Funding search · EIN 043528004 · Boston, MA

Popplestone Foundation

Name: Popplestone Foundation grants, 2022–2024
Creator: PaperOrbit
License: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

109
grants reported: $220.1M
total given: 2022–2024
filing years: $1.0M
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

civic democracy engagement education music early childhood development

Full IRS filings ↗How this is built Report an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

Election protection, voting rights, and legal accountability litigation
Youth music education: El Sistema-style programs, endowments, capital projects
Civic education and investigative journalism infrastructure
Early childhood development: family literacy, home visiting, pre-K expansion
Courts, constitutions, and money-in-politics research

Typical grant

Median grant is $1,000,000, with the middle half between $500,000 and $2,500,000. The $5M to $12.5M checks go to national democracy institutions (Brennan Center, Protect Democracy, NAACP LDF, Voter Participation Center) and to music education endowments and capital campaigns (New England Conservatory $12.5M, Community MusicWorks $10.5M, Boston Youth Symphony $6.4M). Repeat giving is strong and often identical year to year: Campaign Legal Center at $3,250,000 twice, American Journalism Project at $825,000, Fair Elections Center at $650,000, EdVestors at $550,000, Boston Debate League and Mass Budget at $325,000 each.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

“DEMOCRACY & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT”
“GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT”
“RESTRICTED ENDOWMENT”
“EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT”
“COMBATING ELECTION SABOTAGE”

Positioning adjacent work

Tie work to state and federal courts, election administration, or disinformation defense, their densest cluster.
Ask $500K to $2.5M for multi-year general operations; they write two to five year commitments freely.
For music or early childhood, lead with expansion, teacher certification, or endowment, not one-off programming.
Boston and Cambridge institutions get local money; name a Massachusetts delivery site if you have one.

Worth knowing: This is a large-check, small-roster funder: 109 grants to 74 recipients over three years, with democracy litigation and advocacy groups plus youth music organizations absorbing most of the $220M. Geography concentrates in Boston, Washington DC, and New York, and several gifts flow through intermediaries (Tides, New Venture Fund, Proteus, The Boston Foundation), which signals relationship-driven regranting rather than an open pipeline.

