Policylink
PolicyLink is a national research and action institute based in Oakland, California. It works to advance a future in which people across the United States can participate in a flourishing multiracial democracy, prosper in an equitable economy, and live in thriving communities. Its work includes research, policy solutions, partnerships, and support for the infrastructure of the equity movement.
Policylink at a glance
In short: Policylink gave $13.4M across 127 grants in 2024 (avg $106K), top state Virginia. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $13,409,198
- +44.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 127
- +38.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $105,584
- +4.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $115,891,084
- -9.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (76 of 127, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Policylink
- Contact
Mailing address: 1438 Webster Street 303, Oakland, CA 94612-3228
Phone: (510) 663-2333
Website: https://policylink.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Policylink funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Liberation in a Generation ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $8.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
454 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 283 grants of 454 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
PolicyLink is based in Oakland, California. Its 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states and Puerto Rico. The largest shares by recipient state were Virginia (27%), New York (14%), Delaware (13%), California (11%), and Massachusetts (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 127 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Policylink open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 76 of 127 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $91K; repeat grants $128K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $45K repeat.
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $1.8M (2020) to $17.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 127 grants totaling $13.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Liberation in a Generation Lorton, VA | Crosscutting Strategies | $3,531,226 |
| Liberation Ventures Inc Wilmington, DE | Crosscutting Strategies | $1,829,941 |
| The Stories of US Inc New York, NY | Crosscutting Strategies | $1,044,218 |
| La Liga De Ciudades De Puerto Rico San Juan, PR | Thriving Communities | $450,000 |
| Just Capital Foundation Inc New York, NY | Equitable Economy | $250,000 |
| Local Progress Policy Institute Washington, DC | Thriving Communities | $250,000 |
| Center for Popular Democracy Brooklyn, NY | Crosscutting Strategies | $183,203 |
| FSG - Boston Boston, MA | Equitable Economy | $171,000 |
| Possibility Labs San Francisco, CA | Crosscutting Strategies | $170,000 |
| California Black Power Network Long Beach, CA | Crosscutting Strategies | $152,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $115,891,084 | $48,219,263 | $58,084,593 | $13,409,198 | 127 | $4,480,865 |
| 2023 | $127,758,711 | $66,499,230 | $44,354,056 | $9,288,364 | 92 | $3,086,391 |
| 2022 | $110,956,916 | $46,107,101 | $53,333,535 | $17,155,827 | 99 | $491,846 |
| 2021 | $113,528,942 | $83,393,172 | $43,050,104 | $16,433,611 | 88 | $215,957 |
| 2020 | $67,149,922 | $61,963,660 | $18,681,013 | $1,762,764 | 48 | $92,160 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
PolicyLink’s mission is to build a future where all people in the United States can participate in a flourishing multiracial democracy, prosper in an equitable economy, and live in thriving communities of opportunity. Its website describes its role as lifting up local leaders’ voices, wisdom, and experience to craft and advance policy solutions, while connecting people and efforts to help accelerate change.
The organization’s stated portfolios include thriving communities—covering areas such as equitable infrastructure, affordable housing, education, human services, and clean water; flourishing democracy, focused on governing standards and structures that advance and protect people’s rights; and equitable economy, focused on jobs, living standards, voice, power, and ownership. Crosscutting strategies include data and research, communications, impact measurement, and other programs such as fiscal sponsorship.
2024 grants included support for organizations working on economic liberation, local racial and economic justice, a more just economy, multiracial democracy, community self-determination, reparations, Black political power, and equal protection. These are grantees’ own stated missions: for example, Liberation in a Generation describes itself as a movement support organization advancing the economic liberation of people of color; Local Progress Policy Institute says its Impact Lab builds local leaders’ capacity to advance racial and economic justice; and Just Capital Foundation says it works with companies to improve how they serve stakeholders as defined by the public.
Grantmaking
In 2024, PolicyLink reported 127 grants totaling $13,249,243. Grant amounts ranged from $8,000 to $3,531,226, with a median of $40,000.
The largest listed grants included $3,531,226 to Liberation in a Generation for crosscutting strategies; $1,669,986 to Liberation Ventures Inc. for crosscutting strategies; and $1,044,218 to The Stories of Us Inc. for crosscutting strategies. Other listed grants included $450,000 to La Liga de Ciudades de Puerto Rico for thriving communities, $250,000 to Just Capital Foundation Inc. for equitable economy, and $250,000 to Local Progress Policy Institute for thriving communities.
Additional 2024 grantees included Center for Popular Democracy ($183,203), Possibility Labs ($170,000), California Black Power Network ($152,500), Equal Justice Society ($152,500), and Get Free Movement Fund ($152,500). The grantees’ stated missions include building a representative multiracial government and society, advancing economic self-determination for communities of color and historically low-income communities, dismantling systemic anti-Black racism, and promoting truth, reconciliation, and reparations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael A. McAfee as chief executive officer and Ashleigh G. Gardere as president. Sandra Gasca is listed as board chair, Kay Fernandez Smith as secretary, and Geoffrey Canada as treasurer. Directors listed are Dolores Acevedo-Garcia, Jeffrey L. Bradach, Sheri Dunn Berry, Darrick Hamilton, and Stewart Kwoh.
