Funding search · EIN 263753801 · New York, NY
Foundation To Promote Open Society
A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.
- 3,312
- grants reported
- $1.72B
- total given
- 2022–2024
- filing years
- $250,000
- 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
Full IRS filings ↗How this is builtReport 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
- General support for democracy and civil society groups worldwide
- Open Society network affiliates and national foundations abroad
- Human rights defenders, accountability, and justice organizations
- Green industrial policy, climate finance, and economic development research
- Higher education tied to Bard, CEU, and the Open Society University Network
- Latin American and African policy research and civic power building
Typical grant
Median grant is $250,000, with the middle half running $105,000 to $500,000. The eight-figure checks go to network entities and long-standing institutional partners such as Open Society Foundation London, Bard College, Central European University, and the Soros Economic Development Fund, while most everyone else lands between $100,000 and $1 million. Many recipients appear more than once in the same year and across years, so repeat and multi-tranche giving is the norm rather than the exception.
Their words
Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.
- “TO PROVIDE GENERAL SUPPORT”
- “open, democratic societies around the world”
- “TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS”
- “green industrial policy”
- “civil society, inclusion, and human rights”
- “marginalized communities”
Positioning adjacent work
- Tie research to green industrial policy, climate finance, or state capacity in the Global South.
- Ask $250,000 to $1 million; above that requires an existing institutional relationship.
- Frame outputs as research and analysis that informs policymakers, not academic publication.
- Consider a fiscal sponsor like New Venture Fund, Proteus, or Amalgamated; they fund these routinely.
Worth knowing: Money concentrates hard in New York and Washington DC and in the Open Society network itself, with a handful of affiliates and Bard-linked entities absorbing several hundred million. Giving looks strongly relationship-driven and heavily international, so a cold approach from an unconnected US-based researcher faces long odds without a partner already inside their portfolio.
33 grants matching “critical” · $16.0M
- $2.1M
Central European University · New York, NY · 2024
To support the establishment of the osun forum on democracy & development, a collaborative research platform structured around five thematic hubs centered on critical themes pertaining to contemporary democratic realiti… read allTo support the establishment of the osun forum on democracy & development, a collaborative research platform structured around five thematic hubs centered on critical themes pertaining to contemporary democratic realities across geographies less
- $1.7M
Institute of International Education · New York, NY · 2024
To support individuals and organizations pursuing critical work to advance democracy, civil society, inclusion, and human rights
- $750,000
Centro Brasil No Clima · 2024
To support the grantee's work studying brazil's capacity to implement a robust subnational strategy emphasizing climate as a critical opportunity for socio-economic development
- $600,000
Institute of International Education · New York, NY · 2024
To support individuals and organizations pursuing critical work to advance democracy, civil society, inclusion, and womens rights
- $500,000
Aspiration · San Francisco, CA · 2024
To support the critical internet studies institute, a project of the grantee, in the development of a public-interest oriented internet
- $400,000
African Futures Institute · 2024
To support month-long teaching experiments in a different african location and/or diaspora for safe space exploration and critical enquiry on values or themes of open societies
- $350,000
Naacp Legal Defense and Educational Fund · New York, NY · 2024
To implement and expand an innovative effort to defend and protect antiracism education, critical race theory and advance justice for all
- $307,644
Birkbeck College University of London · 2024
To support the birkbeck institute for humanities' critical theory summer school program
- $300,000
Global Impact · Washington, DC · 2024
To advance and protect critical health care services by coordinating joint action and combatting misinformation
- $250,000
Social Security Works Education Fund · Washington Dc, DC · 2024
To support establishing a drop site news mena desk to to bridge a critical information gap in independent journalism
- $235,000
Stichting the Center for the Advancement of Infras · 2024
To support grantee's work on critical analysis and commentary of the digital public sphere to strengthen open societies
- $97,500
Lapis Middle East and Africa Fz Llc · 2024
To deliver critical educational content and mental health support
- $85,000
Centro De Investigaciones Del Desierto De Altar a · 2024
To support grantee's work on critical theory and aesthetics to generate new ways of understanding desert borderlands
- $28,000
Baobab Training and Development Institute · 2024
In support of two workshops on ethical and professional journalism, to safeguard information integrity at a critical time in a complex socio-political moment in south africa
