Southern Poverty Law Center Inc
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is a public charity headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1971, it works with communities to advance racial justice, civil and human rights, and address white supremacy and systemic injustice.
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc at a glance
In short: Southern Poverty Law Center Inc gave $1.0M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $56K), top state Alabama. 89% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,012,500
- -43.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -5.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $56,250
- -40.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $921,762,979
- +12.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 89% first-time grantees (16 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Southern Poverty Law Center Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 548, Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (334) 956-8200
Website: https://splcenter.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Southern Poverty Law Center Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American University ($350K). Together the top 10 received $870K.
Grant Size Distribution
89 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 89 (61%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SPLC says it works across the Deep South, with five priority states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It is headquartered in Montgomery and reports offices in Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Jackson, and Washington, D.C. Its website also describes its work as extending beyond the South.
In 2025, 45% of grant dollars went to Alabama recipients and 41% to recipients in Washington, D.C.; the remaining reported shares went to New York (6%), North Carolina (5%), and Illinois (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Southern Poverty Law Center Inc open to new grantees?
89%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 18 grantees (89%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $213K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $213K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $209K (2022) to $3.3M (2020). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American University Washington, DC | Partner Engagement Grant | $350,000 |
| Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery, AL | General Purpose Grant | $100,000 |
| Alabama Post Conviction Relief Project Inc Montgomery, AL | General Purpose Grant | $100,000 |
| Ignite Alabama Birmingham, AL | Selma Community Revitalization | $75,000 |
| Tuskegee Human & Civil Rights Multicultural Ctr Tuskegee, AL | General Purpose Grant | $50,000 |
| Center for Responsible Lending Durham, NC | General Purpose Grant | $50,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama Foundation Inc Montgomery, AL | General Purpose Grant | $50,000 |
| Tuskegee Macon County Community Foundation Inc Tuskegee Institute, AL | Sammy L. Younge Jr. Legacy Learning Center Grant | $45,000 |
| Selma Dallas County Childrens Policy Council Foundation Selma, AL | General Purpose Grant | $25,000 |
| National Immigration Law Ctr Washington, DC | General Purpose Grant | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Southern Poverty Law Center Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
SPLC’s financial information page reports that approximately 70.3% of total expenses in its last fiscal year went to program services and that its endowment stood at $813.8 million at that year-end.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $921,762,979 | $149,576,773 | $127,910,803 | $1,012,500 | 18 | $21,806,431 |
| 2024 | $822,198,315 | $129,063,290 | $128,982,970 | $1,785,000 | 19 | $22,235,604 |
| 2023 | $749,083,798 | $169,857,376 | $122,131,443 | $2,785,400 | 17 | $57,270,695 |
| 2022 | $723,488,477 | $140,350,982 | $111,043,025 | $209,450 | 8 | $31,203,684 |
| 2021 | $801,148,661 | $132,750,377 | $106,617,578 | $1,101,000 | 27 | $28,835,607 |
| 2020 | $614,389,428 | $132,918,576 | $97,409,030 | $3,274,871 | 89 | $24,651,593 |
| 2019 | $569,403,418 | $117,034,012 | $88,428,653 | $363,886 | 42 | $19,163,266 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to be “a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond,” working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people.
Its stated priorities include strengthening democracy and voting rights, eliminating poverty and economic inequality, dismantling white supremacy, and ending unjust imprisonment. Its legal and public information work also addresses civil rights abuses, hate crimes, discrimination, extremism, and education and criminal legal system reform.
The 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Ignite Alabama describes its mission as promoting economic growth in rural and distressed communities; the Center for Responsible Lending says it promotes financial fairness and economic opportunity and works to end abusive lending; and the ACLU of Alabama Foundation says it works to protect and expand Alabamians’ civil liberties and civil rights. The National Immigration Law Center describes itself as a legal advocacy organization defending and advancing the rights and opportunities of vulnerable immigrants and their loved ones.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, SPLC reported 18 grants totaling $1,012,500. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $350,000, with a median grant of $25,000. The largest grant was $350,000 to American University for a partner engagement grant. Other large awards included $100,000 each to Equal Justice Initiative and Alabama Post Conviction Relief Project, both for general purposes, and $75,000 to Ignite Alabama for Selma community revitalization.
Other 2025 recipients included Tuskegee Human & Civil Rights Multicultural Center ($50,000), the Center for Responsible Lending ($50,000), and the ACLU of Alabama Foundation ($50,000). SPLC also reported grants of $25,000 each to the National Immigration Law Center, the American Bar Association Fund for Justice & Education, and Justice in Motion.
SPLC announced a 2026 Vote Your Voice grant cycle with three opportunities for nonprofit organizations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The initiative supports voter education, civic engagement, and voting access, with a focus on historically excluded and underrepresented communities. The announcement describes the cycle but does not provide application materials or a deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Karen Baynes-Dunning as chair; James Hughes Jr. and Jini Koh as co-vice chairs; and Josh Bekenstein, Robert Fox, Pam Horowitz, Isabel Rubio, Minjon Tholen, Charles V. Taylor Jr., and Verna Williams as directors.
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc is led by Margaret Huang, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 16 of 27 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Margaret Huang
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$323K (2021) → $473K (2025)
Bryan Fair
Interim President & CEO
Director → Interim President & CEO, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Baynes-Dunning
Chair
Interim President, CEO, Director & Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2022
Director & Treasurer → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
$354K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Efren Olivares
Director of Strategic Litigation & Advocacy
Deputy Legal Director → Director of Strategic Litigation & Advocacy, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$178K (2022) → $235K (2025)
Pam Horowitz
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Isabel Rubio
Director
Director & Secretary-Incoming → Director & Secretary, 2023
Director & Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Josh Bekenstein
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Minjon Tholen
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Verna Williams
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Robert M. Fox
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Charles V. Taylor Jr.
