The Astraea Foundation Inc
The Astraea Foundation Inc is a public charity based in New York, NY. Formed in 1978, the organization describes itself as a feminist fund that supports LGBTQI rights and works toward racial, economic, social, and gender justice worldwide.
The Astraea Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Astraea Foundation Inc gave $1.0M across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), top state Louisiana. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,011,668
- -40.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $33,722
- -44.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $26,614,527
- +3.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (8 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (17% 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 The Astraea Foundation Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 1216 Broadway Floor 2 1019, New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 529-8021
Website: https://astraeafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Astraea Foundation Inc
Who The Astraea Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Southern Vision Alliance (SVA) ($90K). Together the top 10 received $580K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 148 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Astraea describes its work as worldwide. Its 2025 grant dollars were distributed across U.S. states, with the largest reported shares going to Louisiana (17%), Tennessee (10%), New York (10%), North Carolina (9%), and Alabama (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Astraea Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 30 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 10% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $567K (2021) to $2.5M (2020). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Vision Alliance (SVA) Durham, NC | General Support | $90,000 |
| Transgender Advocates Knowledgeable Empowering (Take) Birmingham, AL | General Support | $90,000 |
| House of Tulip New Orleans, LA | General Support | $60,000 |
| Sisterreach Memphis, TN | Project support for work on housing security for disadvantaged communities | $60,000 |
| Holler Health Justice Charleston, WV | General support and project support for work to advance health outcomes for children and disadvantaged communities | $55,000 |
| Freedom Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK | General Support | $50,000 |
| Operation Restoration New Orleans, LA | Project support for work to advance housing navigation and advocacy services | $50,000 |
| Wecare TN Memphis, TN | General Support | $45,000 |
| Hetrick Martin Institute Inc New York, NY | Project support for work on housing security for disadvantaged communities | $40,000 |
| The I Am Human Foundation Ellenwood, GA | General Support | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Astraea Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,614,527 | $17,741,396 | $14,986,126 | $1,011,668 | 30 | $1,400,742 |
| 2024 | $25,727,488 | $17,515,698 | $15,202,380 | $1,700,000 | 28 | $1,141,546 |
| 2023 | $23,968,176 | $10,051,851 | $14,441,976 | $1,126,875 | 37 | $398,184 |
| 2022 | $28,293,280 | $10,496,868 | $15,744,180 | $1,073,757 | 25 | $189,432 |
| 2021 | $34,728,076 | $21,327,724 | $13,227,984 | $567,000 | 28 | $832,692 |
| 2020 | $25,946,401 | $21,243,008 | $13,409,381 | $2,516,862 | 58 | $312,711 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Astraea states that it works exclusively to advance LGBTQI rights around the world and partners with grantees and donors to pursue racial, economic, social, and gender justice. Its program description says it supports LBTQI+ people and grassroots movements.
The 2025 grants illustrate support for organizations with varied missions. Transgender Advocates Knowledgeable Empowering says it works with its community to empower Trans People of Color by meeting needs and increasing accessibility. Southern Vision Alliance describes itself as a justice-centered grassroots intermediary providing infrastructure, capacity building, coaching, and technical assistance to frontline projects and collaborations led by directly impacted communities in the U.S. South. House of Tulip says it creates housing solutions for Louisiana’s trans and gender-nonconforming community, while SisterReach describes its work as reproductive health and education supporting sexual health for women and families.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Astraea reported 30 grants totaling $1,011,668. Grant amounts ranged from $8,334 to $90,000, with a median of $30,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $90,000 each to Southern Vision Alliance and Transgender Advocates Knowledgeable Empowering, both for general support; $60,000 to House of Tulip for general support; and $60,000 to SisterReach for housing-security work for disadvantaged communities. Other grants included $55,000 to Holler Health Justice for general and project support related to health outcomes, $50,000 to Freedom Oklahoma for general support, and $50,000 to Operation Restoration for housing navigation and advocacy services.
Astraea’s filing says grant recipients must sign a grant agreement before funds are disbursed and submit narrative and financial reports at the end of the grant period, typically six months to one year. Multi-year grants are paid in annual installments, with reports for each completed year required before the next installment is disbursed. The filing says staff evaluate reports to assess grantee accomplishments and whether funds were appropriately spent.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Darcelle Lewis and Tannia Esparza as co-chairs. Listed directors are Geeta Misra, Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, Jac Sm Kee, Julia Ehrt, Nolizwe Nondabula, Ola Osaze, and Priya Dhanani. Alison Riley is listed as treasurer, with an end date of October 2024.