- $12,000
Resource Impact · Washington, DC · 2024
To advance and protect access to critical health care services by coordinating joint action and combatting misinformation
- $2.0M
The Regents of the University of California Los a · Los Angeles, CA · 2023
To support the latino politics & policy institute at the ucla luskin school of public health, a project of the grantee working to addresses the most critical domestic policy challenges facing latinos and other communiti… read allTo support the latino politics & policy institute at the ucla luskin school of public health, a project of the grantee working to addresses the most critical domestic policy challenges facing latinos and other communities of color less
- $1.5M
Centro Brasileiro De Analise E Planejamento - Cebr · 2023
To support the establishment of the center for critical imagination
- $1.0M
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · Washington, DC · 2023
To build connections between progressive african and russian policymakers, analysts, and civil society to enable critical knowledge exchanges and creating advocacy opportunities to inform western policy in the region
- $786,680
Central European University · New York, NY · 2023
To support the establishment of the osun forum on democracy & development, a collaborative research platform structured around five thematic hubs centered on critical themes pertaining to contemporary democratic realiti… read allTo support the establishment of the osun forum on democracy & development, a collaborative research platform structured around five thematic hubs centered on critical themes pertaining to contemporary democratic realities across geographies less
- $600,000
Institute of International Education · New York, NY · 2023
To support individuals and organizations pursuing critical work to advance democracy, civil society, inclusion, and womens rights
- $570,000
Bard College · Annandaleonhudson, NY · 2023
To provide support for open society university network undergraduate student mobility and scholarships to students attending birkbeck's 2024 london critical theory summer school
- $407,811
University of Exeter · 2023
To support the scientific research and analysis of the effects of mining of critical materials to determine where it will be particularly detrimental for the environment and vulnerable communities
- $182,000
The Asia Society · New York, NY · 2023
To support the grantee's work in documenting critical issues related to politics, civil, and human rights in china
- $150,000
Allied Media Projects · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support critical minded, a project of the grantee, in their work to expand the field of cultural critics of color
- $125,000
The Institute for Public Policy Research · 2023
To support the grantee's fiscally sponsored project, cohort 2040, efforts in fostering critical imagination to address and navigate anthropocene risks
- $113,054
The Baffler Foundation · New York City, NY · 2023
To produce a special issue of the baffler revising critically the contentious topic of orthodox humanitarism
- $85,000
Centro De Investigaciones Del Desierto De Altar a · 2023
To support grantee's work on critical theory and aesthetics to generate new ways of understanding desert borderlands
- $25,000
Freedom Bound Center · Sacramento, CA · 2023
To support fist up tvs documentary filmmaking program that seeks to amplify critical voices around the harmful impact of racialized economic and social disparities in underdeveloped countries in latin america and the ca… read allTo support fist up tvs documentary filmmaking program that seeks to amplify critical voices around the harmful impact of racialized economic and social disparities in underdeveloped countries in latin america and the caribbean less
- $25,000
Centro Brasileiro De Analise E Planejamento - Cebr · 2023
To support the establishment of the center for critical imagination - political economy and society
- $300,000
Colorofchangeorg Education Fund · Oakland, CA · 2022
To develop and implement a public narrative-based campaign to defend and protect antiracism education and critical race theory
- $200,000
Naacp Legal Defense and Educational Fund · New York, NY · 2022
To implement and develop an innovative campaign to defend and protect antiracism education, critical race theory and advance justice for all
- $200,000
African American Policy Forum · New York, NY · 2022
To implement and develop a public education campaign to promote antiracism education, critical race theory and ultimately, advance justice for all
- $57,500
United Nations Development Programme Ny Office · New York, NY · 2022
To support series of reports on critical areas that address inequality in pakistan
Top recipients
Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.
- Open Society Foundation London5 grants · $148.0M
- Soros Economic Development Fund3 grants · $55.8M
- Central European University51 grants · $54.0M
- Bard College36 grants · $43.9M
- Amalgamated Charitable Foundation18 grants · $29.1M
- Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors34 grants · $25.3M
- Roma Foundation for Europe2 grants · $21.0M
- The Boston Foundation1 grant · $20.0M
- Alliance for Open Society International3 grants · $19.8M
- Open Society Initiative for West Africa1 grant · $19.5M
Giving over time
Grant history
The 100 largest of 3,312 grants.
