Open Horizon
Open Horizon is a private foundation based in Alexandria, Virginia. It collaborates with nonprofit partners to uplift leaders and co-create opportunities advancing racial and social justice, including through grants, capacity building, and convenings.
Open Horizon at a glance
In short: Open Horizon gave $1.5M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $31K), top state District of Columbia. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,511,017
- +75.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +37.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $31,480
- +27.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $22,675
- Total assets
- $13,424,352
- -9.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (18 of 48, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (34% 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 Open Horizon
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
Open Horizon does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 277 S Washington St 210, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (571) 224-8222
Website: https://open-horizon.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Open Horizon funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ignite the South ($150K). Together the top 10 received $888K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 148 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Open Horizon’s 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Washington, D.C. (34%) and Virginia (30%), followed by New York and Georgia (8% each) and California (5%). Its listed 2024 grants also included recipients in Pennsylvania and Louisiana.
The foundation describes Ignite the South as a leadership development program for social justice leaders in the Southern United States. It says the program has empowered more than 60 leaders since its launch.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Open Horizon open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 48 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $26K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 269% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 203% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $409K (2021) to $1.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ignite the South Alexandria, VA | General Purpose | $150,000 |
| National Health Law Washington, DC | General Purpose | $130,400 |
| Council for Court Excellence Washington, DC | General Purpose | $120,000 |
| Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $120,000 |
| Leadership Retreat Alexandria, VA | General Purpose | $109,682 |
| Leaders Network Alexandria, VA | General Purpose | $61,197 |
| National Education Equity Lab New York, NY | General Purpose | $53,790 |
| Critical Exposure Washington, DC | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Community Lodgings Alexandria, VA | General Purpose | $47,764 |
| Hopewell Fund Washington, DC | General Purpose | $45,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Open Horizon?
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 | $13,424,352 | $536,773 | $1,972,618 | $1,511,017 | 48 | $1,511,017 | $75,172 | $745,656 |
| 2023 | $14,860,197 | $2,098,861 | $1,161,278 | $862,040 | 35 | $862,040 | $50,790 | $632,260 |
| 2022 | $13,922,501 | $2,487,341 | $781,611 | $713,265 | 33 | $713,265 | $174,515 | $645,679 |
| 2021 | $12,221,627 | $5,391,900 | $454,304 | $409,493 | 32 | $409,493 | $349,049 | $390,977 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Open Horizon reported a distributable amount of $746K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Open Horizon’s mission is to support leaders and advance racial and social justice through relationships that center partners’ well-being, dignity, and needs. Its stated values include equity, community, innovation, and integrity. Its work includes grantmaking to nonprofit partners and leaders, capacity-building opportunities, and convenings and connections among partners and peers.
The 2024 grantees illustrate a range of work. The Council for Court Excellence says it brings people together to research, educate, and advocate for a more just, equitable, and accountable D.C. legal system. Critical Exposure says it trains D.C. youth of color to use photography and their voices to advance education equity and social justice. Community Lodgings says it provides children’s educational programs, preserves affordable housing, and offers transitional housing to homeless families. The Yellowhammer Fund describes its work as advancing reproductive justice.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Open Horizon reported 48 grants totaling $1,511,017. Grants ranged from $70 to $150,000, with a median of $22,675. The listed grants were designated for general purposes.
Notable 2024 grants included $150,000 to Ignite the South; $130,400 to National Health Law; $120,000 each to the Council for Court Excellence and Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund; $109,682 to Leadership Retreat; and $61,197 to Leaders Network. Other recipients included National Education Equity Lab ($53,790), Critical Exposure ($50,000), Community Lodgings ($47,764), and Hopewell Fund ($45,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Hershel Kleinberg, Lisa Cohen, and Rachel Pasten as directors. Open Horizon’s website identifies D’Lynn Jacobs as its executive director, appointed in March 2023.
Open Horizon's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Hershel Kleinberg
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Lisa Cohen
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Rachel Pasten
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 Open Horizon
How much does Open Horizon give each year?
Open Horizon gave $1.5M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $862K across 35 grants.
What is Open Horizon's typical grant size?
Open Horizon's median grant in 2024 was $22,675, and its average grant was $31,480, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Open Horizon that year got $18K on average.
Where does Open Horizon give grants?
Open Horizon's top state is District of Columbia, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (30%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (16 grants), Alexandria, VA (9 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and New Orleans, LA (2 grants).
Does Open Horizon give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Open Horizon's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (48 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Open Horizon's largest grantees?
Open Horizon's largest 2024 grantees include Ignite the South ($150,000), National Health Law ($130,400) and Council for Court Excellence ($120,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Open Horizon?
Open Horizon reported $13.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $746K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Open Horizon fund?
Open Horizon’s mission is to support leaders and advance racial and social justice through relationships that center partners’ well-being, dignity, and needs. Its stated values include equity, community, innovation, and integrity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Open Horizon?
Open Horizon does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Open Horizon's EIN?
Open Horizon's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3866276. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Open Horizon accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Open Horizon funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/open-horizon-morg_47b84b5c66dc4622b6c64013717a1239
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_843866276_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Open Horizon funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/open-horizon-morg_47b84b5c66dc4622b6c64013717a1239},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Open Horizon'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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