Open Society Action Fund Inc
Open Society Action Fund (OSAF), formerly known as Open Society Policy Center (OSPC), is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization based in New York, NY. Established in 1997, the organization operates as a lobbying and advocacy group that promotes social justice and human rights through domestic and foreign policy advocacy, coalition-building, and grantmaking.
Key facts about Open Society Action Fund Inc
- EIN
- 52-2028955
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $159,624,297
- Grants made (2024)
- 203
- Average grant
- $786,327
- Median grant
- $400,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (43 of 163, 2024)
- Total assets
- $13,608,256
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (42% 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 Open Society Action Fund Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Open Society Action Fund Inc's 203 itemized 2024 grants were District of Columbia (42%), New York (14%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (59 grants), New York, NY (16 grants), San Francisco, CA (12 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (11 grants). 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support the Grantee's Social Welfare Activities" (47 grants), "To Support the Grantees Social Welfare Activities" (12 grants) and "To Support Nonpartisan Civic Engagement" (9 grants).
Is Open Society Action Fund Inc open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 43 of 163 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $584K; repeat grants $1.1M. How we count
Medians: $500K first-time, $425K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). 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.
Next steps with Open Society Action Fund Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.6M
-74.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$159.6M
-14.4% YoY
Grant Count
203
-11.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$786K
-3.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To promote social justice and human rights through domestic and foreign policy advocacy.
Domestic Policy Areas: The organization focuses on a comprehensive range of domestic policy issues including:
- Democracy defense and election integrity
- Voting rights, census, and redistricting
- Economic security and workers' rights
- Immigration and civil rights
- Racial justice and gender justice
- LGBTQ rights and reproductive freedom
- Courts accountability and ethics reform
- Combating misinformation and disinformation
- Technology and civil rights
- Community safety
- Climate and environmental justice
- Corporate accountability
- Government accountability and transparency
- Judicial nominations
- Criminal justice reform
- National security and civil rights
- Housing and health equity
- Education
International Policy Areas: The organization also works on global policy areas including drug policy, health policy, and regional focus areas such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and Eurasia.
Grantmaking
Open Society Action Fund makes grants to advance its policy goals. Typical grant awards range from $10,000 to $18,055,000. The organization distributes funds to section 501(c)(3) charities, section 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, and other entities for general support or specific projects aligned with its mission.
Ready to take the next step with Open Society Action Fund Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization funds work in multiple geographic areas including the District of Columbia, New York, and California, with both domestic and international policy focus areas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 203 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total revenues: $257,005,378
- Total expenses: $246,246,513
- Total assets: $52,865,786
- Total giving: $170,802,412
As of 2022:
- Total assets: $13,608,256
The organization maintains significant financial capacity for its advocacy and grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,608,256 | $52,865,786 | $36,100,367 |
| Revenue | $157,180,674 | $257,005,378 | $240,000,000 |
| Expenses | $178,663,592 | $246,246,513 | $205,511,896 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $80,674 | $5,378 | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
1,041 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Our American Future Action ($16,364,341), America Votes ($9,800,000 across 2 grants), American Civil Liberties Union Inc ($5,560,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OUR AMERICAN FUTURE ACTION Washington, DC | TO SUPPORT NON-PARTISAN POLICY ADVOCACY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | $16,364,341 |
| AMERICA VOTES Washington, DC | TO SUPPORT NONPARTISAN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | $9,000,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC New York, NY | TO SUPPORT THE GRANTEE'S SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES | $5,560,000 |
| DRUG POLICY ACTION New York, NY | TO SUPPORT THE GRANTEE'S NON-PARTISAN SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES | $5,000,000 |
| EQUIS LABS San Francisco, CA | TO SUPPORT ITS SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES TO FURTHER LATINX PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRACY | $5,000,000 |
| WORKMONEY INC Milwaukee, WI | TO SUPPORT THE GRANTEE'S SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES | $5,000,000 |
| ACCELERATE ACTION INC Salt Lake City, UT | TO SUPPORT NONPARTISAN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | $4,200,000 |
| FLORIDIANS PROTECTING FREEDOM Miami, FL | TO SUPPORT NONPARTISAN POLICY ADVOCACY IN FLORIDA | $4,000,000 |
| FUTURE FORWARD USA ACTION Washington, DC | TO PROVIDE MESSAGING SUPPORT TO NONPARTISAN ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO PROTECT RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS | $3,000,000 |
| TIDES ADVOCACY San Francisco, CA | TO SUPPORT THE SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES OF THE ELECTORAL JUSTICE PROJECT | $3,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Laleh Ispahani - Executive Director and CEO/Board Member
Board Members:
- Gara LaMarche - President, Democracy Alliance
- Andrea Soros Colombel - Founder and President of Trace Foundation
- Alex Soros - Alexander Soros Foundation
Related Leadership:
- Tom Perriello - Director, Center for American Progress Action Fund (listed as Executive Director in one source)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gara Lamarche | Director | 0.02 | — |
| Alexander Soros | Director | 0.02 | — |
| Andrea E Soros | Director | 0.02 | — |
| Laleh Ispahani | Director, Executive Director | 13.74 | $151,654 |
| Debbie Fine | Secretary | 0.02 | $308 |
| Maija Arbolino | Treasurer | 0.47 | $5,333 |
| Micaela Fernandez Allen | Deputy Director | 12.21 | $89,477 |
| Ruth Noemi Colon | Dir. of Ops & Cult. (Until 12/31/24) | 0.54 | $3,329 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Open Society Action Fund Inc fund?
**Mission:** To promote social justice and human rights through domestic and foreign policy advocacy. **Domestic Policy Areas:** The organization focuses on a comprehensive range of domestic policy issues including: • Democracy defense and election integrity • Voting rights, census, and redistricting • Economic security and workers' rights • Immigration and civil rights • Racial justice and gender justice • LGBTQ rights and reproductive freedom • Courts accountability and ethics reform • Combat…
How do I apply for a grant from Open Society Action Fund Inc?
Open Society Action Fund makes grants to advance its policy goals. Typical grant awards range from $10,000 to $18,055,000. The organization distributes funds to section 501(c)(3) charities, section 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, and other entities for general support or specific projects aligned with its mission. Recent grantmaking activity includes donations to organizations such as America Votes ($12,900,000).
Where does Open Society Action Fund Inc make grants?
The organization funds work in multiple geographic areas including the District of Columbia, New York, and California, with both domestic and international policy focus areas.
What size grants does Open Society Action Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Open Society Action Fund Inc awarded 203 grants totaling $159.6M — an average of about $786K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Open Society Action Fund Inc's EIN?
Open Society Action Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2028955. 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.