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
James M. Knoepp
Former Senior Supervising Attorney
General Counsel → Senior Supervising Attorney, 2021
Senior Supervising Attorney → Former Senior Supervising Attorney, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$149K (2019) → $247K (2025)
Seth Levi
Chief Program Strategy Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$205K (2020) → $260K (2025)
Cherry Gamble
Chief Development Officer
Chief Development Officer → Chief Development Officer & Interim Chief of Staff, 2024
Chief Development Officer & Interim Chief of Staff → Chief Development Officer, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$171K (2021) → $268K (2025)
Twyla Williams
Chief Human Resources Officer
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$196K (2021) → $248K (2025)
Sybil Hadley
Former General Counsel
General Counsel & Secretary → General Counsel, 2024
General Counsel → Former General Counsel, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$155K (2022) → $223K (2025)
Arun Kandel
Chief Information Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$232K (2023) → $248K (2025)
Erika Mitchell
Treasurer, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer → Treasurer & CFO, 2024
Treasurer & CFO → Treasurer, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$225K (2024) → $262K (2025)
Lashawn Warren
Chief Policy Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$249K (2023) → $263K (2025)
Derwyn Bunton
Chief Legal Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$264K (2024) → $273K (2025)
Julian Teixeira
Chief Communications Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$191K (2024) → $256K (2025)
Kimberly Ballard
Secretary & General Counsel
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$193K (2025)
Scott McCoy
Deputy Legal Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$218K (2024) → $224K (2025)
Anjali J. Nair
Former Associate Director & Sifi Management Throug
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$282K (2025)
Peter M. Isbister
Former Senior Lead Attorney
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$237K (2025)
James B. Hughes Jr.
Co-Vice Chair
Director → Co-Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Jini Koh
Co-Vice Chair
Director → Co-Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Former officers (41)
- Former: Katheryn Russell-Brown (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Emery Wright (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Bacardi Jackson (2021–2024) — Deputy Legal Director
- Former: Jalaya Liles (2022–2024) — Director of Learning for Justice
- Former: Susan Corke (2022–2024) — Director of Intelligence Project
- Former: Ann Beeson (2023–2024) — Chief Program Officer
- Former: Cleveland Christophe (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Natalie Kelly (2023–2024) — Director of Legal Management
- Former: Shannon Farley (2023–2024) — Interim Chief of Staff
- Former: Rebecca Latin (2024) — Interim Chief of Staff
- Former: Bennett Grau (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Karol Mason (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Lecia Brooks (2020–2023) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Nancy Abudu (2021–2023) — Interim Director of Strategy
- Former: Daniel McGregor (2022–2023) — Former Chief Operating Officer
- Former: Amy Sadler (2023) — Interim Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Melvina Ford (2023) — Former Interim Chief Legal Officer
- Former: Tia Gordon (2023) — Former Chief Communications Officer
- Former: Teenie Hutchison (2019–2022) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Corey Wiggins (2020–2022) — Director & Secretary-Outgoing
- Former: Elizabeth Grossman (2022) — Interim Chief Legal Officer
- Former: Elden Rosenthal (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Lida Orzeck (2019–2021) — Director & Treasurer
- Former: Richard Cohen (2019–2021) — Outgoing President & CEO
- Former: Erik Olvera (2020–2021) — Chief Communications Officer
- Former: Kathryn Kendell (2021) — Co-Interim Legal Director
- Former: Kim Anderson (2021) — Co-Interim Legal Director
- Former: Samuel Brooke (2021) — Deputy Legal Director
- Former: David Dinielli (2019–2020) — Deputy Legal Director
- Former: Heidi Beirich (2019–2020) — Director-Intel Project
- Former: James McElroy (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Lisa Graybill (2019–2020) — Deputy Legal Director
- Former: Marsha Levick (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Maureen Costello (2019–2020) — Director of Teaching Toler
- Former: Rhonda Brownstein (2019–2020) — Outgoing Legal Director
- Former: Will Little (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Ed Lord (2020) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Ellen Sudow (2019) — Director
- Former: Howard Mandell (2019) — Director
- Former: Morris Dees (2019) — Co-Founder
- Former: Wendy Via (2019) — Chief Development & Communications
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 $473K, to Margaret Huang (President/CEO). 16 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Southern Poverty Law Center Inc
How much does Southern Poverty Law Center Inc give each year?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc gave $1.0M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 19 grants.
What is Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's typical grant size?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $56,250, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Southern Poverty Law Center Inc that year got $37K on average.
Where does Southern Poverty Law Center Inc give grants?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's top state is Alabama, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were District of Columbia (41%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants), Montgomery, AL (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Southern Poverty Law Center Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's largest grantees?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's largest 2025 grantees include American University ($350,000), Equal Justice Initiative ($100,000) and Alabama Post Conviction Relief Project Inc ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Southern Poverty Law Center Inc?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc reported $921.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $149.6M.
What does Southern Poverty Law Center Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to be “a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond,” working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Southern Poverty Law Center Inc?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check splcenter.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's EIN?
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-0598743. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 29, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 11, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Southern Poverty Law Center Inc funds
Crime & Legal Related Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Southern Poverty Law Center Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Southern Poverty Law Center Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/southern-poverty-law-center-inc-morg_c04f2bff4359434f96e6decfd568c1ec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_630598743_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Southern Poverty Law Center Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/southern-poverty-law-center-inc-morg_c04f2bff4359434f96e6decfd568c1ec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Southern Poverty Law Center 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.
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?