Solidago Foundation
Solidago Foundation is a public charity based in Northampton, Massachusetts. Its website describes a grantmaking foundation that supports grassroots organizing and, currently, civic empowerment work—particularly efforts to protect and reform democratic systems in communities most affected by systemic injustices.
Solidago Foundation at a glance
In short: Solidago Foundation gave $2.1M across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $148K), mostly in New York. 55% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,067,130
- +344.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -44.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $147,652
- +693.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $42,500
- Total assets
- $1,980,068
- -12.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (6 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (75% 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 Solidago Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website says it does not accept unsolicited requests, describing this as not accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry.
- Contact
Mailing address: 150 Main Street 24, Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: (413) 587-0174
Website: https://solidago.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Solidago Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Circle for Justice Innovations Inc ($1.6M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
129 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 129 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says its current grantmaking supports work in key states and select national organizations. Its 2024 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in New York (75%), Georgia (7%), North Carolina (7%), Arizona (5%), and Massachusetts (5%). The website’s description of a 2021 grant docket identifies Arizona, Georgia, and national work as its geographic focus for that docket.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Solidago Foundation open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 11 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $292K; repeat grants $63K. How we count
Medians: $43K first-time, $50K repeat.
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 $465K (2023) to $3.0M (2020). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Circle for Justice Innovations Inc Brooklyn, NY | General Operating Support | $1,475,233 |
| See Forward Fund Inc Northampton, MA | Lobbying Grant | $100,000 |
| Circle for Justice Innovations Inc Brooklyn, NY | Project Support | $81,897 |
| Arizona Center for Empowerment (Ace) Phoenix, AZ | Project Support | $50,000 |
| Blueprint Durham, NC | Project Support | $50,000 |
| Blueprint Durham, NC | Project Support | $50,000 |
| Common Cause Raleigh, NC | Project Support | $50,000 |
| Black Male Initiative Georgia (Bmiga) Atlanta, GA | General Operating Support C3 Work | $35,000 |
| Progeorgia Atlanta, GA | General Operating Support | $35,000 |
| Chispa a Program of League of Conservation Voters Education Fund Phoenix, AZ | General Operating Support | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Solidago Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,980,068 | $2,911,274 | $3,920,627 | $2,067,130 | 14 | $4,923 |
| 2023 | $2,254,168 | $2,480,105 | $1,984,114 | $465,000 | 25 | $2,017 |
| 2022 | $1,691,144 | $2,007,419 | $2,629,046 | $1,415,000 | 37 | $10,866 |
| 2021 | $1,745,634 | $2,187,279 | $1,430,669 | $650,000 | 14 | $5,765 |
| 2020 | $1,448,252 | $3,729,631 | $4,768,560 | $2,990,852 | 39 | $43,074 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
In its 2024 filing, the foundation states that its mission is to promote justice, equity, sustainability, and enfranchisement through charitable grantmaking to and work with progressive, empowering community-based organizations and collaborations. The filing says it primarily grants to public charities working in or for the benefit of poor communities to address poverty and disenfranchisement, promote sustainable jobs, and protect the environment.
The foundation’s website describes its current focus as civic empowerment, including voter engagement, voting rights, voter protection, and democracy reform. It says it supports grassroots organizations and select national organizations that amplify grassroots work.
Among its 2024 grantees, Circle for Justice Innovations describes its mission as ending mass criminalization and incarceration by strengthening grassroots criminal-justice movement infrastructure, with leadership by people most affected by the system. See Forward Fund describes its purpose as supporting social-welfare work, primarily public education and advocacy on social justice, environmental protection, civil rights, and civic participation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $2,067,130. Grant amounts ranged from $25,000 to $1,475,233, with a median of $42,500. The largest listed award was $1,475,233 to Circle for Justice Innovations for general operating support. Other listed grants included $100,000 to See Forward Fund for a lobbying grant; $81,897 to Circle for Justice Innovations for project support; and $50,000 each to Arizona Center for Empowerment, Blueprint (two grants), and Common Cause for project support.
The foundation’s filing says grantees must comply with applicable federal and local statutes and file reports describing grant outcomes 10–12 months after an award. It says grantees that do not report on time are ineligible for future grants, and that the program team reviews reports and follows up as needed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Linda Stout as director/president; John Vaughn as director; and Isabelle M. Leighton as treasurer/secretary. It also lists Aleah Bacquie Vaughn as CJI executive director and David Nordstrom as CJI fiscal agent coordinator.
Solidago Foundation is led by Linda Stout, Director & President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Linda Stout
Director & President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $79K (2024)
Aleah Bacquie Vaughn
Cji Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$110K (2023) → $10K (2024)
John Vaughn
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Isabelle M. Leighton
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$2K (2021) → $0 (2024)
David Nordstrom
Cji Fiscal Agent Coordinator
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$103K (2023) → $105K (2024)
Former officers (6)
- Former: Jeffrey Rosen (2020–2022) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Maggie Russell-Ciardi (2021) — Managing Director
- Former: Guillermo Quinteros (2020) — Program Director
- Former: Maria E. Barajas-Roman (2020) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Sarah E. Christiansen (2020) — Program Director
- Former: Valeria Treves (2020) — Lift 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 $105K, to David Nordstrom (CJI Fiscal Agent Coordinat). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Solidago Foundation
How much does Solidago Foundation give each year?
Solidago Foundation gave $2.1M across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $465K across 25 grants.
What is Solidago Foundation's typical grant size?
Solidago Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $42,500, and its average grant was $147,652, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Solidago Foundation that year got $292K on average.
Where does Solidago Foundation give grants?
Solidago Foundation gives mostly in New York: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Georgia (7%) and North Carolina (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (5 grants), Brooklyn, NY (2 grants), Durham, NC (2 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (2 grants).
Does Solidago Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of Solidago Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Project Support" (7 grants).
Who are Solidago Foundation's largest grantees?
Solidago Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Circle for Justice Innovations Inc ($1,557,130 across 2 grants), Blueprint ($100,000 across 2 grants) and See Forward Fund Inc ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Solidago Foundation?
Solidago Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.9M.
What does Solidago Foundation fund?
In its 2024 filing, the foundation states that its mission is to promote justice, equity, sustainability, and enfranchisement through charitable grantmaking to and work with progressive, empowering community-based organizations and collaborations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Solidago Foundation?
The foundation’s website says it does not accept unsolicited requests, describing this as not accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Solidago Foundation's EIN?
Solidago Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2963670. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Solidago Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 18, 2024)
- 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 Solidago Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Solidago Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/solidago-foundation-morg_586b893a8fe5469fa94224a231c4f0a5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_202963670_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Solidago Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/solidago-foundation-morg_586b893a8fe5469fa94224a231c4f0a5},
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 Solidago 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.
Solidago Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?