42 grants matching “democracy and civic engagement” · $105.1M

$10.0M
Protect Democracy Project · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, safebuarding elections & legal accountability for 03/15/2024-03/15/2026
$10.0M
William J Brennan Jr Center for Justice · New York, NY · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - advance projects focusing on state & federal courts and constitutions
$5.0M
States United Democracy Center · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, safebuarding elections & legal accountability for 03/15/2024-03/15/2026
$3.3M
Campaign Legal Center · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - combating election sabotage
$2.5M
Pro Publica · New York, NY · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, five-year plan - investigative reporting for 03/15/2024-03/05/2029
$2.5M
Sd Foundation Fbo Voting Rights Lab · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, supporting general election officials in 2024 election for 03/13/2024-03/31/2025
$1.5M
Tides Foundation Fbo Movement Voter Fund · Northampton, MA · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - movement voter fund: expanding democracy through civic engagement
$825,000
American Journalism Project · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations
$650,000
Fair Elections Center · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - campus vote project
$600,000
New Venture Fund Fbo Media Democracy Fund · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support media democracy fund's disinformation defense league
$500,000
Open Secrets · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support for "up for debate: issues, controversies & money"
$500,000
Generation Citizen · New York, NY · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - hands-on civics education
$325,000
Boston Debate League · Boston, MA · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support "advancing achievement & impact"
$325,000
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center · Boston, MA · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support "delivering on equity collective"
$10.0M
William J Brennan Jr Center for Justice · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - advance projects focusing on state & federal courts and constitutions
$10.0M
Voter Participation Center · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-09/30/2025
$10.0M
Naacp Legal Defense & Education Fund · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 07/01/2023-06/30/2027
$5.0M
Center for Election Innovation & Research (Ceir) · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2027
$3.6M
Icivics · Cambridge, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - capital campaign, support media & information literacy education plus overall growth campaign
$3.3M
Campaign Legal Center · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - combating election sabotage
$3.0M
Black Voters Matter · Atlanta, GA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - bvm capacity building institute
$3.0M
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations
$2.0M
Neo Philanthropy Fbo More Equitable Democracy · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2026
$2.0M
Florida Rights Restoration Coalition · Orlando, FL · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - defend, protect & produce registered voters in florida 06/01/2023-05/31/2026
$2.0M
The Urban Institute · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - tax policy center 09/01/2023-02/28/2026
$1.5M
Tides Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - movement voter fund: expanding democracy through civic engagement
$1.0M
Verified Voting Foundation · Philadelphia, PA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-09/30/2025
$1.0M
Fair Vote · Silver Spring, MD · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2025
$1.0M
Movement Advancement Project · Boulder, CO · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations: research, data & messaging tools for lgbtq advocacy & civil rights
$1.0M
Vote Riders · Santa Monica, CA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support voter id education & assistance in prioritized southern states 10/01/2023-12/31/2024
$1.0M
Proteus Fund · Amherst, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - piper fund for judicial independence & money in politics work 08/01/2023-08/03/2024
$825,000
American Journalism Project · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations
$750,000
Southern Poverty Law Center · Montgomery, AL · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - supporting voting rights & civic engagement
$750,000
Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - apia vote general operations
$650,000
Fair Elections Center · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - campus vote project
$600,000
New Venture Fund Fbo Media Democracy Fund · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support mdf's disinformation defense league
$500,000
Voto Latino · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-11/30/2025
$500,000
Open Secrets · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support for "up for debate: issues, controversies, & money"
$500,000
Center for Civic Design · Cambridge, MD · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09-01-2023-08/31/2025
$500,000
Generation Citizen · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - hands-on civics education
$325,000
Boston Debate League · Boston, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support "advancing achievement & impact"
$325,000
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center · Boston, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support "delivering on equity collective"

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

William J Brennan Jr Center for Justice3 grants · $20.5M
New England Conservatory of Music3 grants · $14.5M
Community Music Works Project1 grant · $10.5M
Naacp Legal Defense & Education Fund1 grant · $10.0M
Voter Participation Center1 grant · $10.0M
Protect Democracy Project1 grant · $10.0M
Campaign Legal Center3 grants · $10.0M
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras1 grant · $6.4M
Project Step2 grants · $5.5M
Center for Election Innovation & Research (Ceir)1 grant · $5.0M

Giving over time

$23.5M

2022

$145.3M

2023

$51.3M

2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 109 grants.

