, NJPrimary Purpose$5,600,000
Future Now Action Washington, DCElectoral Purpose$1,000,000
Center for Secure and Modern Elections Washington, DCPrimary Purpose$750,000
Americans for Prosperity Arlington, VAPrimary Purpose$500,000
New Venture Fund Washington, DCPrimary Purpose$500,000
Rightcount Inc Alexandria, VAPrimary Purpose$500,000
Western Futures Fund Inc Sheridan, WYElectoral Purpose$500,000
John Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrimary Purpose$250,000
Third Way Washington, DCPrimary Purpose$250,000
Fund for States Washington, DCElectoral Purpose$250,000
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Guardian of Rights Fund?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$25,974,241$1,799,862$11,368,613$10,350,00011$1,799,862
2024$32,919,182$39,500,000$11,481,553$11,000,00019—
2023$2,718,396$6,000,000$3,281,604$3,025,0009—

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The organization’s stated mission is to engage in social welfare and educational activities. Its program description says it provides support to tax-exempt organizations advocating for pro-voter policies, defending the Constitution, and promoting a healthy democracy.

Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations it supported in 2025. Fund for States says it works with election officials and community organizations to educate the public, combat disinformation, and restore trust in the electoral process. Future Now Action describes work advancing a policy framework through state report cards and engagement with legislators, media, partner organizations, and the public. Third Way says its mission is to research and develop centrist policy ideas. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the funder’s.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the fund made 11 grants totaling $10,350,000. Grants ranged from $250,000 to $5,600,000, with a median grant of $500,000.

The largest 2025 grants included $5,600,000 to Democracy Defense Project Inc.; $1,000,000 to Future Now Action; $750,000 to Center for Secure and Modern Elections; and $500,000 each to Americans for Prosperity, New Venture Fund, RightCount Inc., and Western Futures Fund Inc. Other grants included $250,000 each to Johns Hopkins University, Third Way, Fund for States, and Keep Country First Policy Action Inc.

No application process or instructions are provided in the available information.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Dan Melamed as president and director; Jeffrey Kaplan as secretary and director; Phil Glassman as executive vice president and director; and Larry Rogers as treasurer.

Guardian of Rights Fund is led by Dan Melamed, President & Director on every filing since 2022; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Dan Melamed

    President & Director

    On filings since 2022

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey Kaplan

    Secretary & Director

    On filings since 2022

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Phil Glassman

    Executive Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2022

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Larry Rogers

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Guardian of Rights Fund

How much does Guardian of Rights Fund give each year?

Guardian of Rights Fund gave $10.3M across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $11.0M across 19 grants.

What is Guardian of Rights Fund's typical grant size?

Guardian of Rights Fund's median grant in 2025 was $500,000, and its average grant was $940,909, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Guardian of Rights Fund that year got $313K on average.

Where does Guardian of Rights Fund give grants?

Guardian of Rights Fund gives mostly in New Jersey: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (29%) and Virginia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants).

Does Guardian of Rights Fund give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Guardian of Rights Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Primary Purpose" (7 grants) and "Electoral Purpose" (4 grants).

Who are Guardian of Rights Fund's largest grantees?

Guardian of Rights Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Democracy Defense Project Inc ($5,600,000), Future Now Action ($1,000,000) and Center for Secure and Modern Elections ($750,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Guardian of Rights Fund?

Guardian of Rights Fund reported $26.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.

What does Guardian of Rights Fund fund?

The organization’s stated mission is to engage in social welfare and educational activities. Its program description says it provides support to tax-exempt organizations advocating for pro-voter policies, defending the Constitution, and promoting a healthy democracy. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Guardian of Rights Fund?

Guardian of Rights Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Guardian of Rights Fund's EIN?

Guardian of Rights Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-2922670. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.

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

Data update history

(4)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 7, 2024)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 19, 2025)
  3. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
  4. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Guardian of Rights Fund's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Sixteen Thirty Fund

Washington, DC

SIXTEEN THIRTY FUND supports social-change projects focused on areas including racial justice, voting access, health care, climate, and democracy, with work across the United States. In 2024, its grants ranged from $5,700 to $27.85 million, with a median of $115,000. It generally requires a written application, but the profile does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Environment & Animals

Assets

$106.5M

Grants

318

Total Given

$236.4M

North Fund

Washington, DC

North Fund supports U.S. work in civil rights and advocacy, health equity, education, economic opportunity, voting rights, and technology and innovation. Its 2024 grants ranged from $7,500 to $5.7 million, with a median of $200,000. It evaluates applications, but the profile does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$50.5M

Grants

70

Total Given

$34.0M

Our American Future Action

Washington, DC

OUR AMERICAN FUTURE ACTION funds pro-worker policies, economic and family security, lower health and energy costs, health care access, democracy, a free press, and civic engagement. In 2025, grants ranged from $6,000 to $48.8 million, with a median of $250,000; most funding went to organizations in Washington, DC, followed by recipients in Massachusetts, New York, Florida, and Wisconsin. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$32.6M

Grants

119

Total Given

$182.6M

Open Society Action Fund Inc

New York, NY

Open Society Action Fund supports domestic and international policy advocacy and organizations working on democracy, civil and human rights, racial and gender justice, reproductive freedom, economic security, and related issues. In 2024, its grants had a median of $400,000, with awards ranging from about $40,000 to $16.4 million; its work spans U.S. issues and regions worldwide, though most reported grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia and New York. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$13.6M

Grants

203

Total Given

$159.6M

America Votes

Washington, DC

America Votes’ Education Fund makes grants to expand ballot access, voter education and participation, particularly among young people and communities of color, while its broader work supports democracy and voting rights. In 2025, grants ranged from $10,000 to $13.945 million, with a median of $500,000; its work spans more than 20 states, and grant dollars went mostly to recipients in Washington, DC. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$22.3M

Grants

119

Total Given

$168.6M

Way to Win Action Fund Inc

Washington, DC

Way to Win Action Fund supports advocacy, grassroots organizing, civic engagement, and political campaigns advancing racial and economic justice, with a focus on data-driven, coalition-based strategies. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $1.165 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across the United States, especially in New York and Arizona. No unsolicited-request policy is stated.

Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy

Assets

$1.5M

Grants

99

Total Given

$17.6M

More similar funders

More Funders in New York

Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Guardian of Rights Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/guardian-of-rights-fund-morg_371deac8ab5049c499c8ad26627dc0be

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_882922670_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Guardian of Rights Fund funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/guardian-of-rights-fund-morg_371deac8ab5049c499c8ad26627dc0be},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Guardian of Rights Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

Guardian of Rights Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?