Riff Foundation
RIFF Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It describes itself as a family foundation supporting grassroots movements working for self-determination and collective liberation.
Riff Foundation at a glance
In short: Riff Foundation gave $7.0M across 1 grant in 2024 (avg $7.0M), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,967,500
- -2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 1
- -66.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,967,500
- +191.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,967,500
- Total assets
- $32,072,524
- -0.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Riff Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
RIFF does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 961510, Boston, MA 02196
Phone: (617) 573-9061
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Riff Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Amalgamated Charitable Foundation ($7.0M).
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 21 grants of 66 (32%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant listed in the filing went to a recipient in Washington, DC. The available information does not establish a broader geographic focus.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2024 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How Riff Foundation gives
- Giving grew 32% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 442% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.2M (2020) to $7.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $7.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Washington, DC | General support | $6,967,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $32,072,524 | $6,626,974 | $7,714,478 | $6,967,500 | 1 | $7,145,990 | $638,632 | $1,615,705 |
| 2023 | $32,203,689 | $12,415,018 | $7,685,433 | $7,176,000 | 3 | $7,396,458 | $463,255 | $1,423,797 |
| 2022 | $24,920,566 | $8,608,786 | $7,556,761 | $7,048,000 | 1 | $7,268,796 | $90,885 | $1,292,431 |
| 2021 | $26,474,154 | $6,193,844 | $5,713,338 | $5,275,000 | 1 | $5,408,835 | $1,803,128 | $1,133,902 |
| 2020 | $24,803,253 | $6,572,576 | $4,551,516 | $4,240,000 | 60 | — | $46,080 | $1,004,290 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Riff Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
RIFF’s stated purpose is to support grassroots movements fighting for self-determination and collective liberation, with justice at the center of responses to social, economic, and ecological crises.
Its grantmaking strategy is organized around seven themes: Communities at the Center, Uplifting Intersectionality, Building Power, Supporting the Sparks, Supporting Movement Building, Culture Change, and Healing & Resilience. RIFF says it prioritizes organizations led by and working with communities most affected by inequality and injustice, and supports community organizing, collective leadership development, and systemic solutions across intersecting issues.
The 2024 recipient, Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc., described its mission as activating capital for democracy and working people through interconnected platforms for giving, civic action, and capital investment.
Grantmaking
RIFF reported grants totaling $6,967,500 across one grant in 2024. That sole listed grant, for general support, went to Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc. in Washington, DC. In 2023, RIFF reported three grants totaling $7,176,000; in 2022, it reported one grant totaling $7,048,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Nancy Vinal as president, Pamela Kohlberg as treasurer, and Samuel Vinal as secretary.
Riff Foundation is led by Nancy Vinal, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nancy Vinal
President
Secretary → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Kohlberg
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samuel Vinal
Secretary
President → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Nancy Vinal-Rocha (2021–2022) — President
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.
Frequently asked questions about Riff Foundation
How much does Riff Foundation give each year?
Riff Foundation gave $7.0M across 1 grant in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.2M across 3 grants.
How large is Riff Foundation?
Riff Foundation reported $32.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Riff Foundation fund?
RIFF’s stated purpose is to support grassroots movements fighting for self-determination and collective liberation, with justice at the center of responses to social, economic, and ecological crises. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Riff Foundation?
RIFF does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Riff Foundation make grants?
The 2024 grant listed in the filing went to a recipient in Washington, DC. The available information does not establish a broader geographic focus.
What is Riff Foundation's EIN?
Riff Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-5214407. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Riff Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Riff Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/riff-foundation-morg_227e71a087504a08a88246d15fcc5d05
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_815214407_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Riff Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/riff-foundation-morg_227e71a087504a08a88246d15fcc5d05},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Riff Foundation'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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