People for the American Way Foundation
Conducts research, legal, and education work on behalf of first amendment freedoms and democratic values.
People for the American Way Foundation at a glance
In short: People for the American Way Foundation gave $180K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $90K), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $180,000
- -45.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- -33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $90,000
- -18.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $90,000
- Total assets
- $7,762,718
- -21.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who People for the American Way Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was People for the Amerian Way ($150K). Together the top 2 received $180K.
Grant Size Distribution
16 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 16 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
Cities
How People for the American Way Foundation gives
- Giving fell 93% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $63K (2020) to $2.7M (2022). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $180K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| People for the Amerian Way Washington, DC | Nonpartisan Project Support Grant | $150,000 |
| Woke Vote Birmingham, AL | Nonpartisan Voter Engagement and Get-Out-the-Vote Activities | $30,000 |
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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 | $7,762,718 | $4,206,661 | $5,692,367 | $180,000 | 2 | $403,925 |
| 2024 | $9,913,871 | $5,584,322 | $5,268,568 | $329,866 | 3 | $751,007 |
| 2023 | $9,324,419 | $3,727,640 | $4,987,122 | $1,326,510 | 1 | $360,018 |
| 2022 | $10,649,073 | $5,728,872 | $5,840,015 | $2,660,000 | 1 | $506,054 |
| 2020 | $11,850,277 | $6,120,086 | $7,201,337 | $62,500 | 9 | $499,968 |
About People for the American Way Foundation
Based on IRS filings
People for the American Way Foundation is a public charity focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $7.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $180K. Net investment income was $404K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
People for the American Way Foundation is led by Svante Myrick, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 8 of 21 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Svante Myrick
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
20 hrs/week
$184K (2023) → $163K (2025)
Yolanda Parker
Chair
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Kinney
Senior Editorial Director
Director of Communications → Senior Editorial Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
4.8 hrs/week
$53K (2020) → $19K (2025)
Michael B. Keegan
Director
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$183K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Jack Edward Cohen
Director of Institutional Giving
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$152K (2025)
Arthur J. Bellinzoni
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David E. Altschul
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Turner
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rene Spellman
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Horacio Trujillo
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Saperstein
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Haroon Saleem
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Josh Sapan
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Killer
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marge Tabankin
Director
On filings since 2023
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Laviolette
General Counsel, COO & Secretary
General Counsel & Secretary → COO & General Counsel, 2022
COO & General Counsel → General Counsel, COO & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$68K (2020) → $99K (2025)
Margery F. Baker
Executive Vice President
Executive Vice President Policy & Program → Executive Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
14.8 hrs/week
$76K (2020) → $94K (2025)
Roger Carlton Vann
Chief Strategy Officer
Chief Strategy Officer → Chief Advancement Officer, 2023
Chief Advancement Officer → Chief Strategy Officer, 2024
On filings since 2022
15.6 hrs/week
$86K (2022) → $83K (2025)
Raquel Jones
Vice President of Campaigns & Programs
On filings since 2023
28 hrs/week
$117K (2023) → $146K (2025)
Na Eng
Chief Communications Officer
On filings since 2024
22.8 hrs/week
$126K (2024) → $129K (2025)
Delishia Davis
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (29)
- Former: Kristen Leigh Smith (2020–2024) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Robert Santiago (2024) — Director - Major Gifts
- Former: Barbara Bluhm-Kaul (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Benjamin A. Betz (2020–2023) — Senior Director of Digital & Org
- Former: Deborah Rappaport (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Khizr Khan (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Norman Lear (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Will K. Halm (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Elise Convy (2022–2023) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Ben Jealous (2023) — Former President
- Former: Clara Shin (2023) — Director
- Former: Ayeola Alexander (2020–2022) — Director of Hr & Inclusion
- Former: Benjamin Jealous (2020–2022) — President & CEO
- Former: David Perlman (2020–2022) — CFO
- Former: Lindi Von Mutius (2022) — Director
- Former: Alec Baldwin (2020) — Director
- Former: Carrie Mae Weems (2020) — Director
- Former: Dominic Ucci (2020) — Executive Vice President & COO
- Former: James A. Autry (2020) — Director
- Former: James Lovelace (2020) — Director
- Former: Joan Harris (2020) — Director
- Former: Joshua Sapan (2020) — Director
- Former: Margery Tabankin (2020) — Director
- Former: Rabbi David Saperstein (2020) — Director
- Former: Reginald Weaver (2020) — Director
- Former: Rep David Bowen (2020) — Director
- Former: Senator Kevin Killer (2020) — Director
- Former: The Honorable Mary Frances Berry (2020) — Director
- Former: Timothy McDonald III (2020) — Chair
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 $163K, to Svante Myrick (President & CEO). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about People for the American Way Foundation
How much does People for the American Way Foundation give each year?
People for the American Way Foundation gave $180K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $330K across 3 grants.
How large is People for the American Way Foundation?
People for the American Way Foundation reported $7.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.2M.
What is People for the American Way Foundation?
People for the American Way Foundation is a public charity focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Washington, DC. It holds $7.8M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does People for the American Way Foundation operate?
People for the American Way Foundation has awarded grants in Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania.
What is People for the American Way Foundation's EIN?
People for the American Way Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3065716. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 23, 2026)
Live grants for the work People for the American Way Foundation funds
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in People for the American Way Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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