$12.5M
New England Conservatory of Music · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education - endow nec prep scholarships ($12,000,000), early chilhood education pilot ($500,000)
$10.5M
Community Music Works Project · Providence, RI · 2023
Music education - renovationss, new construction, program expansions, & endowment 0101/2024-06/30/2027 ($8,000,000), multi-year for music haven ($1,505,000), multi-year for neighborhood strings ($1,005,000)
$10.0M
Protect Democracy Project · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, safebuarding elections & legal accountability for 03/15/2024-03/15/2026
$10.0M
William J Brennan Jr Center for Justice · New York, NY · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - advance projects focusing on state & federal courts and constitutions
$10.0M
Naacp Legal Defense & Education Fund · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 07/01/2023-06/30/2027
$10.0M
Voter Participation Center · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-09/30/2025
$10.0M
William J Brennan Jr Center for Justice · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - advance projects focusing on state & federal courts and constitutions
$6.4M
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education - restricted endowment for support of new youth music center
$5.0M
States United Democracy Center · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, safebuarding elections & legal accountability for 03/15/2024-03/15/2026
$5.0M
All Our Kin · New Haven, CT · 2023
Early childhood development - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2026
$5.0M
Center for Election Innovation & Research (Ceir) · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2027
$5.0M
Project Step · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education - restricted endowment
$5.0M
Room To Grow National · New York, NY · 2023
Early childhood development - general operations 01/01/2024-12/31/2027
$4.0M
Uniting Voices · Chicago, IL · 2023
Music education - support expansion & accessibility, including endowment 07/01/2023-06/30/2027
$3.6M
Icivics · Cambridge, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - capital campaign, support media & information literacy education plus overall growth campaign
$3.5M
Atlanta Music Project · Atlanta, GA · 2023
Music education - capital & endowment 08/01/2023-07/31/2025
$3.5M
Campaign Legal Center · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$3.3M
Campaign Legal Center · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - combating election sabotage
$3.3M
Campaign Legal Center · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - combating election sabotage
$3.0M
Parentcorps · New York, NY · 2024
Early childhood development - general operating support, expansion of pre-k for all for 03/15/2024-08/14/2026
$3.0M
Young People'S Chorus of New York City · New York, NY · 2024
Music education - general support, serving ages 8-18 in various choruses for 03/15/2024-09/15/2027
$3.0M
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations
$3.0M
Black Voters Matter · Atlanta, GA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - bvm capacity building institute
$3.0M
Education Through Music · New York, NY · 2023
Music education - program expansion through teacher certification 09/01/2023-06/30/2028
$3.0M
Literacy Inc (Linc) · New York, NY · 2023
Early childhood development - general operations 07/01/2023-06/30/2027
$2.5M
Pro Publica · New York, NY · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, five-year plan - investigative reporting for 03/15/2024-03/05/2029
$2.5M
Sd Foundation Fbo Voting Rights Lab · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operating support, supporting general election officials in 2024 election for 03/13/2024-03/31/2025
$2.5M
The Reading League · Syracuse, NY · 2024
Early childhood development - general operating support, further the science of reading movement for 03/15/2024-03/15/2026
$2.5M
The Boston Foundation for Chorus America · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education
$2.3M
National Parks Foundation · Washington, DC · 2022
Gereral use
$2.3M
Brooklyn Youth Orchestra · Brooklyn, NY · 2023
Music education - financial aid, program expansion, and capital 11/01/2023-06/30/2026
$2.0M
Harmony Program · New York, NY · 2024
Music education - project support for development of a comprehensive youth orchestra system nyc for 03/25/2024-07/14/2026
$2.0M
Baltimore Symphony - Orchkids · Baltimore, MD · 2023
Music education - endowment fund 07/01/2023-06/30/2028
$2.0M
Community Music Center of Boston · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education - restricted endowment
$2.0M
Florida Rights Restoration Coalition · Orlando, FL · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - defend, protect & produce registered voters in florida 06/01/2023-05/31/2026
$2.0M
Neighborhood Music School · New Haven, CT · 2023
Music education - support delta program offering free instruments & music lessons 07/01/2023-06/30/2028
$2.0M
Neo Philanthropy Fbo More Equitable Democracy · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2026
$2.0M
The Boston Foundation for Zumix · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education
$2.0M
The Urban Institute · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - tax policy center 09/01/2023-02/28/2026
$2.0M
Tides Center Fbo Abriendo Puertasopening Doors · San Francisco, CA · 2023
Early childhood development - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2026
$1.6M
Boston Youth Symphony · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$1.5M
Tides Foundation Fbo Movement Voter Fund · Northampton, MA · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - movement voter fund: expanding democracy through civic engagement
$1.5M
The Boston Foundation for Emmanuel Music · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education
$1.5M
Tides Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - movement voter fund: expanding democracy through civic engagement
$1.5M
Handel and Haydn Society · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$1.5M
New England Conservatory of Music · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$1.5M
Tides Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2022
