Way to Rise
Way to Rise is a public charity based in Washington, DC, formed in 2002. It funds sustained, nonpartisan civic engagement led by state-based organizations and national groups that support state-based partners, with a stated strategic focus on the South and Southwest.
Way to Rise at a glance
In short: Way to Rise gave $10.6M across 86 grants in 2024 (avg $123K), top state District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $10,563,667
- -4.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 86
- -3.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $122,833
- -1.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $8,076,329
- -31.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (19% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Way to Rise
- Contact
Mailing address: 1825 K Street Nw Ste 315, Washington, DC 20036
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Way to Rise
Who Way to Rise funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc ($550K). Together the top 10 received $3.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
175 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 78 grants of 175 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Way to Rise says its work is strategically focused on the South and Southwest. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to DC (19%), California (10%), New York (10%), North Carolina (9%), and Florida (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 86 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Way to Rise gives
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $10.6M (2024) to $11.0M (2023). In 2024 it made 86 grants totaling $10.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc Washington, DC | General Operating | $550,000 |
| Florida Rising Together Miami, FL | General Operating | $550,000 |
| Climate Emergency Fund Beverly Hills, CA | General Operating | $400,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | General Operating | $350,000 |
| Georgia Coalition for the Peoples Agenda Atlanta, GA | General Operating | $315,000 |
| Hopewell Fund Washington, DC | General Operating | $300,000 |
| Neo Philanthropy New York, NY | General Operating | $275,000 |
| Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund San Francisco, CA | General Operating | $250,000 |
| Imagine NC First Raleigh, NC | General Operating | $250,000 |
| Sustainable Markets Foundation New York, NY | General Operating | $250,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,076,329 | $13,810,680 | $18,876,533 | $10,563,667 | 86 |
| 2023 | $11,809,947 | $23,023,139 | $14,624,291 | $11,049,000 | 89 |
| 2022 | $8,992,452 | $3,343,599 | — | — | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Way to Rise states that it centers communities most impacted by injustice and funds sustained, nonpartisan civic engagement led by state-based organizations and national groups that support state-based partners. It describes its work as guided by a powerbuilding framework and focused on the South and Southwest, regions it says have historically been overlooked for long-term powerbuilding funding.
The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Florida Rising Together says its mission is to serve Florida residents through educational programs that empower them to strengthen their communities. The Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda says it works to educate and advocate for poor and disadvantaged citizens on voting rights and criminal justice. Sustainable Markets Foundation says it works on environmental protection, energy efficiency, consumer protection, health and safety, and good government.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Way to Rise made 86 grants totaling $10,563,667. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $550,000, with a median grant of $100,000. The largest awards included $550,000 each to Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc and Florida Rising Together; $400,000 to Climate Emergency Fund; and $350,000 to New Venture Fund. These grants were listed for general operating support.
Other notable 2024 grants included $315,000 to Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, $300,000 to Hopewell Fund, $275,000 to NEO Philanthropy, and $250,000 each to Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund, Imagine NC First, Sustainable Markets Foundation, Teamster Rank & File Education and Legal Defense Foundation, and The Good Nation Foundation.
The organization’s grant-program information lists a Valiente Fund Grant as currently open. The accompanying description says the 2025 Valiente Operational Accelerator was suspended and that the fund would pivot to a strategy addressing more immediate impact. The available program information does not specify an application process, materials, restrictions, or deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mimi Marziani as chair and Eboni Speight as executive director/treasurer. Board members listed are Anna Fink, Anu Khosla, Jason Berkenfeld, Dennis Quirin, and Joe Kennedy.
Way to Rise is led by Eboni Speight, Executive Director & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2022); none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eboni Speight
Executive Director & Treasurer
Treasurer & Secretary → Executive Director & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mimi Marziani
Chair
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna Fink
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anu Khosla
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Quirin
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Berkenfeld
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Kennedy
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Way to Rise
How much does Way to Rise give each year?
Way to Rise gave $10.6M across 86 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $11.0M across 89 grants.
What is Way to Rise's typical grant size?
Way to Rise's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $122,833, across 86 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Way to Rise give grants?
Way to Rise's top state is District of Columbia, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (10%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (10 grants), Phoenix, AZ (6 grants), Austin, TX (5 grants) and Raleigh, NC (5 grants).
Does Way to Rise give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Way to Rise's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (86 of 86) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Way to Rise's largest grantees?
Way to Rise's largest 2024 grantees include Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc ($550,000), Florida Rising Together ($550,000) and Climate Emergency Fund ($400,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Way to Rise?
Way to Rise reported $8.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.8M.
What does Way to Rise fund?
Way to Rise states that it centers communities most impacted by injustice and funds sustained, nonpartisan civic engagement led by state-based organizations and national groups that support state-based partners. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Way to Rise?
Way to Rise has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Way to Rise's EIN?
Way to Rise's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-3300694. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Live grants for the work Way to Rise funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Way to Rise's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Way to Rise funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/way-to-rise-morg_89386fe04cc04907a31eda20a6824d62
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_883300694_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Way to Rise funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/way-to-rise-morg_89386fe04cc04907a31eda20a6824d62},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Way to Rise'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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