The Pad Project
The Pad Project is a public charity based in Los Angeles, California, that supports menstrual equity through access to menstrual care products, menstrual health education, and partnerships with community organizations. Its programs include U.S. grants for menstrual products and international work with local organizations and grassroots NGOs.
The Pad Project at a glance
In short: The Pad Project gave $148K across 42 grants in 2023 (avg $4K), top state Virginia. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $148,450
- +404.1% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 42
- +90.9% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $3,535
- +164.0% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $2,460
- Total assets
- $902,730
- -10.6% vs 2022
- Primary geography
- Virginia (18% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2023; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Pad Project
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Pad Project does not accept unsolicited requests; its website says grants are by invitation only.
- Contact
Mailing address: 10573 W Pico Blvd Ste 73, Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: (310) 477-7400
Website: https://thepadproject.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Pad Project funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was The Kwek Society ($27K). Together the top 10 received $82K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 69 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Pad Project describes U.S. programs that address period poverty through partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and grassroots organizations. Its website says it provides grants to nonprofits and schools across all 50 states. The 2023 grant-dollar distribution was concentrated in Virginia (18%), California (14%), Louisiana (7%), Arizona (7%), and New York (6%).
Internationally, the organization describes partnerships supporting pad-making, washable-pad production, menstrual-cup distribution, and menstrual health education. Its website identifies pad-machine programs in Afghanistan, India, Kenya, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, among other program locations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Pad Project gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2020) to $148K (2023). In 2023 it made 42 grants totaling $148K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Kwek Society Arlington, VA | Menstrual health product accessibility | $27,202 |
| Concord Rotary Endowment Concord, CA | Menstrual health product accessibility | $9,000 |
| I Support the Girls Wheaton, MD | Menstrual health product accessibility | $7,600 |
| The Thurman Perry Foundation Covington, LA | Menstrual health product accessibility | $7,500 |
| Go With the Flow Phoenix, AZ | Menstrual health product accessibility | $6,000 |
| Indigenous Women Rising Albuquerque, NM | Menstrual health product accessibility | $5,100 |
| Covenant House California Hollywood, CA | Menstrual health product accessibility | $5,000 |
| Dignity Grows Hartford, CT | Menstrual health product accessibility | $5,000 |
| Pencils of Promise New York, NY | Menstrual health product accessibility | $5,000 |
| Women 4 Women Tempe Tempe, AZ | Menstrual health product accessibility | $4,950 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $902,730 | $832,565 | $859,295 | $148,450 | 42 | $860 |
| 2022 | $1,009,237 | $725,765 | $875,412 | $29,450 | 22 | — |
| 2021 | $866,439 | $677,983 | $865,617 | $35,000 | 4 | — |
| 2020 | $1,098,993 | $901,401 | $716,034 | $6,000 | 1 | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to expand access to menstrual care products, combat period stigma, and champion menstrual equity for all. Its website describes support for grassroots partners through small grants and technical assistance, including programs that produce or distribute menstrual products and provide culturally sensitive menstrual health education.
In the United States, the organization says it provides grants to nonprofits and schools for menstrual care products. Its 2023 grant recipients included organizations with varied missions: The Kwek Society says it works to end period poverty in Indigenous communities; Alexandria House says it provides supportive housing for women and children experiencing homelessness and trauma; and Pencils of Promise says it works to advance access to quality education. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not The Pad Project’s.
The organization’s 2023 filing describes a grant it received from Procter & Gamble to fund washable pads and pad machines for NGOs around the world. It also says grantee partners complete quarterly impact surveys and stay in communication with staff through grant closeout.
Grantmaking
In 2023, The Pad Project reported 42 grants totaling $148,450. Grants ranged from $500 to $27,202, with a median of $2,460. The largest grants included $27,202 to The Kwek Society, $9,000 to Concord Rotary Endowment, $7,600 to I Support the Girls, $7,500 to The Thurman Perry Foundation, and $6,000 to Go With the Flow. The listed grant purpose was menstrual health product accessibility.
The organization’s website says grants are currently by invitation only and that it is not accepting open grant applications. Older application materials describe product grants for U.S. nonprofits and public schools or school districts to purchase or distribute menstrual products. Those materials requested a 2–6 page application, program-leader information and a budget; they should not be treated as current application instructions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Melissa Berton as Executive Director and Sorelle Cohen as Sr. Director of Development, Marketing Communications. It also lists Anissa Siegel as Secretary and Lisa Taback, Stacey Sher, Sophie Ascheim, Rayka Zehtabchi, Bonnie Abaunza, Nicole Jain Sharma, and Anjana Sivakumar as directors.
The Pad Project is led by Melissa Berton, Executive Director since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 13 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Melissa Berton
Executive Director
CEO → Executive Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$75K (2020) → $75K (2023)
Sorelle Cohen
Senior Director of Development & Marketing Communications
New on the 2023 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2023)
Anissa Siegel
Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Taback
General
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rayka Zehtabchi
General
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Sher
General
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie Abaunza
General
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Jain Sharma
General
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anjana Sivakumar
General
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bria Gadsden
General
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Candance Clark Trinchieri
General
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michaela Carter
General
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sophie Ascheim
General
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Tamyra Comeaux MD (2021–2022) — General
- Former: Bob Gatto (2020–2021) — CFO
- Former: Garrett Schiff (2020–2021) — COO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $101K, to Sorelle Cohen (Sr. Director of Development, Marketing Communications). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Pad Project
How much does The Pad Project give each year?
The Pad Project gave $148K across 42 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. In 2022 it gave $29K across 22 grants.
What is The Pad Project's typical grant size?
The Pad Project's median grant in 2023 was $2,460, and its average grant was $3,535, across 42 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Pad Project give grants?
The Pad Project's top state is Virginia, with 18% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (14%) and Louisiana (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (2 grants).
Does The Pad Project give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on The Pad Project's 2023 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Menstrual health product accessibility" (42 grants).
Who are The Pad Project's largest grantees?
The Pad Project's largest 2023 grantees include The Kwek Society ($27,202), Concord Rotary Endowment ($9,000) and I Support the Girls ($7,600), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is The Pad Project?
The Pad Project reported $903K in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $833K.
What does The Pad Project fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to expand access to menstrual care products, combat period stigma, and champion menstrual equity for all. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Pad Project?
The Pad Project does not accept unsolicited requests; its website says grants are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Pad Project's EIN?
The Pad Project's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-2441730. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does The Pad Project accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Pad Project's focus areas in our free grants database
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