North Star Fund Inc
North Star Fund Inc is a public charity based in New York, NY. Founded in 1979, it supports grassroots organizing led by communities of color building power in New York City and the Hudson Valley, and organizes people across race and class to support social justice movements.
North Star Fund Inc at a glance
In short: North Star Fund Inc gave $10.3M across 144 grants in 2025 (avg $72K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,315,860
- +63.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 144
- -20.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $71,638
- +105.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $22,483,630
- -33.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to North Star Fund Inc
- How to Apply
-
The funder’s application page says Rapid Response grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis from new and current grantees. These grants support organizing, activism, and strategic convening in response to urgent threats or opportunities. Applicants should first review the eligibility criteria and the requirements for an available grant; the site directs applicants to submit completed applications through its online application process. The site says it is not currently accepting new applicants for its Hudson Valley, Let Us Breathe Fund, or New York City grants.
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Contact
Mailing address: 520 Eighth Avenue 1800, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 620-9110
Website: https://northstarfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who North Star Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Philanthropic Trust ($7.0M). Together the top 10 received $7.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
493 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 450 grants of 493 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
North Star Fund’s stated grantmaking area is New York City’s five boroughs and the Hudson Valley. In its 2025 filing, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 23% to Pennsylvania, 3% to California, and 2% each to Georgia and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 144 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How North Star Fund Inc gives
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2023) to $14.8M (2020). In 2025 it made 144 grants totaling $10.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Philanthropic Trust Jenkintown, PA | Donor Advised Grantmaking for Core Programs | $6,983,860 |
| Social Justice Center of Albany Albany, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Community Aid & Development Corporation Decatur, GA | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| HOOPS4KIDS Clifton Park, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Carroll Gardens Association Brooklyn, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Allied Media Projects Detroit, MI | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| La Colmena Staten Island, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Mekong NYC Bronx, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Guardians of Flushing Bay Woodside, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Community Resource Center Mamaroneck, NY | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,483,630 | $8,257,296 | $17,003,458 | $10,315,860 | 144 | $899,696 |
| 2024 | $33,637,420 | $15,160,116 | $13,766,391 | $6,324,200 | 181 | $785,038 |
| 2023 | $29,398,174 | $13,420,277 | $10,108,439 | $3,577,400 | 166 | $6,094 |
| 2022 | $25,241,775 | $14,139,185 | $15,988,436 | $11,983,539 | 1 | $42,440 |
| 2021 | $26,831,975 | $32,265,698 | $18,461,760 | $14,276,685 | 1 | $71,774 |
| 2020 | $11,736,086 | $14,949,034 | $18,112,817 | $14,764,499 | 1 | $87,079 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
North Star Fund’s stated mission is to support grassroots organizing in New York. Its website describes its work as supporting community-led organizing for racial, gender, and economic justice, including organizing that addresses problems caused by racism, gender oppression, and greed. It prioritizes leadership by people directly affected by the issues their organizations address.
The 2025 grants include general operating support for a range of organizations. For example, Guardians of Flushing Bay describes itself as a coalition advocating for healthy, equitably accessible waterways through waterfront programming, community science, stewardship, and grassroots organizing. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project says it works to ensure people can self-determine their gender identity and expression without discrimination or violence. Allied Media Projects describes its work as cultivating media strategies for social justice.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, North Star Fund reported 144 itemized grants totaling $4,332,000. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $1,000,000, with a median of $20,000. Its largest listed grant was $1,000,000 to National Philanthropic Trust for “donor advised grantmaking for core programs.” The next-largest grants listed below were $60,000 each, for general operating support: Social Justice Center of Albany, Community Aid & Development Corporation, Hoops4Kids, Carroll Gardens Association, Allied Media Projects, La Colmena, Mekong NYC, Guardians of Flushing Bay, Community Resource Center, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, and Common Defense Education Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jennifer Ching as executive director; Sayu Bhojwani as chair; Pierre Hauser as vice-chair; Michael Waterman as secretary; Natasha Pallan as treasurer; and Marjorie Fine as chair emerita. It also lists Alvarez Symonette, Asa Johnson, Candis Tolliver, and Christine Parker as board members.