- $44.9M
Open Society Foundation London · 2024
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $42.8M
Open Society Foundation London · 2022
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $41.2M
Open Society Foundation London · 2023
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $25.0M
Soros Economic Development Fund · New York, NY · 2024
To support grantee's program related investment activities
- $20.6M
Soros Economic Development Fund · New York, NY · 2023
To support grantee's program related investment activities
- $20.0M
Bard College · Annandaleonhudson, NY · 2024
To provide general support
- $20.0M
The Boston Foundation · Boston, MA · 2024
To support the fokal designated fund
- $19.5M
Open Society Initiative for West Africa · 2023
To support the grantee's non-lobbying programs, which promote inclusive democratic governance, transparent and accountable institutions, and active citizenship in africa
- $15.6M
Roma Foundation for Europe · 2024
To provide general support
- $15.0M
Central European University · New York, NY · 2024
To support research, outreach activities and operating costs of the budapest-based units of central european university in the 2024/25 academic year
- $15.0M
Central European University · New York, NY · 2023
To support research, outreach activities and operating costs of the budapest site of central european university in 2023/24 academic year
- $12.3M
Alliance for Open Society International · New York, NY · 2023
To provide support for open society institute-baltimore's charitable programs and operations
- $12.0M
International Crisis Group (Washington Office) · Washington, DC · 2023
To provide general support
- $11.0M
Open Society Foundation London · 2023
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $10.2M
Soros Economic Development Fund · New York, NY · 2022
To support grantee's program related investment activities
- $10.0M
Equis Institute · San Francisco, CA · 2023
To provide general support
- $10.0M
Hopewell Fund · Washington, DC · 2023
To support the nonpartisan free election fund, a sponsored project of the grantee that protects the rights of all citizens to participate fully in our democratic process and safeguards our free and fair elections
- $8.4M
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Washington, DC · 2023
To support the buildus fund, a sponsored project of the grantee, in ensuring the equitable implementation of federal legislation for marginalized communities across the u.s.
- $8.4M
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Washington, DC · 2022
To support the equis institute, a project of the grantee that seeks to help latinx community-based organizations overcome racism and historic disenfranchisement to elevate latinx voices in our democracy
- $8.1M
Open Society Foundation London · 2024
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $6.9M
Alliance for Open Society International · New York, NY · 2022
To provide support for open society institute-baltimore's charitable programs and operations
- $6.2M
Roma Education Fund Romania Foundation · 2023
To provide general support
- $6.0M
Common Counsel Foundation · Oakland, CA · 2023
To support the movement for black lives, a project of the grantee that creates alternative solutions to harmful institutions, policies, and practices for all black communities across the nation
- $5.7M
European Council On Foreign Relations · 2023
To provide general support
- $5.4M
Roma Foundation for Europe · 2023
To provide general support
- $5.2M
Amnesty International Limited · 2024
To provide general support
- $5.0M
The National Trust for Local News · Lexington, MA · 2023
To provide general support
- $5.0M
Voter Registration Project · Washington, DC · 2023
To provide general support
- $5.0M
Equis Institute · San Francisco, CA · 2022
To provide general support
- $5.0M
Hopewell Fund · Washington, DC · 2022
To support the democracy docket legal fund, which challenges suppressive voting laws and practices in court
- $4.4M
International Crisis Group (Washington Office) · Washington, DC · 2022
To provide general support
- $4.4M
Possibility Labs · San Francisco, CA · 2023
To support cllctivly, a fiscally sponsored project of the grantee, to launch the maryland black futures fund that will deploy capital to black power-building and movement-based organizations in maryland
- $4.2M
Colorofchangeorg Education Fund · Oakland, CA · 2023
To provide general support
- $4.1M
Fondation Connaissance Et Liberte · 2022
To provide general support
- $4.0M
Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2023
To support the black-led movement fund, a project of the grantee, a national donor collaborative seeking to build a new generation of racial justice advocates promoting systemic social change
- $4.0M
Bvm Capacity Building Institute · Atlanta, GA · 2023
To provide general support
- $4.0M
Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2022
To expand the efforts of the communities transforming policing fund to identify, support, and nurture promising community-based police reform campaigns
- $4.0M
Open Society Foundation for Albania · 2023
To provide general support
- $3.9M
Fondation Connaissance Et Liberte · 2023
To provide general support
- $3.8M
Institute for Human Sciences · 2024
To provide general support
- $3.5M
New America Foundation · Washington, DC · 2023
To support the grantee's new practice lab, which conducts research and analysis on family economic security and wellbeing
- $3.4M
Open Society Foundation Ggmbh · 2022
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $3.4M
Tides Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2023