General use
$1.3M
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation · Boston, MA · 2023
Other philanthropic endeavors - rehabilitation of lowell memorial park, cambridge
$1.1M
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$1.0M
Fair Vote · Silver Spring, MD · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-08/31/2025
$1.0M
Movement Advancement Project · Boulder, CO · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations: research, data & messaging tools for lgbtq advocacy & civil rights
$1.0M
Proteus Fund · Amherst, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - piper fund for judicial independence & money in politics work 08/01/2023-08/03/2024
$1.0M
The Boston Foundation for Boston City Singers · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education
$1.0M
Verified Voting Foundation · Philadelphia, PA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-09/30/2025
$1.0M
Vote Riders · Santa Monica, CA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support voter id education & assistance in prioritized southern states 10/01/2023-12/31/2024
$850,000
American Journalism Project · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$825,000
American Journalism Project · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations
$825,000
American Journalism Project · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations
$800,000
New Venture Fund Fbo Media Democracy Fund · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$750,000
Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - apia vote general operations
$750,000
Southern Poverty Law Center · Montgomery, AL · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - supporting voting rights & civic engagement
$750,000
Southern Poverty Law Center · Montgomery, AL · 2022
General use
$700,000
Community Music Center of Boston · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$700,000
Fair Elections Center · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$650,000
Fair Elections Center · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - campus vote project
$650,000
Fair Elections Center · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - campus vote project
$625,000
Icivics · Cambridge, MA · 2022
General use
$600,000
New Venture Fund Fbo Media Democracy Fund · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support media democracy fund's disinformation defense league
$600,000
New Venture Fund Fbo Media Democracy Fund · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support mdf's disinformation defense league
$550,000
Edvestors · Boston, MA · 2024
Music education - support music program of boston public schools arts expansion
$550,000
Edvestors · Boston, MA · 2023
Music education - support music program of boston public schools arts expansion
$550,000
Edvestors · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$500,000
Generation Citizen · New York, NY · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - hands-on civics education
$500,000
New England Conservatory of Music · Boston, MA · 2024
Music education - support nec preparatory division's early childhood education pilot project
$500,000
Open Secrets · Washington, DC · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support for "up for debate: issues, controversies & money"
$500,000
Parentchild · New York, NY · 2024
Early childhood development - expansion of existing sites & new sites
$500,000
Center for Civic Design · Cambridge, MD · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09-01-2023-08/31/2025
$500,000
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund · Boston, MA · 2023
Other philanthropic endeavors
$500,000
Generation Citizen · New York, NY · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - hands-on civics education
$500,000
Open Secrets · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support for "up for debate: issues, controversies, & money"
$500,000
Parentchild · New York, NY · 2023
Early childhood development - expansion of existing sites & new sites
$500,000
Voto Latino · Washington, DC · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - general operations 09/01/2023-11/30/2025
$500,000
Generation Citizen · New York, NY · 2022
General use
$500,000
Open Secrets · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$500,000
Parentchild · Mineola, NY · 2022
General use
$500,000
Project Step · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$500,000
William J Brennan Jr Center for Justice · New York, NY · 2022
General use
$400,000
Keys Music · New Canaan, CT · 2023
Music education - program expansion, capital expenses, cash reserves
$400,000
Georgetown University · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$350,000
Boston Debate League · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$350,000
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center · Boston, MA · 2022
General use
$325,000
Boston Debate League · Boston, MA · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support "advancing achievement & impact"
$325,000
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center · Boston, MA · 2024
Democracy & civic engagement - support "delivering on equity collective"
$325,000
Boston Debate League · Boston, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support "advancing achievement & impact"
$325,000
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center · Boston, MA · 2023
Democracy & civic engagement - support "delivering on equity collective"
$304,394
Cambridge Public Schools · Cambridge, MA · 2022
General use
$303,754
Cambridge Public Schools · Cambridge, MA · 2024
Music education - music department initiatives - kodaly program & music academic year 2023-2024
$300,000
Keys Music · Bridgeport, CT · 2024
Music education - general support providing free music education for voice & instruments k-12 in public schools
$300,000
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State · Washington, DC · 2022
General use
$296,337
Cambridge Public Schools · Cambridge, MA · 2023
Music education - music department initiatives - kodaly program & music academic year 2023-2024

View all 109 grants →

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Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.