The Working World Inc
The Working World Inc is a New York, NY-based public charity that supports cooperative and other democratic enterprises through non-extractive finance and cooperative development. Its 2024 filing describes work to expand democratic enterprise and community-controlled capital; the organization’s website describes The Working World as a founding member of Seed Commons, a cooperative network for non-extractive finance.
Key facts about The Working World Inc
In short: The Working World Inc gave $3.0M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $150K), mostly in New York. 35% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 20-2264584
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,005,971
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $150,299
- Median grant
- $35,575
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (7 of 20, 2024)
- Total assets
- $85,705,499
- Primary geography
- New York (63% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$85.7M
+4.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.0M
-20.0% YoY
Grant Count
20
-4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$150K
-16.0% YoY
Is The Working World Inc open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 20 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $214K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $75K 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the 2024 filing is to study, test, assess, and implement best practices for community economic development through the expansion of democratic enterprise and community-controlled non-extractive capital. The filing says the organization focuses on communities whose populations are low-income, marginalized, and at risk. It describes loan selection as assessing both projected financial benefit to the cooperative and social impact, including income enhancement, employment, capacity development, and community stability.
The 2024 grants were reported for cooperative development. Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported: Colaborativa La Milpa says its mission is to build the capacity and sustainability of community-based organizations; Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative says it develops worker-owned businesses offering family-sustaining jobs; and Cleveland Owns describes itself as an economic-democracy incubator that launches cooperative businesses and organizes for community control of resources. Other grantees describe work in areas including technical assistance and low-interest loans, cooperative development, community food production, and support for collectively owned businesses.
Grantmaking
In 2024, The Working World Inc reported 19 grants totaling $1,505,971. Grant amounts ranged from $20,000 to $335,000, with a median of $33,750. The largest listed grants were $335,000 to Colaborativa La Milpa, $240,000 to TWW NYC Solidarity Inc, $235,000 to Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative, and $139,814 to New York City Network of Worker Cooperatives. Each was reported for cooperative development.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest stated shares went to New York (25%), North Carolina (22%), Ohio (19%), California (8%), and Washington (6%). The listed grants also included recipients in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $529K (2020) to $3.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brooklyn Stone & Tile ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 87 (60%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Stone & Tile Brooklyn, NY | Equitable Recovery | $1,500,000 |
| Colaborativa La Milpa Asheville, NC | Cooperative Development | $335,000 |
| TWW NYC Solidarity Inc Brooklyn, NY | Cooperative Development | $240,000 |
| Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative Cincinnati, OH | Cooperative Development | $235,000 |
| New York City Network of Worker Cooperatives Elmhurst, NY | Cooperative Development | $139,814 |
| Repaired Nations Cooperative Inc Oakland, CA | Cooperative Development | $80,000 |
| Spokane Workers Cooperative LCA Spokane, WA | Cooperative Development | $75,000 |
| Southeast Center for Cooperative Development Nashville, TN | Cooperative Development | $74,583 |
| Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance Philadelphia, PA | Cooperative Development | $37,500 |
| Detroit Community Wealth Fund Detroit, MI | Cooperative Development | $37,400 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $85,705,499 | $10,092,913 | $10,405,291 | $1,505,971 (19 grants) |
| 2023 | $81,765,852 | $9,581,365 | $10,946,830 | $1,254,461 (16 grants) |
| 2022 | $77,022,754 | $7,986,885 | $6,499,540 | $1,722,826 (18 grants) |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $85,705,499 | $81,765,852 | $77,022,754 |
| Revenue | $10,092,913 | $9,581,365 | $7,986,885 |
| Expenses | $10,405,291 | $10,946,830 | $6,499,540 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,807,631 | $1,204,790 | $20,767 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Edward Leroy Whitfield as president and senior fellow; Margo Dalal as secretary and associate director of capital strategies; and Guadalupe Lupe Romero Elicea as treasurer. Directors listed were Andrew Delmonte, Emily Lerman, Kristen Barker, Andrea Golden, Gilda Haas (until September 2024), Briana Sidney, and Ghislain Guiebo.
The Working World Inc is led by Brendan Martin, Co-Executive Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 11 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brendan Martin
Co-Executive Director
President & Executive Director → President & Co-Executive Director, 2021
President & Co-Executive Director → Co-Executive Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$91K (2020) → $131K (2024)
Edward Leroy Whitfield
President & Senior Fellow
Treasurer → Treasurer & Senior Fellow, 2021
Treasurer & Senior Fellow → President & Senior Fellow, 2022
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $46K (2024)
Kate Khatib
Co-Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$81K (2021) → $132K (2024)
Andrew Delmonte
Director & Executive Director
On filings since 2022
42 hrs/week
$59K (2022) → $65K (2024)
Maria Elena Del Valle
Managing Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$106K (2023) → $113K (2024)
Karen Haskins
Director of Finance
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$90K (2020) → $114K (2024)
Emily Lerman
Director & Project Officer
On filings since 2022
34 hrs/week
$37K (2022) → $76K (2024)
Ghislain Guiebo
Director & Co-Exec Director
Director & Co-Executive Director → Director, 2023
Director → Director & Co-Exec Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
42 hrs/week
$84K (2022) → $64K (2024)
Christyne Dillard
Director of Lending
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$105K (2024)
Eden Schulz
Director of Administration
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$102K (2024)
Andrea Golden
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Briana Sidney
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gilda Haas
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Barker
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margo Dalal
Secretary & Associate Director of Capital Strategies
Secretary & Executive Director → Secretary & Associate Director of Capital Strategies, 2024
On filings since 2022
42 hrs/week
$73K (2022) → $97K (2024)
Guadalupe Lupe Romero Elicea
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Armando Robles (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Avram Lewis (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ethan Stricker Earle (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Gopal Roa Nandarup Dayaneni (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Melissa Hoover (2020–2022) — Director
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 $132K, to Kate Khatib (Co-Executive Director). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 228 Park Avenue South 65768, New York, NY 10003
Phone: (646) 257-4144
Website: https://seedcommons.org
Frequently asked questions about The Working World Inc
How much does The Working World Inc give each year?
The Working World Inc gave $3.0M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $3.8M across 21 grants.
What is The Working World Inc's typical grant size?
The Working World Inc's median grant in 2024 was $35,575, and its average grant was $150,299, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Working World Inc that year got $33K on average.
Where does The Working World Inc give grants?
The Working World Inc gives mostly in New York: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were North Carolina (11%) and Ohio (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does The Working World Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on The Working World Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Cooperative Development" (19 grants).
Who are The Working World Inc's largest grantees?
The Working World Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Brooklyn Stone & Tile ($1,500,000), Colaborativa La Milpa ($335,000) and TWW NYC Solidarity Inc ($240,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Working World Inc?
The Working World Inc reported $85.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.1M.
What does The Working World Inc fund?
The mission stated in the 2024 filing is to study, test, assess, and implement best practices for community economic development through the expansion of democratic enterprise and community-controlled non-extractive capital. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Working World Inc?
The Working World Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check seedcommons.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Working World Inc's EIN?
The Working World Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2264584. 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.
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