Telescope Fund is a 501(c)(3) public charity and grantmaking foundation based in Washington, DC. Established in 2021, it was initially launched as a subsidiary of the New Venture Fund and managed by Arabella Advisors before being reclassified as a traditional 501(c)(3) public charity by the IRS in May 2023. The organization partners with donors to expand their philanthropic giving by providing tools and infrastructure to support strategic grantmaking and innovative problem-solving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$28.2M
-26.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.3M
-71.2% YoY
Grant Count
35
-56.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$293K
-34.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Telescope Fund partners with donors to expand their philanthropic giving by providing them with the tools needed to catalyze their vision for change. The organization provides support for:
- Strategic grantmaking
- Efficient operations
- Expert advising
- Innovative problem-solving
The organization operates through donor-advised funds (DAFs) that support specific thematic areas, including:
- Racial Equity and DEI Fund: Supports diversity, equity, and inclusion programs
- Global Land Conservation Fund: Supports environmental conservation initiatives
- State-Based Civic Engagement Fund: Supports grassroots organizing and voter engagement organizations
During the 2022 tax year, the organization made general and project support grants to organizations supporting global health, conservation, social justice, alleviation of poverty, scientific research, disaster recovery, education, and the arts.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s**: $300,000 - $1,700,000+ (based on 2022-2023 data)
How to Apply
**: Not publicly available
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
United States, with emphasis on state-based civic engagement initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2023 Financial Summary:
- Total Revenue: $69,446,551
- Total Expenses: $37,206,092
- Total Assets: $38,127,793
- Total Liabilities: $5,310,000
2024 Financial Summary:
- Total Revenue: $5,536,429
- Total Expenses: $10,788,449
- Total Assets: $28,215,070
Annual Giving: $35,590,849 (2023)
Rating: Telescope Fund received an 85% score and Three-Star rating, with an overall score calculated entirely from accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $28,215,070 | $38,127,793 | $2,367,892 |
| Revenue | $5,536,429 | $69,446,551 | $30,475,057 |
| Expenses | $10,788,449 | $37,206,092 | $30,044,973 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,514,546 | $1,432,069 | $109,824 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
135 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Leslie Payne is listed as President (as of 2023).
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LESLIE PAYNE | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BEN MANGAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MARLA BLOW | TREASURER (THROUGH 7/2024) | 1 | — |
| DORI KREIGER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANDREW SCHULZ | GENERAL COUNSEL | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Website: telescopefund.org
- Email: info@telescopefund.org
- Address: 1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036-5304
- Phone: 202-971-1471
- EIN: 86-2577635
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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