North Star Fund Inc is led by Jennifer Ching, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 8 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jennifer Ching
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
32 hrs/week
$175K (2020) → $262K (2025)
Manny Vaz
Cpr Executive Director
On filings since 2024
32 hrs/week
$108K (2024) → $112K (2025)
Sayu Bhojwani
Chair
Board Member → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Junie Francois Pswarayi
Director of Finance & Operations
Finance Director → Director of Finance, 2023
Director of Finance → Director of Finance & Operations, 2025
On filings since 2022
32 hrs/week
$34K (2023) → $149K (2025)
Elinore Cuya Jones
Director & Special Campaigns
Deputy Director → Director & Special Campaigns, 2025
On filings since 2023
32 hrs/week
$137K (2023) → $142K (2025)
Kathleen Pequeno
Communications Director
On filings since 2023
32 hrs/week
$137K (2023) → $130K (2025)
Kellie Terry
Philanthropy Programs Director
On filings since 2023
32 hrs/week
$118K (2023) → $152K (2025)
Gabriela Quintanilla
Hudson Valley Program Director
New on the 2025 filing
32 hrs/week
$109K (2025)
Kofoworola Anifalaje
Development Director
New on the 2025 filing
32 hrs/week
$144K (2025)
Alvarez Symonette
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Asa Johnson
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Candis Tolliver
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Parker
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Ryan Alexander
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ejeris Dixon
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kesi Foster
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Steglich
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maggie Williams
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie Fine
Chair Emerita
Board Chair → Chair, 2023
Chair → Chair Emerita, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Waterman
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pierre Hauser
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosemary Rivera
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gonzalo Mercado-Cisterna
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Flynn Walker
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Natasha Pallan
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Vo
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fiona Kanagasingam
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheena Brown
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Kofo Anifalaje (2023–2024) — Development Director
- Former: Elz Cuya Jones (2020–2022) — Deputy Director
- Former: Gonzalo Mercado-Citerina (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Holly Fetter (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jennifer Flynn (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Natahsa Pallan (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Ivan Rosales (2020–2021) — Finance Director
- Former: Cori Parrish (2020) — Deputy Director
- Former: Nisha Atre Richardson (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $262K, to Jennifer Ching (Executive Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about North Star Fund Inc
How much does North Star Fund Inc give each year?
North Star Fund Inc gave $10.3M across 144 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $6.3M across 181 grants.
What is North Star Fund Inc's typical grant size?
North Star Fund Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $71,638, across 144 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does North Star Fund Inc give grants?
North Star Fund Inc gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (32 grants), Brooklyn, NY (22 grants), Albany, NY (10 grants) and Bronx, NY (8 grants).
Does North Star Fund Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 97% of North Star Fund Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (140 of 144) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are North Star Fund Inc's largest grantees?
North Star Fund Inc's largest 2025 grantees include National Philanthropic Trust ($6,983,860), Social Justice Center of Albany ($160,000 across 6 grants) and HOOPS4KIDS ($87,500 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is North Star Fund Inc?
North Star Fund Inc reported $22.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.3M.
What does North Star Fund Inc fund?
North Star Fund’s stated mission is to support grassroots organizing in New York. Its website describes its work as supporting community-led organizing for racial, gender, and economic justice, including organizing that addresses problems caused by racism, gender oppression, and greed. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from North Star Fund Inc?
The funder’s application page says Rapid Response grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis from new and current grantees. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is North Star Fund Inc's EIN?
North Star Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2950801. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). North Star Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/north-star-fund-inc-morg_c2631c01c7fd49978f61d6b32b93caa5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_132950801_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{North Star Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/north-star-fund-inc-morg_c2631c01c7fd49978f61d6b32b93caa5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 North Star Fund Inc'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.
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