The Fairness Project
The Fairness Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, DC, that advances social and economic justice through ballot measures. It supports state partners and coalitions working to pass measures on issues including wages, health care access, reproductive rights, paid leave, and predatory lending, and works to protect access to the ballot measure process.
The Fairness Project at a glance
In short: The Fairness Project gave $26.9M across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $2.4M), mostly in Florida. 73% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $26,909,338
- +306.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +83.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,446,303
- +121.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $935,000
- Total assets
- $4,324,677
- +11.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 73% first-time grantees (8 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (61% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Fairness Project
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 21337, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 602-6981
Website: https://thefairnessproject.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Fairness Project funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Floridians Protecting Freedom Inc ($16.4M). Together the top 10 received $26.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
35 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 12 grants of 35 (34%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grants went to recipients in multiple states. Florida received 61% of grant dollars, Missouri 18%, Nebraska 6%, Alaska 5%, and Montana 5%. Other listed recipients were in Arizona and North Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Fairness Project open to new grantees?
73%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 11 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $3.2M; repeat grants $437K. How we count
Medians: $1.3M first-time, $250K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $521K (2021) to $26.9M (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $26.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Floridians Protecting Freedom Inc Miami, FL | Program Services | $16,400,000 |
| Missourians for Constitutional Freedom St. Louis, MO | Program Services | $4,450,000 |
| Nebraskans for Reproductive Freedom Omaha, NE | Program Services | $1,500,000 |
| Better Jobs for Alaska Inc Anchorage, AK | Program Services | $1,430,000 |
| Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights Helena, MT | Program Services | $1,250,000 |
| Arizona for Abortion Access Phoenix, AZ | Program Services | $935,000 |
| North Dakota Citizens Protecting the Constitution S Fargo, ND | Program Services | $456,452 |
| Missourians for Healthy Families & Fair Wages St. Louis, MO | Program Services | $250,000 |
| Nebraskans for Paid Sick Leave Omaha, NE | Program Services | $125,000 |
| Lincoln for Fair Housing Lincoln, NE | Program Services | $100,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,324,677 | $33,319,396 | $32,801,846 | $26,909,338 | 11 | $180,440 |
| 2023 | $3,877,782 | $13,664,426 | $10,687,859 | $6,620,000 | 6 | $15,791 |
| 2022 | $759,735 | $4,168,934 | $4,623,915 | $1,600,000 | 8 | — |
| 2021 | $1,253,311 | $5,316,361 | $4,864,210 | $521,239 | 4 | — |
| 2020 | $776,234 | $6,339,523 | $3,955,909 | $1,480,000 | 6 | $5,529 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to promote the general social welfare of the community through the use of, and education around, ballot measures advancing economic and social equity. Its website describes support for ballot measure campaigns and efforts to protect the public’s access to direct democracy.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of supported work. Floridians Protecting Freedom said it advocated for a citizen-led initiative limiting government interference with reproductive freedom through petition circulation and voter outreach. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom said it works to ensure Missourians can make decisions about their reproductive health care without political interference. Nebraskans for Reproductive Freedom described a coalition effort to qualify and pass a constitutional amendment securing abortion rights. Better Jobs for Alaska said it works to increase Alaska’s minimum wage, provide paid sick leave, and protect workers’ rights. Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights described its work as securing reproductive rights, including abortion rights, in Montana’s state constitution. Nebraskans for Paid Sick Leave said it advocates for policies to support Nebraskans.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Fairness Project reported 11 grants totaling $26,909,338. Grants ranged from $12,886 to $16,400,000, with a median of $935,000. All listed grants were for program services.
The largest 2024 grants were $16,400,000 to Floridians Protecting Freedom Inc. and $4,450,000 to Missourians for Constitutional Freedom. Other large grants included $1,500,000 to Nebraskans for Reproductive Freedom, $1,430,000 to Better Jobs for Alaska Inc., and $1,250,000 to Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed Kelly Hall as executive director, secretary, and treasurer; Hannah Ledford as deputy executive director and campaigns director; Alexis Magnan-Callaway as communications and digital director; Daniel Sorenson as development director; and Kyle Quinn-Quesada and Hilton Mitchell as regional campaigns directors. It also listed Steve Trossman as president and Naomi Aberly, Ronald Newman, and Mindy Myers as board members.
The Fairness Project is led by Kelly Hall, Executive Director, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; 6 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kelly Hall
Executive Director, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$60K (2021) → $264K (2024)
Steve Trossman
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alexis Magnan-Callaway
Communications & Digital Director
Communications & Digital Strategy Director → Communications & Digital Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$137K (2022) → $172K (2024)
Daniel Sorenson
Development Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$116K (2023) → $170K (2024)
Hilton Mitchell
Regional Campaigns Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$101K (2023) → $126K (2024)
Kyle Quinn-Quesada
Regional Campaigns Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$126K (2024)
Hannah Ledford
Deputy Executive Director Campaigns Director
Campaigns Director → Deputy Executive Director Campaigns Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$130K (2020) → $204K (2024)
Naomi Aberly
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronald Newman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mindy Myers
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Jimenez
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Solomonese
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Joe Solomonese (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jonathan Schleifer (2020–2021) — Secretary, Treasurer & Executive Director
- Former: Danielle Bowes (2021) — Director of Development
- Former: Nicole Grant (2021) — Director of Policyand Partnerships
- Former: Barbara Davis (2020) — Development Director
- Former: Christopher Coil (2020) — Communications Director
- Former: Joe Lawrence (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $264K, to Kelly Hall (Executive Director/Sec./Treas.). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Fairness Project
How much does The Fairness Project give each year?
The Fairness Project gave $26.9M across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $6.6M across 6 grants.
What is The Fairness Project's typical grant size?
The Fairness Project's median grant in 2024 was $935,000, and its average grant was $2,446,303, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Fairness Project that year got $3.2M on average.
Where does The Fairness Project give grants?
The Fairness Project gives mostly in Florida: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Missouri (18%) and Nebraska (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (3 grants) and Omaha, NE (2 grants).
Does The Fairness Project give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Fairness Project's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Services" (11 grants).
Who are The Fairness Project's largest grantees?
The Fairness Project's largest 2024 grantees include Floridians Protecting Freedom Inc ($16,400,000), Missourians for Constitutional Freedom ($4,450,000) and Nebraskans for Reproductive Freedom ($1,500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Fairness Project?
The Fairness Project reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $33.3M.
What does The Fairness Project fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to promote the general social welfare of the community through the use of, and education around, ballot measures advancing economic and social equity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Fairness Project?
The Fairness Project has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check thefairnessproject.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Fairness Project's EIN?
The Fairness Project's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1779557. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 1, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fairness Project's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Fairness Project funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-fairness-project-morg_77c6ad4465904d6e9baf5dfd44734dd1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_371779557_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Fairness Project funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-fairness-project-morg_77c6ad4465904d6e9baf5dfd44734dd1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Fairness Project'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.
The Fairness Project down — hundreds of funders to go?