The 85 Fund is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Fort Worth, Texas, established in 2011. The organization was formerly known as the Judicial Education Project (JEP) before being rebranded in early 2020. It operates as an advocacy and grantmaking organization focused on constitutional and legal issues.
Key facts about The 85 Fund
- EIN
- 20-2466871
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $118,172,181
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- Average grant
- $3,030,056
- Median grant
- $110,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (15 of 39, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,754,902
- Primary geography
- Virginia (59% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The 85 Fund funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The 85 Fund's 39 itemized 2024 grants were Virginia (59%) and Connecticut (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (14 grants), Arlington, VA (3 grants), Alexandria, VA (2 grants) and New Haven, CT (2 grants). 92% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "501c3 Activities Only" (3 grants).
Is The 85 Fund open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 39 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2.9M; repeat grants $3.1M. How we count
Medians: $300K first-time, $95K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The 85 Fund
- How to evaluate The 85 Fund as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.8M
-29.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$118.2M
+16.6% YoY
Grant Count
39
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3.0M
+13.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: To educate the public and support activities that highlight the relationship between structural limits on government power and the protection of our dignity and our freedoms.
Primary Focus Areas: The organization makes grants and undertakes activities to educate the public about:
- Constitutionalism and limited government
- Religious liberty
- The role of the courts
- Education policies
- Election reforms
- Human rights and social justice
- Social science and humanities
Grantmaking
The 85 Fund is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving. Based on recent filings, typical grant awards range from $6,000 to $92,050,000. The organization's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with primary geographic concentration in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and New York.
Ready to take the next step with The 85 Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in:
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- New York
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 39 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets (2024): $2,754,902
- Total assets (2022): $10,278,564
- Total assets (2021): $6,212,890
- Total revenue (2024): $169,000,000
- Total revenue (2022): $134,753,000
- Total expenses (2024): $170,000,000
- Total expenses (2022): $138,818,674
- Total liabilities (2024): $0
Tax Status:
- EIN: 20-2466871
- Tax-exempt since November 2011
- Designated as 501(c)(3)
Charity Navigator Rating:
- Two-Star rating (61% overall score)
- Rating based on Accountability & Finance metrics
- Noted concerns regarding governance structure and financial transparency
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,754,902 | $3,879,307 | $6,212,890 |
| Revenue | $168,530,018 | $143,050,000 | $134,753,000 |
| Expenses | $169,654,423 | $145,383,583 | $138,818,674 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
188 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Donors Trust ($67,900,000), Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund ($39,000,000), Club for Growth Foundation ($1,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust Alexandria, VA | General Support | $67,900,000 |
| Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund New Haven, CT | General Support | $39,000,000 |
| Club for Growth Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $1,500,000 |
| Ethics and Public Policy Center Washington, DC | General Support | $1,325,000 |
| Hawthorn Foundation Inc New York City, NY | General Support | $1,100,000 |
| Paragon Health Institute Arlington, VA | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Fidelis Center for Law and Policy Madison, WI | General Support | $925,000 |
| Maine Policy Institute Portland, ME | General Support | $760,000 |
| Triton Research Institute West Bridgewater, MA | General Support | $500,000 |
| The Tikvah Fund New York, NY | General Support | $450,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Todd Graves (listed in leadership capacity)
- Carrie Severino (compensation of $220,000 reported in 2021)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ormal Skinner | Counsel | 40 | $308,333 |
| Jason Snead | Counsel | 40 | $264,600 |
| Chad Ennis | Counsel | 40 | $222,853 |
| Carrie Severino | Director, Secretary | 30 | $215,952 |
| Ann Corkery | Counsel | 20 | $212,360 |
| Jacqueline Doyer | Counsel | 40 | $173,270 |
| Gary Marx | Director, Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Todd Graves | Director, Chairman | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The organization reported conflict of interest transactions in its most recent tax filing. The 85 Fund maintains strong conflict of interest and whistleblower policies, though it has been noted that the organization does not provide certain financial documents on its website, such as tax forms and audit reports.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The 85 Fund fund?
**Mission Statement:** To educate the public and support activities that highlight the relationship between structural limits on government power and the protection of our dignity and our freedoms. **Primary Focus Areas:** The organization makes grants and undertakes activities to educate the public about: • Constitutionalism and limited government • Religious liberty • The role of the courts • Education policies • Election reforms • Human rights and social justice • Social science and humaniti…
How do I apply for a grant from The 85 Fund?
The 85 Fund is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving. Based on recent filings, typical grant awards range from $6,000 to $92,050,000. The organization's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with primary geographic concentration in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and New York. **Recent Financial Activity:** • Total giving (2024): $118,174,781 • Total giving (2022): $134,753,000 • Total giving (2021): $117,315,050
Where does The 85 Fund make grants?
The organization's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in: • District of Columbia • Virginia • New York
What size grants does The 85 Fund award?
In 2024, The 85 Fund awarded 39 grants totaling $118.2M — an average of about $3.0M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The 85 Fund's EIN?
The 85 Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2466871. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.