To support the asia advancement fund to enhance participatory and good governance in south asia
- $3.3M
Open Society Foundation for Albania · 2024
To provide general support
- $3.3M
Neo Philanthropy · New York, NY · 2023
To support the four freedoms fund, a project of the grantee that works to protect immigrants rights and ensure immigrants full inclusion within american society and communities
- $3.2M
Redi International · 2023
To provide general support
- $3.2M
Civil Society Foundation · 2024
To provide general support
- $3.0M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023
To support the grantees fiscally sponsored program, climate emergency collaboration group, to coordinate a strong philanthropic collaboration, provide nimble strategic funding, and bring greater alignment around the key… read allTo support the grantees fiscally sponsored program, climate emergency collaboration group, to coordinate a strong philanthropic collaboration, provide nimble strategic funding, and bring greater alignment around the key outcomes of the annual conference of parties of the united nations framework convention on climate change in order to ensure a just, multilateral response to climate change that responds to the needs of the most climate vulnerable less
- $3.0M
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · Washington, DC · 2024
To provide general support
- $3.0M
Fondation Connaissance Et Liberte · 2024
To provide general support
- $3.0M
United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Cha · 2024
To provide general support
- $3.0M
University of California Berkeley Foundation · Berkeley, CA · 2023
To support an endowment for ukrainian studies at uc berkeley
- $3.0M
Common Counsel Foundation · Oakland, CA · 2022
To support the movement for black lives, a project of the grantee that creates alternative solutions to harmful institutions, policies, and practices for all black communities across the nation
- $3.0M
Ideas Innovacion Infraestructuras E Industrializ · 2024
To support research and analysis of sustainable industrial development, regional integration, and green infrastructure projects in latin america
- $3.0M
Open Society Foundation Ggmbh · 2023
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $2.9M
Stefan Batory Foundation · 2024
To support democracy and open society efforts in central and eastern europe
- $2.8M
Open Society Foundation for South Africa · 2022
To support non-lobbying program activities related to criminal justice, human rights, democracy building, public health, media freedom and access to information
- $2.8M
New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2024
To support the learning & action hub for democracy (d-hub), a fiscally-sponsored project of the grantee, to advance democratic renewal through providing educational and peer-to-peer learning opportunities
- $2.8M
Open Society Foundation Ggmbh · 2023
To support non-lobbying activities and programs promoting open, democratic societies around the world
- $2.8M
Freedom House · Washington, DC · 2023
To provide general support
- $2.7M
Nossas Cidades · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.7M
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin Ameri · 2024
To support state capacities in latin american and caribbean countries to drive productive development and regional integration, fostering a more productive, inclusive, and sustainable future that contributes to the regi… read allTo support state capacities in latin american and caribbean countries to drive productive development and regional integration, fostering a more productive, inclusive, and sustainable future that contributes to the region's economic and climate prosperity less
- $2.7M
Pef Israel Endowment Funds · New York, NY · 2022
To bolster democratic values, civic engagement, and volunteerism in the state of israel
- $2.7M
Global Witness · 2023
To provide general support
- $2.6M
Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator · 2023
To provide general support
- $2.6M
Open Society Foundation for Albania · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.5M
Trustees of Boston University · Boston, MA · 2023
To provide support to the global development policy center's global economic governance initiative
- $2.5M
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Washington, DC · 2024
To support global fund for a new economy to build new institutional infrastructure of the new economy field, including civil society, academia, and media that seek to build a global economy that is more inclusive and su… read allTo support global fund for a new economy to build new institutional infrastructure of the new economy field, including civil society, academia, and media that seek to build a global economy that is more inclusive and sustainable less
- $2.5M
Araminta Gug · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.5M
Ethiopia Education Initiatives · New York City, NY · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.5M
London School of Economics and Political Science · 2024
To support the establishment of a new multidisciplinary program on the political economy of cohesive capitalism at the london school of economics and political science
- $2.5M
Global Fund for Women · San Francisco, CA · 2023
To support the building of another world that is affirming of black women and gender expansive people by building a network of black women in philanthropy, conducting research on how black women are supported and provid… read allTo support the building of another world that is affirming of black women and gender expansive people by building a network of black women in philanthropy, conducting research on how black women are supported and providing long term funding to black women-led organizations less
