The Arca Foundation
The Arca Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1952 as the Nancy Reynolds Bagley Foundation and renamed in 1958, it was established with assets from the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company by tobacco heiress Nancy Susan Reynolds. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since May 1954.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$49.9M
+1.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.8M
+2.0% YoY
Grant Count
54
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$70K
-3.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Arca Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Arca Foundation is dedicated to advancing equity, justice, and human rights. The foundation supports organizations working on the front lines of social change to achieve:
- Racial and economic justice
- Democratic inclusion
- A clean environment
- Peace and security
- Human rights
The foundation believes that pursuing these goals requires an engaged citizenry with access to information and free expression.
Grantmaking
The foundation offers multiple grant types, including:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's domestic funding program is currently focused on supporting racial and economic justice and democratic inclusion in:
- Florida
- North Carolina
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
The foundation also provides funding in other states and at the national level.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2024:
- Total Assets: $49.9 million
- Revenue: $2.8 million
- Expenses: $4.95 million
- Net Income: -$2.14 million
- Total Liabilities: $697,000
As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2022:
- Net Assets: $46 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $49,907,067 | $48,990,282 | $46,409,213 |
| Revenue | $2,799,189 | $986,645 | $3,030,669 |
| Expenses | $4,946,266 | $4,978,079 | $5,163,891 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,683,678 | $4,674,131 | $4,794,319 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,434,171 | $909,355 | $1,526,712 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,366,804 | $2,258,843 | $2,332,247 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Tides Foundation ($200,000), Blueprint NC ($150,000), We the People MI ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute Chicago, IL | general support | $100,000 |
| Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund Washington, DC | general support | $75,000 |
| Blueprint NC Durham, NC | general support | $150,000 |
| Center for Third World Organizing Oakland, CA | fiscal sponsor grant for Dissenters | $50,000 |
| Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund Milwaukee, WI | general support | $100,000 |
| ColorofChangeorg Education Fund Oakland, CA | general support | $100,000 |
| Demand Progress Eduation Silver Spring, MD | general support | $50,000 |
| New Florida Majority Fund Miami, FL | general support | $100,000 |
| Institute for Policy Studies Washington, DC | general support | $50,000 |
| Just Vision Washington, DC | general support | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Staff:
- Jennifer S. Pae, Executive Director
- Sierra Kabir, Grants and Operations Associate
Board of Trustees:
- Nicole Bagley, President
- Margery Tabankin, Vice President
- Mike Lux, Secretary
- Janet Shenk, Treasurer
- Nancy R. Bagley
- Amaha Kassa
- Austin Belali Thompson
- Cristina Jiménez Moreta
- Vaughan Bagley
- Mary E. King, Director Emerita
Legal Counsel: Trister, Ross, Schadler & Gold, PLLC (Joseph W. Steinberg, Holly Schadler)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Bagley | President | 30 | $26,910 |
| Margery Tabankin | Vice President | 5 | $10,000 |
| Janet Shenk | Treasurer | 5 | $10,000 |
| Nancy Bagley | Director | 5 | $10,000 |
| Mary King | Secretary/Emerita | 5 | $10,000 |
| Joseph Eldridge | Director | 5 | $10,000 |
| Austin Thompson | Director | 5 | $10,000 |
| Mike Lux | Secretary | 5 | $10,000 |
| Amaha Kassa | Director | 5 | $10,000 |
| Vaughan Bagley | Director | 5 | — |
| Cristina Jimenez Moreta | Director | 5 | — |
| Jennifer Pae | Executive Director | 40 | $194,750 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Arca Foundation fund?
The Arca Foundation is dedicated to advancing equity, justice, and human rights. The foundation supports organizations working on the front lines of social change to achieve: • Racial and economic justice • Democratic inclusion • A clean environment • Peace and security • Human rights The foundation believes that pursuing these goals requires an engaged citizenry with access to information and free expression.
How do I apply for a grant from The Arca Foundation?
The foundation offers multiple grant types, including: • General support grants • Project support • Fiscally sponsored project requests The foundation is not currently accepting unsolicited applications for funding, though it has done so in the past. Interested organizations should monitor the foundation's website for updates on application availability. Organizations seeking funding should demonstrate proven past success through financials, data, and community presence. Networking with previou…
Where does The Arca Foundation make grants?
The foundation's domestic funding program is currently focused on supporting racial and economic justice and democratic inclusion in: • Florida • North Carolina • Michigan • Wisconsin The foundation also provides funding in other states and at the national level.
What size grants does The Arca Foundation award?
In 2024, The Arca Foundation awarded 54 grants totaling $3.8M — an average of about $70K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Arca Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Arca Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Arca Foundation's EIN?
The Arca Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2751798. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Arca Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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