Project Liberty Institute
To create a new civic architecture for the digital world that returns the ownership and control of personal data to individuals, embeds ethical values into technology, and expands economic opportunities for web users and developers alike.
Project Liberty Institute at a glance
In short: Project Liberty Institute gave $215K across 3 grants in 2024 (avg $72K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $215,000
- -72.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 3
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $71,667
- -72.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $70,000
- Total assets
- $7,474,351
- +19.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Project Liberty Institute
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Project Liberty Institute
Who Project Liberty Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($120K). Together the top 3 received $215K.
Grant Size Distribution
12 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 3 grants of 12 (25%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How Project Liberty Institute gives
- Giving fell 95% from 2021 to 2024. 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $215K (2024) to $15.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $215K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Supports advanced network architecture group's research to develop a better understanding of how internet applications with dsnp control can be viable in a marketplace dominated by large actors that hold centralized control over their systems. | $120,000 |
| Mediators Foundation Inc Boulder, CO | Supports the development of the prosocial ranking challenge, which is the first large-scale, cross-platform, ecologically valid experiment to test bridging-based ranking algorithms to identify the best algorithms to improve social cohesion on social media. | $70,000 |
| Radicalxchange Foundation Ltd Morega, CA | Launch activities related to the on-chain tool instantiating the partial common ownership (PCO) of art, data, and other intellectual property, as detailed by the grantee in the enclosed proposal. | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,474,351 | $26,552,436 | $6,068,091 | $215,000 | 3 | $-196 |
| 2023 | $6,240,925 | $15,048,195 | $9,401,973 | $770,000 | 3 | $-6,722 |
| 2022 | $1,261,127 | $13,800,000 | $39,098,768 | $15,326,162 | 4 | — |
| 2021 | $300,000 | $5,000,000 | $4,700,000 | $4,700,000 | 2 | — |
About Project Liberty Institute
Based on IRS filings
Project Liberty Institute is a public charity focused on Science & Technology, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $7.5M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 3 grants totaling $215K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Project Liberty Institute is led by Tomicah Tillemann, President & CEO on the 2024 filing; 5 of 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Tomicah Tillemann
President & CEO
New on the 2024 filing
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frank McCourt
Chair
President → President & Board Member, 2022
President & Board Member → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alberto Beeck
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Bell
Head of Strategic Insights
Head of Strat. Insights → Head of Strategic Insights, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$259K (2023) → $346K (2024)
Erik Suhonen - Head
Of Ecosystem Growth
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$257K (2024)
Jessica Theodule
Research Manager of Strat. Insights
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$137K (2024)
Kila Englebrook - Head Of
Ops & Officer
New on the 2024 filing
10 hrs/week
$54K (2024)
Sara Wekselblatt
Finance & Hr Senior Manager
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$135K (2024)
Joseph Riley
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Cancian
Secretary
On filings since 2023
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Joseph White (2021–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Elizabeth Caputo (2023) — Head of Strat. Initiat.
- Former: Erik Suhonen (2023) — Head of Ecosystem Growth
- Former: Kila Englebrook (2023) — Head of Operations
- Former: Lara Galinsky (2023) — Head of Partnerships
- Former: Martina Larkin (2023) — CEO
- Former: Sheherazade Semsar-De Boisseson (2021) — Executive Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $346K, to James Bell (Head of Strategic Insights). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Project Liberty Institute
How much does Project Liberty Institute give each year?
Project Liberty Institute gave $215K across 3 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $770K across 3 grants.
What is Project Liberty Institute's typical grant size?
Project Liberty Institute's median grant in 2024 was $70,000, and its average grant was $71,667, across 3 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Project Liberty Institute give grants?
Project Liberty Institute gives mostly in Massachusetts: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (33%) and California (12%).
Does Project Liberty Institute give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Project Liberty Institute's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Project Liberty Institute?
Project Liberty Institute reported $7.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $26.6M.
What is Project Liberty Institute?
Project Liberty Institute is a public charity focused on Science & Technology, based in New York, NY. It holds $7.5M in total assets as of 2024.
What is Project Liberty Institute's EIN?
Project Liberty Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3213298. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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 2021 (received by the IRS October 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Project Liberty Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?