Independence Public Media of
Independence Public Media of is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, supporting community-owned media and internet projects in the Greater Philadelphia region. Known on its website as People’s Media Fund, it uses media, storytelling, and digital access work to support social justice and advance equity.
Independence Public Media of at a glance
In short: Independence Public Media of gave $6.2M across 176 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 61% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,192,760
- -37.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 176
- +14.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $35,186
- -44.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $120,763,019
- +2.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (101 of 165, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Independence Public Media of
- How to Apply
-
The foundation describes invited proposals, the Local Filmmaker Open Call, and the Community Voices Open Call as ways it supports projects. Its website lists Community Voices applications from August 18 to September 16, 2026; that cycle has passed. The foundation says application instructions, materials, and award restrictions are on its website. Its Community Voices Fund description specifies one-year, non-renewable project grants of $10,000 to $50,000, with $800,000 available for that fund.
- Review Cycle
- The listed Community Voices application deadline was September 16, 2026; this was a past deadline as of October 2, 2026.
- Deadline
- The listed Community Voices application deadline was September 16, 2026; this was a past deadline as of October 2, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1800 Jfk Blvd Ste 300, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 483-3900
Website: https://www.independencemedia.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Independence Public Media of
Community Voices Fund
Independence Public Media
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Local Filmmaker Fund Grant
Independence Public Media
Amount
US $10,000 - US $30,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Philadelphia Student Mediamaker Fund Grant
Independence Public Media
Amount
US $1,000 - US $1,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Independence Public Media of funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Philadelphia Public Access Corp - Phillycam ($383K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
756 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 527 grants of 756 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its funding focuses on projects based in the Greater Philadelphia region. Its stated service area includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties in New Jersey; and New Castle County, Delaware. In 2024, 81% of reported grant dollars went to Pennsylvania recipients, 7% to New York, 5% to New Jersey, 2% to California, and 2% to Delaware.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 176 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Independence Public Media of open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 101 of 165 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $53K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 25% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 45% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 119% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $5.6M (2020) to $11.3M (2021). In 2024 it made 176 grants totaling $6.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Public Access Corp - Phillycam Philadelphia, PA | To support the general operations of phillycam, a local community access media center | $375,000 |
| Fractured Atlas - Fiscal Sponsor for Siftmedia 215 Hartsdale, NY | To Support Siftmedia 215'S Programming for Local Filmmakers | $200,000 |
| Movement Alliance Project - Fiscal Sponsor for Philly Community Wireless Philadelphia, PA | Tto support programming and development of philly community wireless | $175,000 |
| Humanitarian Social Innovations - Fiscal Sponsor for Keystone Internet Coal Bethlehem, PA | To support the keystone internet coalition's programs focused on digital equity initiatives | $170,000 |
| Big Picture Alliance Philadelphia, PA | To support the general operations of big picture alliance, which works to empower philadelphia youth to define their own narrative through filmmaking & digital media arts. | $150,000 |
| Lenfest Institute for Journalism Philadelphia, PA | To support philadelphia media founders exchange programs, coaching and support | $150,000 |
| Resolve Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | To support germantown info hub, a hyperlocal newsroom in the germantown neighborhood | $150,000 |
| West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Philadelphia, PA | To support the archives of the paul robeson house & museum | $140,000 |
| Cinespeak Philadelphia, PA | To Support Cinspeak's Year-Round Collaborative Film Programming | $125,000 |
| Centro De Cultura Arte Trabajo Y Educacion Norristown, PA | To strengthen and expand revarte media, and help launch radio revarte | $120,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Independence Public Media of?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $120,763,019 | $10,894,248 | $8,268,499 | $6,192,760 | 176 | $6,887,191 | $10,332,831 | $5,801,252 |
| 2023 | $117,454,732 | $2,096,477 | $11,940,159 | $9,842,200 | 154 | $10,627,589 | $3,611,172 | $5,655,944 |
| 2022 | $114,645,232 | $6,898,202 | $12,026,789 | $9,316,816 | 143 | $10,951,911 | $6,604,333 | $6,100,469 |
| 2021 | $146,951,689 | $21,884,406 | $12,852,889 | $11,297,838 | 157 | $11,902,989 | $21,332,850 | $7,025,328 |
| 2020 | $143,656,289 | $5,619,079 | $6,949,707 | $5,566,243 | 126 | — | $5,339,559 | $6,204,211 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Independence Public Media of reported a distributable amount of $5.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to move resources toward community-owned media and internet projects in Greater Philadelphia and catalyze social justice movements through narratives that educate, inspire, and encourage action. It prioritizes organizations and projects led by or serving people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and communities directly impacted by systemic oppression and media erasure.