- $2.5M
Way To Rise · Washington, DC · 2023
To support way to rise's valiente fund in order to build latinx civic, economic, and cultural power
- $2.5M
Howard University · Washington, DC · 2022
To support the center for journalism and democracy, housed at howard university, to train and support the next generation of black investigative journalists in order to broaden the field of journalism, build a more incl… read allTo support the center for journalism and democracy, housed at howard university, to train and support the next generation of black investigative journalists in order to broaden the field of journalism, build a more inclusive and equitable sector, and strengthen american democracy as a whole less
- $2.4M
Oxfam Mexico Ac · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.4M
Global Witness · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.4M
American University of Central Asia · 2023
To support students from central asian countries with scholarships and provide program support for auca's liberal arts activities, student mobility, and faculty and student research
- $2.4M
Global Witness · 2022
To provide general support
- $2.4M
International Media Support (Ims) · 2022
To provide general support
- $2.4M
Caps Unlock · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.4M
Institute of International Education · New York, NY · 2022
To allow the grantee to create and manage a travel and learning fund for latin american individuals and organizations to participate in convenings, exchanges, education, global learning, conducting research, and travel
- $2.3M
Bard College · Annandaleonhudson, NY · 2023
To create a robust ecosystem of academic collaboration and advance the integration of teaching, learning, and curricula across osun
- $2.3M
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group · New York, NY · 2022
To provide general support
- $2.1M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023
To support the grantees fiscally sponsored program, global center for climate mobility, to educate the public, mobilize support, and advocate in multilateral and international forum about climate-induced mobility and di… read allTo support the grantees fiscally sponsored program, global center for climate mobility, to educate the public, mobilize support, and advocate in multilateral and international forum about climate-induced mobility and displacement through promotion of the regional climate initiatives less
- $2.1M
Central European University · New York, NY · 2024
To support the establishment of the osun forum on democracy & development, a collaborative research platform structured around five thematic hubs centered on critical themes pertaining to contemporary democratic realiti… read allTo support the establishment of the osun forum on democracy & development, a collaborative research platform structured around five thematic hubs centered on critical themes pertaining to contemporary democratic realities across geographies less
- $2.1M
Tides Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2023
To support the diaspora alliance, a project of the grantee, in its efforts to promote just, equitable, and democratic societies by combating antisemitism and challenging its politicization
- $2.1M
United Nations Conference On Trade and Development · 2023
To support the grantee's educational, policy, research and analyses on debt and taxation reforms for the benefit of vulnerable communities in borrower countries in the global south
- $2.1M
Colorofchangeorg Education Fund · Oakland, CA · 2022
To provide general support
- $2.1M
Democracy Development Foundation · 2023
To provide general support
- $2.1M
El Centro De Estudios Legales Y Sociales (Cels) · 2023
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Bard College · Annandaleonhudson, NY · 2022
To provide fellowships for newly-arrived afghan professionals and scholars in north america and the uk
- $2.0M
Center for American Progress · Washington, DC · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Center for Civilians in Conflict · Washington, DC · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Institute for Economic Justice · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Instituto Cultura Comunicacao E Incidencia · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Sustainable Solutions for Africa (Ssa) · 2024
To conduct research and prepare and disseminate educational information on climate adaptation
- $2.0M
Yayasan Celios Pencerah Bangsa · 2024
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote · Washington, DC · 2023
To provide general support
- $2.0M
Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2023
To expand the efforts of the communities transforming policing fund to identify, support, and nurture promising community-based police reform campaigns
- $2.0M
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · Washington, DC · 2023
To provide general support
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- Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund19,135 grants · $6.79B
Similar purposes
- The San Francisco Foundation6,369 grants · $813.9M
- Open Society Action Fund582 grants · $498.4M
- Amalgamated Charitable Foundation4,367 grants · $577.0M
Similar grant size
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Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: 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.

