The Heising-Simons Action Fund
The Heising-Simons Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) civic league and advocacy organization based in Los Altos, California. Founded in 2020, it serves as the advocacy and legislative arm focused on policy change and public engagement. The organization operates with a team of 28-76 employees and engages primarily in legislative and public policy activities, including contributions to ballot measure campaigns and grassroots mobilization efforts.
Key facts about The Heising-Simons Action Fund
- EIN
- 84-4316553
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $16,200,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 73
- Average grant
- $221,918
- Median grant
- $200,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (8 of 64, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,726,336
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Heising-Simons Action Fund funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Heising-Simons Action Fund's 73 itemized 2024 grants were District of Columbia (36%), California (27%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (21 grants), San Francisco, CA (8 grants), New York, NY (7 grants) and Oakland, CA (5 grants). 75% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Heising-Simons Action Fund open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 64 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $236K; repeat grants $256K. How we count
Medians: $225K first-time, $200K 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 Heising-Simons Action Fund
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7M
-54.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$16.2M
+2.2% YoY
Grant Count
73
-11.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$222K
+14.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Action Fund engages primarily in legislative and other public policy activities to promote the common good and general welfare of the public in California and elsewhere. It focuses on policy and legislative advocacy across three primary issue areas:
- Climate and Clean Energy — advancing clean energy solutions and climate action
- Education — promoting advancements in early education
- Human Rights — strengthening human rights protections and equitable representation
The organization emphasizes bolstering civic engagement and community advocacy in San Jose, California, and grassroots mobilization at the federal and state level to strengthen democracy and ensure equitable representation.
Grantmaking
The Action Fund provided grants to between 62-69 organizations in recent years, with a focus on policy and legislative advocacy organizations working in its priority areas.
Ready to take the next step with The Heising-Simons Action Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Action Fund prioritizes funding in:
- San Jose, California (community advocacy focus)
- California (state-level advocacy)
- Federal level (grassroots mobilization)
- Additional focus areas include the District of Columbia and New York
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 73 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 (Most Recent):
- Total Assets: $2,726,336
- Total Revenue: $14,731,440
- Total Expenses: $17,101,156
- Total Giving: $16,200,000
- Number of Employees: 28
2023:
- Total Assets: $5,939,767
- Total Revenue: $18,250,554
- Total Expenses: $16,619,548
- Number of Employees: 59
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since January 2022
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,726,336 | $5,939,767 | $3,829,373 |
| Revenue | $14,731,440 | $18,250,554 | $15,064,004 |
| Expenses | $17,101,156 | $16,619,548 | $16,759,382 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $216,940 | $446,500 | $58,423 |
| 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
311 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Alliance for Safety and Justice Action Fund ($645,000), Sixteen Thirty Fund ($575,000 across 2 grants), Children's Funding Accelerator Inc ($550,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE ACTION FUND Sacramento, CA | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $645,000 |
| CHILDREN'S FUNDING ACCELERATOR INC Washington, DC | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $550,000 |
| CLIMATE EQUITY ACTION FUND Washington, DC | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| CARE IN ACTION INC New York, NY | FOR THE CARE CAN'T WAIT CAMPAIGN | $400,000 |
| CAROLINA FEDERATION Durham, NC | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| CENTER FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE ACTION Washington, DC | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| CHILD CARE PROVIDERS UNITED CALIFORNIA Los Angeles, CA | FOR COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT TO TRANSFORM CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES IN CALIFORNIA | $400,000 |
| CLIMATE POWER Washington, DC | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| ENERGY ACTION FUND San Francisco, CA | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ACTION FUND Washington, DC | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Elizabeth Simons — Principal Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Simons | Chair | 0.6 | — |
| Mark Heising | Vice Chair | 0.6 | — |
| Caitlin Heising | Vice Chair | 0.6 | — |
| Matthew Heising | Vice Chair | 0.6 | — |
| Sushma Raman | President & CEO (Thru 7/24/24) | 1.08 | $22,796 |
| Judy Blumenstein | Treasurer (Thru 1/7/24), Finance Dir | 1.17 | $11,961 |
| Jennifer Shipp | Sec (Thru 7/8/24), Interim CEO/Pres | 1.2 | $22,330 |
| Kevin Luu | Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer | 1.14 | $12,348 |
| Chelsey Scaffidi | Secretary | 1.14 | $7,381 |
| Barbara Chow | Program Director | 1.72 | $23,195 |
| Angie Junck | Program Director | 7.57 | $95,631 |
| Brian Eule | Communications Director | 1.14 | $8,209 |
| Camellia Pham | Special Initiatives | 1.14 | $7,419 |
| Laura Wisland | Program Officer | 1.14 | $6,864 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Heising-Simons Action Fund fund?
The Action Fund engages primarily in legislative and other public policy activities to promote the common good and general welfare of the public in California and elsewhere. It focuses on policy and legislative advocacy across three primary issue areas: • **Climate and Clean Energy** — advancing clean energy solutions and climate action • **Education** — promoting advancements in early education • **Human Rights** — strengthening human rights protections and equitable representation The organiz…
How do I apply for a grant from The Heising-Simons Action Fund?
The Action Fund provided grants to between 62-69 organizations in recent years, with a focus on policy and legislative advocacy organizations working in its priority areas. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $50,000–$700,000 • Median grant amount: $200,000 • Grant type: General support grants **Recent Grant Recipients (2024):** • Action for Safety and Justice — $645,000 • Children's Funding Accelerator — $550,000 • Climate Equity Action Fund — $500,000 **Application Status:** The…
Where does The Heising-Simons Action Fund make grants?
The Action Fund prioritizes funding in: • San Jose, California (community advocacy focus) • California (state-level advocacy) • Federal level (grassroots mobilization) • Additional focus areas include the District of Columbia and New York
What size grants does The Heising-Simons Action Fund award?
In 2024, The Heising-Simons Action Fund awarded 73 grants totaling $16.2M — an average of about $222K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Heising-Simons Action Fund's EIN?
The Heising-Simons Action Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-4316553. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.