Public Welfare Foundation Inc
Public Welfare Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1947, it supports nonprofit efforts to transform adult criminal justice and youth justice in the United States through community-led, restorative, and racially just approaches.
Public Welfare Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Public Welfare Foundation Inc gave $25.8M across 164 grants in 2025 (avg $157K), top state California. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $25,775,563
- +1.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 164
- -21.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $157,168
- +29.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $138,500
- Total assets
- $614,690,262
- +2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (43 of 153, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (15% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Public Welfare Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The website says the grant portal is closed and that the Foundation is not accepting Letters of Inquiry at this time. Its application process calls for an online Letter of Inquiry describing the organization, project, and purpose of the request; applicants invited to submit a full proposal receive instructions by email. The website directs applicants to check back in Fall 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: Grants Management
Mailing address: 1200 U Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20009-4443
Phone: (202) 965-1800
Website: https://publicwelfare.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Public Welfare Foundation Inc
Who Public Welfare Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Possibility Labs ($775K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $5.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
850 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 367 grants of 850 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website identifies Oklahoma, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Louisiana, Jackson, Mississippi, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Washington, DC, as places where it seeks to support impacted leaders advancing criminal justice reform. Its 2025 grants were distributed across states, with the largest shares of grant dollars going to California (15%), the District of Columbia (13%), Louisiana (9%), Michigan (9%), and Oklahoma (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 164 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Public Welfare Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 43 of 153 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $105K; repeat grants $193K. How we count
Medians: $51K first-time, $191K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20.7M (2020) to $25.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 164 grants totaling $25.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Detroit, MI | Support for Michigan Justice Fund, Phase II | $500,000 |
| Foundation for Louisiana New Orleans, LA | Support for Louisiana Justice Fund | $500,000 |
| Minneapolis Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Support for Sector Support Fund | $500,000 |
| Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs Calabasas, CA | Support for Women on the Rise GA | $500,000 |
| The Just Trust for Education Tulsa, OK | Support for Oklahoma Justice Funders Collaborative Fund | $500,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Washington, DC | Support for Courage Project | $499,999 |
| ORS Impact Seattle, WA | Support for Evaluation and Learning Partnership | $489,800 |
| National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform Oakland, CA | Support for Violence Reduction Research and Practice Network | $472,000 |
| Possibility Labs San Francisco, CA | Support for PWF Convening Led by Catalyze Justice | $440,000 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Support for Violence Reduction Research and Practice Network | $409,323 |
Ready to take the next step with Public Welfare Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing reports that during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, the Foundation spent $489,800 on evaluation and learning work and $864,500 on research and related work concerning narratives of violence and harm reduction.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $614,690,262 | $44,300,850 | $41,531,678 | $25,775,563 | 164 | $32,890,934 | $36,462,183 | $28,461,989 |
| 2024 | $601,086,862 | $29,646,969 | $32,952,461 | $25,497,906 | 210 | $36,232,855 | $32,185,249 | $27,906,132 |
| 2023 | $567,506,423 | $13,393,238 | $40,014,035 | $24,734,650 | 159 | $30,108,406 | — | $28,147,124 |
| 2022 | $570,343,812 | $13,375,880 | $27,339,586 | $21,673,900 | 158 | $29,703,688 | $45,427,175 | $29,985,483 |
| 2021 | $643,943,705 | $26,951,766 | $28,067,691 | $20,695,000 | 159 | — | $24,188,533 | $28,685,414 |
| 2020 | $555,879,111 | $41,854,063 | $26,876,677 | $20,664,000 | 186 | — | $51,148,449 | $24,204,583 |
| 2019 | $516,078,603 | $26,354,765 | $28,759,685 | $21,255,628 | 200 | — | $54,464,570 | $23,699,788 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Public Welfare Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $28.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation seeks to catalyze a transformative approach to justice in the United States that is community-led, restorative, and racially just. Its website identifies racial equity, economic well-being, and fundamental fairness as core values.