Policylink is led by Michael A. McAfee, Chief Executive Officer since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 15 of 23 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael A. McAfee
Chief Executive Officer
President & CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$461K (2020) → $607K (2024)
Ashleigh G. Gardere
President
Executive Vice President of Programs → Executive Vice President, 2022
Executive Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$271K (2021) → $509K (2024)
Sheldon Ballom
Senior Advisor to President
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$232K (2024)
Sandra Gasca
Board Chair
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mahlet Getachew
Managing Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$187K (2021) → $217K (2024)
Judith W. Dangerfield
Managing Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$201K (2023) → $264K (2024)
Dolores Acevedo-Garcia
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheri Dunn Berry
Director
Director & Chair → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stewart Kwoh
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darrick Hamilton
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey L. Bradach
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela G. Blackwell
Founder in Residence
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$301K (2020) → $267K (2024)
Joshua F. Kirschenbaum
Chief Advisor & S.i. Officer
Chief Operating Officer → Chief Advisor & S.i. Officer, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$315K (2020) → $372K (2024)
Michael J. Hassid
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2020
39.9 hrs/week
$236K (2020) → $400K (2024)
Aria Florant
Senior Fellow
Fellow → Senior Fellow, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$188K (2021) → $217K (2024)
Jerry Maldonado
Vice President of Programs
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$252K (2022) → $301K (2024)
Vanice Dunn
Vice President of Communications
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$218K (2022) → $319K (2024)
Abigail J. Langston
Vice President of Research
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$162K (2023) → $196K (2024)
Josephine Wong
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$202K (2023) → $311K (2024)
Omar Stanton
Chief Impact Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$182K (2023) → $194K (2024)
Kendra L. Onishi
Chief Development Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$82K (2024)
Geoffrey Canada
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kay Fernandez Smith
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Jennifer E. Thompson (2020–2023) — Director of H.r. & Facilities
- Former: Sandra Gasca-Gonzalez (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Christopher J. Campbell (2022) — Controller
- Former: Demond Drummer (2022) — Managing Director
- Former: Joan Walsh (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Radhika Fox (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Richard Baron (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sarah C. Treuhaft (2020–2021) — Vice President of Research
- Former: Felicia Hatcher (2021) — Fellow
- Former: Amanda M. Navarro (2020) — Chief Impact Officer
- Former: Anand Subramanian (2020) — Managing Director
- Former: Chione L. Flegal (2020) — Managing Director
- Former: Dalila Madison Almquist (2020) — Director of Constituency Alignment
- Former: Eugene Y. C. Chan (2020) — Chief Information Officer
- Former: Glenda Johnson (2020) — Director & Digital Committee
- Former: Kalima K. Rose (2020) — Senior Fellow
- Former: Marc A. Philpart II (2020) — Managing Director
- Former: Mariam Wakli (2020) — Resource Development Manager
- Former: Montana K. Rane (2020) — Senior Systems Administrator
- Former: Sybil G. Grant (2020) — Senior Associate
- Former: Tracey L. Ross (2020) — Director
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 $607K, to Michael a McAfee (Chief Executive Officer). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Policylink
How much does Policylink give each year?
Policylink gave $13.4M across 127 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $9.3M across 92 grants.
What is Policylink's typical grant size?
Policylink's median grant in 2024 was $40,000, and its average grant was $105,584, across 127 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Policylink that year got $91K on average.
Where does Policylink give grants?
Policylink's top state is Virginia, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Delaware (14%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (11 grants), San Francisco, CA (7 grants), Sacramento, CA (6 grants) and Boston, MA (5 grants).
Does Policylink give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 127 grants with a stated purpose on Policylink's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Crosscutting Strategies" (73 grants), "Thriving Communities" (47 grants) and "Equitable Economy" (4 grants).
Who are Policylink's largest grantees?
Policylink's largest 2024 grantees include Liberation in a Generation ($3,531,226), Liberation Ventures Inc ($1,829,941) and The Stories of US Inc ($1,044,218), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Policylink?
Policylink reported $115.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $48.2M.
What does Policylink fund?
PolicyLink’s mission is to build a future where all people in the United States can participate in a flourishing multiracial democracy, prosper in an equitable economy, and live in thriving communities of opportunity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Policylink?
Policylink has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check policylink.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Policylink's EIN?
Policylink's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3297479. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Policylink's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Policylink funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/policylink-morg_6f7ef945c27a47abb87e9c6e0aaaa736
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943297479_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Policylink funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/policylink-morg_6f7ef945c27a47abb87e9c6e0aaaa736},
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 Policylink'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.
Policylink down — hundreds of funders to go?