Realize Impact
Realize Impact is a public charity based in Bainbridge Island, Washington, formed in 2013. It supports early-stage enterprises and charitable projects focused on social, environmental, health, or community needs, including through impact investments and fiscal sponsorship.
Realize Impact at a glance
In short: Realize Impact gave $8.2M across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $229K), mostly in California. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,249,449
- +38.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- +9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $229,151
- +27.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $46,454
- Total assets
- $33,404,486
- +57.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (15 of 36, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (60% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Realize Impact
- Contact
Mailing address: 271 Winslow Way E 10234, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Phone: (360) 777-5460
Website: https://realizeimpact.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Realize Impact funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The New Climate ($3.2M). Together the top 10 received $7.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 93 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in California (60%), New York (15%), Oregon (11%), Washington (7%), and Massachusetts (3%). The listed grants also included a recipient in Alaska.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Realize Impact open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 36 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $342K; repeat grants $149K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $50K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2024). 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 $227K (2020) to $8.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $8.2M.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The New Climate Menlo Park, CA | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $3,168,000 |
| GitLab Foundation San Francisco, CA | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $975,000 |
| Beneficial Returns Portland, OR | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $651,510 |
| Delta40 Venture Studio Corporation Lake Placid, NY | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $609,375 |
| Small Business Silver Lining New York, NY | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $463,125 |
| Denkyem Renton, WA | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $358,424 |
| gDiapers West Linn, OR | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $266,136 |
| Making Space Tujunga, CA | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $243,750 |
| Tailwind Climate Berkeley, CA | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $219,375 |
| Artha Networks Belmont, MA | Fiscal Sponsorship Grants | $195,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Realize Impact?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $33,404,486 | $22,238,411 | $9,741,398 | $8,249,449 | 36 | $230,084 |
| 2023 | $21,259,674 | $14,692,445 | $7,238,977 | $5,944,440 | 33 | $89,006 |
| 2022 | $18,263,663 | $13,099,247 | $2,030,371 | $2,032,797 | 13 | $40 |
| 2021 | $7,219,611 | $7,478,295 | $3,202,251 | $3,001,505 | 11 | — |
| 2020 | $2,618,373 | $2,586,434 | $231,638 | $226,859 | Total only | $97 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Realize Impact’s mission is to relieve poverty, create jobs, and improve social and environmental health by investing in impactful companies that lack access to financing from conventional sources. Its stated purpose is to make impact investing easy, rewarding, and possible for everyone.
It supports mission-driven, impact-oriented companies seeking investment and fiscally sponsors charitable projects whose activities align with its mission. Eligible fiscal-sponsorship activities must address at least one of the organization’s stated categories: relief of poverty or disadvantage; education or science; climate-change mitigation or prevention; lessening neighborhood tensions; eliminating prejudice and discrimination; or defending civil and human rights secured by law.
Among 2024 recipients, GitLab Foundation received $975,000. The foundation describes its mission as improving people’s lifetime earnings through access to opportunities, including by helping people gain skills and increase their earnings.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Realize Impact reported 36 grants totaling $8,249,449. Grant amounts ranged from $5,363 to $3,168,000, with a median of $46,454. The listed grants were for fiscal sponsorship.
The largest 2024 grants included $3,168,000 to The New Climate in Menlo Park, California; $975,000 to GitLab Foundation in San Francisco, California; $651,510 to Beneficial Returns in Portland, Oregon; $609,375 to Delta40 Venture Studio Corporation in Lake Placid, New York; and $463,125 to Small Business Silver Lining in New York, New York. Other recipients included Denkyem ($358,424), gDiapers ($266,136), Making Space ($243,750), Tailwind Climate ($219,375), Artha Networks ($195,000), SOCAP ($190,125), and Ocean Plastics Recovery Project ($100,001).
For fiscal sponsorship, applicants submit information about their organization’s proposed charitable activities. The Investment Committee reviews applications for charitable purpose and alignment with Realize Impact’s mission; the review usually takes about a month. A one-time, non-refundable $250 application fee is required. Fiscal-sponsorship grants are non-recoverable.
Realize Impact also offers Philanthropic Investment Grants (PHIGs), which support investments with an expectation of repayment. To recommend an investment, a donor submits a recommendation and contributes investment capital; Realize Impact conducts diligence, reviews the terms, and makes the investment. For contributions of $10,000 or more, the fee is $500. For smaller contributions, there is no fee, but investment returns are not re-donated. For eligible contributions of $10,000 or more, Realize Impact donates 99% of investment returns to the recommended donor-advised fund, foundation, or other 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or may use them for another impact investment.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Stephanie Gripne as President, Michael Libes as Treasurer, Brian Howe as Secretary, Kurt Davis Jr and Paul Huynh as Board Members, and Matt Eldridge as Executive Director.
Realize Impact is led by Matt Eldridge, Executive Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Matt Eldridge
Executive Director
Vice President → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Executive Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
36 hrs/week
$47K (2022) → $146K (2024)
Stephanie Gripne
President
Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Libes
Treasurer
President → Vice President & Treasurer, 2022
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$30K (2022) → $62K (2024)
Brian Howe
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kurt Davis Jr.
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Huynh
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Lauren Kickham (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 $146K, to Matt Eldridge (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Realize Impact
How much does Realize Impact give each year?
Realize Impact gave $8.2M across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $5.9M across 33 grants.
What is Realize Impact's typical grant size?
Realize Impact's median grant in 2024 was $46,454, and its average grant was $229,151, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Realize Impact that year got $342K on average.
Where does Realize Impact give grants?
Realize Impact gives mostly in California: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (15%) and Oregon (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Menlo Park, CA (2 grants) and Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does Realize Impact give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on Realize Impact's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Fiscal Sponsorship Grants" (36 grants).
Who are Realize Impact's largest grantees?
Realize Impact's largest 2024 grantees include The New Climate ($3,168,000), GitLab Foundation ($975,000) and Beneficial Returns ($651,510), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Realize Impact?
Realize Impact reported $33.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $22.2M.
What does Realize Impact fund?
Realize Impact’s mission is to relieve poverty, create jobs, and improve social and environmental health by investing in impactful companies that lack access to financing from conventional sources. Its stated purpose is to make impact investing easy, rewarding, and possible for everyone. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Realize Impact?
Realize Impact has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check realizeimpact.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Realize Impact's EIN?
Realize Impact's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3594732. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 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 September 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 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 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Realize Impact's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Realize Impact funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/realize-impact-morg_b77c2360075e4a52b416c7c2abf9114a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_463594732_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Realize Impact funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/realize-impact-morg_b77c2360075e4a52b416c7c2abf9114a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Realize Impact'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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