It funds U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status; organizations without that status may apply with a fiscal sponsor. The Foundation says it does not fund individuals, scholarships, direct services, or international projects. It prioritizes structural and systemic changes in criminal justice, youth justice reform, community-centered approaches to reducing harm and violence, and efforts to reframe public narratives about the justice system. It does not typically fund direct-service work, though it may consider demonstration projects that make the case for non-carceral alternatives.
Among the 2025 grantees, Foundation for Louisiana describes its work as investing in local leadership and community-driven solutions across Louisiana. Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan says it builds resources, relationships, and expertise to expand equitable access to opportunity. Deep Center describes its work as empowering young people in Savannah through creative writing, cultural production, and art.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 164 grants totaling $25,775,563. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $500,000, with a median of $138,500. The Foundation says it awards general support, program or project support, and one-time special opportunities grants; it also often makes multi-year and general support grants.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $500,000 to Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan for the Michigan Justice Fund, Phase II; $500,000 to Foundation for Louisiana for the Louisiana Justice Fund; $500,000 to Minneapolis Foundation for a sector support fund; and $500,000 to Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs for Women on the Rise GA. Other notable awards included $472,000 to National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform for a violence reduction research and practice network, $440,000 to Possibility Labs for a Foundation convening led by Catalyze Justice, and $400,000 to Deep Center for building community power in Chatham County, Georgia.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Candice Jones as president and Craig Alexander as CFAO. It lists Kristin Henning, Donna Byrd, Evelyn Diaz, Christopher Graham, Tamara Larsen, Rickke Mananzala, Sheena Meade, and Gumersindo Oliveros as directors.
Public Welfare Foundation Inc is led by Jones Candice, President on every filing since 2019; 11 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jones Candice
President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$366K (2019) → $536K (2025)
Graham Christopher
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $12K (2025)
Taylor-Thompson Kim
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $12K (2025)
Washington Eric
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $9K (2025)
Byrd Donna
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$8K (2022) → $12K (2025)
Larsen Tamara
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$8K (2022) → $12K (2025)
Meade Sheena
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$8K (2022) → $12K (2025)
Diaz Evelyn
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$9K (2024) → $12K (2025)
Mananzala Rickke
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$9K (2024) → $12K (2025)
Henning Kristin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$12K (2025)
Oliveros Gumersindo
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexander Craig
Cfao
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$255K (2020) → $334K (2025)
Former officers (9)
- Former: Sloan Clifford (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Diver Colin (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Bocanegra Eduardo (2022) — Director
- Former: Aase Craig (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Bell-Rose Stephanie (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Dodson David (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Otero Maria (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Sagawa Shirley (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Taylor Phillipa P. (2019) — Cfao
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $536K, to Jones Candice (President). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Public Welfare Foundation Inc
How much does Public Welfare Foundation Inc give each year?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc gave $25.8M across 164 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25.5M across 210 grants.
What is Public Welfare Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $138,500, and its average grant was $157,168, across 164 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Public Welfare Foundation Inc that year got $105K on average.
Where does Public Welfare Foundation Inc give grants?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc's top state is California, with 15% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (13%) and Louisiana (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (25 grants), New York, NY (13 grants), New Orleans, LA (8 grants) and Detroit, MI (7 grants).
Does Public Welfare Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 30% of Public Welfare Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (50 of 164) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Support for Emergency Federal Grant" (5 grants).
Who are Public Welfare Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Possibility Labs ($775,000 across 3 grants), Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs ($650,000 across 2 grants) and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 7% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Public Welfare Foundation Inc?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc reported $614.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $32.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $28.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Public Welfare Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation seeks to catalyze a transformative approach to justice in the United States that is community-led, restorative, and racially just. Its website identifies racial equity, economic well-being, and fundamental fairness as core values. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Public Welfare Foundation Inc?
The website says the grant portal is closed and that the Foundation is not accepting Letters of Inquiry at this time. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Public Welfare Foundation Inc's EIN?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-0597601. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Public Welfare Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Public Welfare Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/public-welfare-foundation-inc-morg_b01d7446130c474a8cd2ded6b6718f27
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_540597601_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Public Welfare Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/public-welfare-foundation-inc-morg_b01d7446130c474a8cd2ded6b6718f27},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Public Welfare Foundation Inc'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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