Transitcenter Inc
TransitCenter Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York, that supports advocacy for public transportation across the United States. It envisions thriving U.S. cities and regions where public transportation is dramatically expanded, safe, and reliable.
Transitcenter Inc at a glance
In short: Transitcenter Inc gave $2.6M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $54K), top state New York. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,572,220
- +52.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +29.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $53,588
- +17.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $72,256,819
- +1.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (13 of 36, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (19% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Transitcenter Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
TransitCenter makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website says grants support eligible 501(c)(3) organizations whose transit advocacy aligns with its goals and strategy areas; it does not fund work on active legislation or one-off events.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1 Whitehall Street 17Th Floor, New York, NY 10004
Phone: (646) 395-9555
Website: https://transitcenter.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Transitcenter Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Riders Alliance Inc ($355K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
207 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 126 grants of 207 (61%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
TransitCenter says it makes grants to qualifying transit advocacy organizations across the United States and focuses resources in states and metropolitan areas where conditions are suitable for successful campaigns. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to New York (19%), Illinois (12%), California (11%), Oregon (9%), and the District of Columbia (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Transitcenter Inc open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 36 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $53K; repeat grants $82K. How we count
Medians: $35K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 62% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 157% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $1.6M (2022) to $2.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Riders Alliance Inc New York, NY | General Operating | $210,000 |
| Global Philanthropy Partnership Chicago, IL | Clean Rides Network | $200,000 |
| Resource Media Beaverton, OR | Race-Class Narrative on Public Transportation | $200,000 |
| Riders Alliance Inc New York, NY | New Yorkers for Transportation Equity | $145,000 |
| Urban Institute Washington, DC | Public Transit Workforce Analysis | $122,720 |
| Alliance for a Just Society Seattle, WA | National Campaign for Transit Justice | $100,000 |
| Active Transportation Alliance Chicago, IL | General Operating | $93,500 |
| Pittsburghers for Public Transit Association Pittsburgh, PA | General Operating | $92,000 |
| Baltimore Community Foundation Inc Baltimore, MD | Transform Maryland Transportation | $90,000 |
| Community Partners Los Angeles, CA | MOVE LA | $90,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $72,256,819 | $6,774,943 | $5,705,408 | $2,572,220 | 48 | $5,390,588 | $6,662,586 | $3,437,685 |
| 2023 | $71,237,732 | $4,214,586 | $5,895,896 | $1,687,250 | 37 | $5,553,098 | $3,939,327 | $3,218,404 |
| 2022 | $68,528,672 | $1,368,479 | $5,724,640 | $1,577,250 | 47 | $5,193,782 | $1,525,410 | $3,532,864 |
| 2021 | $83,620,564 | $6,464,249 | $5,213,786 | $1,585,991 | 37 | $4,967,571 | $6,350,201 | $4,012,852 |
| 2020 | $82,529,542 | $4,446,763 | $6,040,390 | $2,002,760 | 38 | — | $4,261,162 | $3,685,899 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Transitcenter Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
TransitCenter’s stated aim is to secure a more just and sustainable future with abundant public transportation options. Its current program areas are power building, narrative change, and mobilizing philanthropy. Its website describes power building as strengthening local organizing and building a base for transit advocacy, and narrative change as making the case for transit as an essential service deserving of more funding.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it conducted and published research on approaches to public safety on transit and produced a guide for advocates on how to talk about transit in ways that inspire others. It does not make grants for work on active legislation or one-off events.
Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with a range of missions. Riders Alliance describes its work as fighting for a world-class public transit system that meets New Yorkers’ needs and advances equity and sustainability. Active Transportation Alliance says it advocates for walking, biking, and public transit to create healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities. Resource Media describes its work as strategic communications to broaden support for policies promoting healthy, just, sustainable, and prosperous communities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, TransitCenter reported 48 grants totaling $2,572,220. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $210,000, with a median of $40,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $210,000 to Riders Alliance Inc for general operating support; $200,000 to Global Philanthropy Partnership for the Clean RIDES Network; $200,000 to Resource Media for a race-class narrative on public transportation; $145,000 to Riders Alliance Inc for New Yorkers for Transportation Equity; and $122,720 to the Urban Institute for public transit workforce analysis. Other notable grants included $100,000 to Alliance for a Just Society for the National Campaign for Transit Justice and $93,500 to Active Transportation Alliance for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Stephanie Lotshaw as executive director. It lists Fred Neal Jr as chair, Christof Spieler as vice chair, Jennifer Dill as secretary, and Lisa Bender as treasurer. Board members listed are Aminah Zagh ab, Midori Valdivia, Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Ratna Amin, and Sharmila Mukherjee.
Transitcenter Inc is led by Stephanie Lotshaw, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 4 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Stephanie Lotshaw
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$259K (2023) → $292K (2024)
Fred Neal Jr.
Chair
Secretary → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$400 (2020) → $180 (2024)
Jennifer Dill
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$400 (2021) → $800 (2024)
Ratna Amin
Board Member
Board Member → Chair, 2022
Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$889 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Tamika Butler
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$900 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Tom Kotarac
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$770 (2024)
Christof Spieler
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Bender
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aminah Zaghab
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Monica Tibbits-Nutt
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Midori Valdivia
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharmila Mukherjee
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Clare Newman (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: David Bragdon (2020–2023) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Darryl Young (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Eric S. Lee (2020–2022) — 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 $292K, to Stephanie Lotshaw (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Transitcenter Inc
How much does Transitcenter Inc give each year?
Transitcenter Inc gave $2.6M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 37 grants.
What is Transitcenter Inc's typical grant size?
Transitcenter Inc's median grant in 2024 was $40,000, and its average grant was $53,588, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Transitcenter Inc that year got $53K on average.
Where does Transitcenter Inc give grants?
Transitcenter Inc's top state is New York, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (12%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Seattle, WA (4 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (4 grants).
Does Transitcenter Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 42% of Transitcenter Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Digital Ad Boosting and Message Testing" (8 grants).
Who are Transitcenter Inc's largest grantees?
Transitcenter Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Riders Alliance Inc ($355,000 across 2 grants), Resource Media ($241,000 across 3 grants) and Global Philanthropy Partnership ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Transitcenter Inc?
Transitcenter Inc reported $72.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Transitcenter Inc fund?
TransitCenter’s stated aim is to secure a more just and sustainable future with abundant public transportation options. Its current program areas are power building, narrative change, and mobilizing philanthropy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Transitcenter Inc?
TransitCenter makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Transitcenter Inc's EIN?
Transitcenter Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4146467. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Transitcenter Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Transitcenter Inc funds
Public, Societal Benefit Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Transitcenter Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Funders that support many of the same organizations
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Transitcenter Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/transitcenter-inc-morg_b8d558fa206b438eaa5d39387129c1ef
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134146467_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Transitcenter Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/transitcenter-inc-morg_b8d558fa206b438eaa5d39387129c1ef},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Transitcenter 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.
Transitcenter Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?