Its website describes support for community storytelling, media for movement building, local journalism, archives that build community power, and digital equity. It supports community organizations, documentary filmmakers, digital storytellers, journalists, grassroots media groups, and other media-makers. Examples of grantees’ work include Big Picture Alliance’s educational and artistic opportunities for economically disadvantaged and at-risk children through filmmaking, and Technology Learning Collaborative’s work to advance digital equality through professional development, capacity building, collaboration, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 176 grants totaling $6,192,760. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $375,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Separately, the foundation announced $800,000 in 2024 Community Voices grants for 33 organizations and projects. Its announcement said a panel of nine community members reviewed proposals and made the final allocation decisions.
Notable 2024 grants included $375,000 to Philadelphia Public Access Corp. (PhillyCAM) for general operations; $200,000 to Fractured Atlas, fiscal sponsor for SIFT Media 215, for local filmmaker programming; and $175,000 to Movement Alliance Project, fiscal sponsor for Philly Community Wireless, for programming and development. Other grants included $150,000 each to Big Picture Alliance and Resolve Philadelphia, and $140,000 to West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Molly De Aguiar as president; Christopher Capato as finance director; Jamila Medley as chair; Omar Woodard as treasurer; and Sidney Hargro as secretary. It also lists Anuj Gupta, Feather Houston, Clemencia Rodriguez, and Janine Spruill as board members. Antoine Haywood is listed as a board member whose service ended December 3, 2024.
Independence Public Media of is led by Molly De Aguiar, President on every filing since 2022; 2 of 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Molly De Aguiar
President
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$223K (2022) → $236K (2024)
Jamila Medley
Chair
Board Member → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Capato
Finance Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$105K (2022) → $185K (2024)
Antoine Haywood
Board Member - Terminated
Board Member → Board Member - Terminated, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anuj Gupta
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Clemencia Rodriguez
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Feather Houston
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janine Spruill
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sidney Hargro
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Omar Woodard
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Rene Degeorge Smith (2020–2023) — Former Chair · Filing note: Terminated 92623
- Former: Christopher Dunne (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Marlene Dooner (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Vinit Dhruva (2020–2022) — Board Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $236K, to Molly De Aguiar (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Independence Public Media of
How much does Independence Public Media of give each year?
Independence Public Media of gave $6.2M across 176 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.8M across 154 grants.
What is Independence Public Media of's typical grant size?
Independence Public Media of's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $35,186, across 176 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Independence Public Media of that year got $28K on average.
Where does Independence Public Media of give grants?
Independence Public Media of gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (7%) and New Jersey (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (119 grants), New York, NY (8 grants), Hartsdale, NY (6 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (4 grants).
Does Independence Public Media of give general operating support?
Occasionally: 4% of Independence Public Media of's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 176) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Board or Staff Donation" (25 grants).
Who are Independence Public Media of's largest grantees?
Independence Public Media of's largest 2024 grantees include Philadelphia Public Access Corp - Phillycam ($383,000 across 3 grants), Fractured Atlas - Fiscal Sponsor for Siftmedia 215 ($200,000) and Resolve Philadelphia ($200,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Independence Public Media of?
Independence Public Media of reported $120.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Independence Public Media of fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to move resources toward community-owned media and internet projects in Greater Philadelphia and catalyze social justice movements through narratives that educate, inspire, and encourage action. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Independence Public Media of?
The foundation describes invited proposals, the Local Filmmaker Open Call, and the Community Voices Open Call as ways it supports projects. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Independence Public Media of's EIN?
Independence Public Media of's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2600747. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Independence Public Media of funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/independence-public-media-of-morg_5c37bb28f4804c939e2c397c2c3579cf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222600747_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Independence Public Media of funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/independence-public-media-of-morg_5c37bb28f4804c939e2c397c2c3579cf},
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 Independence Public Media of'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.
Independence Public Media of down — hundreds of funders to go?