The Highland Project Inc
The Highland Project Inc is a New York, New York-based public charity that supports leaders working to build multigenerational wealth and opportunity. The organization says it centers Black women and their allies, and its 2025 filing describes support through professional development, community experiences, and access to grantmaking.
The Highland Project Inc at a glance
In short: The Highland Project Inc gave $1.8M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $95K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,803,500
- +29.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +35.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $94,921
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $8,982,596
- +83.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (22% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Highland Project Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 71 W 85Th St Apt 1A, New York, NY 10024
Phone: (443) 799-3742
Website: https://thehighlandproject.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Highland Project Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Big We DBA Historic Clayborn Temple ($135K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 32 grants of 50 (64%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization is based in New York, New York. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to New York (22%), Georgia (12%), Illinois (11%), Colorado (10%), and Tennessee (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Highland Project Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2022) to $1.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Big We DBA Historic Clayborn Temple Memphis, TN | Develop/Support Community Leaders | $135,000 |
| Melanated Leaders Inc Indianapolis, IN | Support/Develop Education Leaders | $100,000 |
| Poise Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | Develop/Support Philanthropic Leaders | $100,000 |
| The Kaleidoscope Collective Denver, CO | Develop/Support Non-Profit Leaders | $100,000 |
| Black Cultural Zone CDC Oakland, CA | Community and Economic Development | $100,000 |
| Color Farm Impact Inc Brooklyn, NY | Leadership and Economic Mobility | $100,000 |
| National Center for Civic Innovation New York, NY | Develop/Support Education Leaders | $100,000 |
| League of Women Voters of Arkansas Education Fund Fayetteville, AR | Advance Civic Participation | $100,000 |
| CPM Global (Chelsea Miller) New York, NY | Develop/Support Community Leaders | $100,000 |
| Sister Song Inc Atlanta, GA | Advance Health Access | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,982,596 | $8,339,528 | $4,291,240 | $1,803,500 | 19 | $73,824 |
| 2024 | $4,907,939 | $2,409,946 | $3,376,210 | $1,391,500 | 14 | $90,174 |
| 2023 | $5,978,850 | $5,421,076 | $2,947,685 | $1,275,000 | 15 | $294 |
| 2022 | $3,465,443 | $2,529,645 | $1,371,934 | $150,000 | 2 | $24 |
| 2021 | $2,355,238 | $2,732,549 | $538,847 | — | — | $28 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to sustain leaders across sectors and generations who are focused on creating multigenerational wealth, strengthen their civic engagement, and support them through access to capital and social networks. Its filing says its programs include professional development, community experiences, and grantmaking.
The 2025 grants illustrate support for organizations working in areas including leadership development, education, civic participation, health access, community development, economic mobility, survivor-led justice, and mental health. For example, MelanatED Leaders describes its work as supporting Indianapolis education leaders through book studies, strategic assistance, programming, and networking events. POISE Foundation says it amplifies the power of Black communities and supports pathways to self-determination and shared success. Me Too International describes its work as connecting survivors with resources for healing, justice, action, and leadership.
Grantmaking
In 2025, The Highland Project reported 19 grants totaling $1,803,500. Grants ranged from $25,000 to $135,000, with a median of $100,000. The filing says the organization holds interim reporting calls and collects final reports for its charitable gifts to track projects, deliverables, and use of funds.
Notable 2025 grants included $135,000 to The Big We DBA Historic Clayborn Temple for developing and supporting community leaders; $100,000 each to MelanatED Leaders for education leadership and POISE Foundation for philanthropic leadership; and $100,000 each to Color Farm Impact Inc for leadership and economic mobility, Sister Song Inc for health access, and Me Too International for survivor-led justice. Beloved Community Inc received $98,500 for mental health programming.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Gabrielle Wyatt as CEO; Lori Taliaferro Riddick as senior vice president until September 2025; Shawna Wells as board president; Sherman Whites as treasurer; and Marlon Marshall as secretary. It also lists Darlene Nipper, Janice Tennant, and Joanna Visser Adjoian as board members.
The organization’s website identifies Gabrielle Wyatt as founder and CEO. It lists Rita Burke, LeShea Newton, and Triana Urraca in operations, community connections, and data and research, respectively, and identifies Octavia Raheem, Dr. Gail Parker, Michelle C. Johnson, and Milicent Johnson as facilitators.
The Highland Project Inc is led by Gabrielle Wyatt, CEO on every filing since 2021; 2 of 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gabrielle Wyatt
CEO
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$25K (2021) → $350K (2025)
Shawna Wells
Board President
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lori Taliaferro Riddick
Senior Vice President
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$212K (2024) → $209K (2025)
Darlene Nipper
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marlon Marshall
Secretary
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sherman Whites
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janice Tennant
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanna Visser Adjoian
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $350K, to Gabrielle Wyatt (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Highland Project Inc
How much does The Highland Project Inc give each year?
The Highland Project Inc gave $1.8M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 14 grants.
What is The Highland Project Inc's typical grant size?
The Highland Project Inc's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $94,921, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Highland Project Inc give grants?
The Highland Project Inc's top state is New York, with 22% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Georgia (12%) and Illinois (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants), Atlanta, GA (2 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does The Highland Project Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on The Highland Project Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Develop/Support Community Leaders" (3 grants).
Who are The Highland Project Inc's largest grantees?
The Highland Project Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The Big We DBA Historic Clayborn Temple ($135,000), Melanated Leaders Inc ($100,000) and Poise Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Highland Project Inc?
The Highland Project Inc reported $9.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.3M.
What does The Highland Project Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to sustain leaders across sectors and generations who are focused on creating multigenerational wealth, strengthen their civic engagement, and support them through access to capital and social networks. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Highland Project Inc?
The Highland Project Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check thehighlandproject.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Highland Project Inc's EIN?
The Highland Project Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4241927. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- 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 14, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 24, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Highland Project Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Highland Project Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-highland-project-inc-morg_7820dc495d6d42558817a7d4c9ae17e1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_854241927_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Highland Project Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-highland-project-inc-morg_7820dc495d6d42558817a7d4c9ae17e1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. 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 Highland Project 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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