The Astraea Foundation Inc is led by Joy Li-Fen Chia, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 7 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joy Li-Fen Chia
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$220K (2022) → $220K (2025)
Patrice Smith Sterling
Director of Program Operations
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$148K (2024) → $148K (2025)
Geeta Misra
Director
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rocki Simes
Director
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susanna Fried
Director
Director → Co-Chair, 2022
Co-Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ilana Landsberg-Lewis
Director
On filings since 2021
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jac Sm Kee
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julia Ehrt
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nolizwe Nondabula
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ola Osaze
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Priya Dhanani
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Fox
Vice President Programs
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$167K (2022) → $170K (2025)
Shakira Biola Odunewu
Chief of Staff & Strat. Initiatives
Executive & Operations Manager → Chief of Staff & Strat. Initiatives, 2024
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$116K (2022) → $155K (2025)
Kristin Gardner
Vice President Engagement
Vice President Strategic Engagement → Vice President Engagement, 2025
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$177K (2024) → $177K (2025)
Deidra McBean
Associate Director, Grants Management & Compl.
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$135K (2025)
Emily Plauche
Vice President of Finance
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$105K (2025)
Alison Riley
Treasurer
Director → Co-Chair, 2022
Co-Chair → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Darcelle Lewis
Co-Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tannia Esparza
Co-Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (28)
- Former: Bookda Gheisar (2020–2024) — Co-Chair
- Former: Ebon Bishop (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Paul Hendry (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Chivuli Ukwimi (2024) — Director
- Former: Erik Roldan (2024) — Director of Communications
- Former: Douglas Black (2020–2023) — Vice President Finance · Filing note: As of April 2020
- Former: Kerry-Jo Ford Lyn (2021–2023) — Deputy Executive Director
- Former: Mariam Gagoshashvili (2021–2023) — Senior Program Officer
- Former: Naa Hammond (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Raven A. Maldonado (2022–2023) — Director of People & Culture
- Former: Brittany Jenkins (2023) — Associate Director & Partnerships
- Former: Iimay Ho (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Kerry Jo Ford Lyn (2020–2022) — Deputy Executive Director
- Former: Anna Conner (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Darla Kashian (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Eugenie Fitzgerald (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Joy A. Michael (2020–2021) — Controller
- Former: Maria De La Cruz (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Namita Chad (2020–2021) — Director of Programs
- Former: Sarah Gunther (2020–2021) — Senior Director & Philanthropic Partnerships
- Former: Will Cordery (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kerry Ashforth (2021) — Director of Strategic Initiatives
- Former: Sandra Nathan - See Schedule L. (2021) — Interim Executive Director
- Former: Clarence Patton (2020) — Executive Director-Pipeline
- Former: Jennifer Alotta To Jul (2020) — Executive Director
- Former: Ryan Li Dahlstrom (2020) — Board Co-Chair
- Former: Sandra Nathan (2020) — Interim Executive Director
- Former: Urooj Arshad (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $220K, to Joy Li-Fen Chia (Executive Director). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Astraea Foundation Inc
How much does The Astraea Foundation Inc give each year?
The Astraea Foundation Inc gave $1.0M across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.7M across 28 grants.
What is The Astraea Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Astraea Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $33,722, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Astraea Foundation Inc that year got $34K on average.
Where does The Astraea Foundation Inc give grants?
The Astraea Foundation Inc's top state is Louisiana, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Tennessee (10%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), New Orleans, LA (2 grants), Memphis, TN (2 grants) and Oklahoma City, OK (2 grants).
Does The Astraea Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of The Astraea Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are The Astraea Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Astraea Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Southern Vision Alliance (SVA) ($90,000), Transgender Advocates Knowledgeable Empowering (Take) ($90,000) and House of Tulip ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Astraea Foundation Inc?
The Astraea Foundation Inc reported $26.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.7M.
What does The Astraea Foundation Inc fund?
Astraea states that it works exclusively to advance LGBTQI rights around the world and partners with grantees and donors to pursue racial, economic, social, and gender justice. Its program description says it supports LBTQI+ people and grassroots movements. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Astraea Foundation Inc?
The Astraea Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check astraeafoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Astraea Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Astraea Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2992977. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 13, 2021)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Astraea Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-astraea-foundation-inc-morg_8cc12aa9440e4d9db6a7a33267c38243
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_132992977_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Astraea Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-astraea-foundation-inc-morg_8cc12aa9440e4d9db6a7a33267c38243},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Astraea Foundation 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.
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