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Public Welfare Foundation Inc

Washington, District of Columbia  ·  EIN 540597601  ·  Private foundation

Based in Washington, District of Columbia, Public Welfare Foundation Inc has awarded $135.2M across 1,069 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2024. Its largest grant on record went to Highlander Research and Education Center. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.

$20.7M
Annual giving (FY2020)
$555.9M
Total assets
1,069
Grants tracked
2024
Most recent grant

What Public Welfare Foundation Inc funds

Public Welfare Foundation Inc's giving carries a documented focus on arts & culture, civil rights & social justice, community improvement, criminal justice, disability services, and related causes.

Arts & CultureCivil Rights & Social JusticeCommunity ImprovementCriminal JusticeDisability ServicesEducationEnvironment & ConservationFaith-Based (Christian)Faith-BasedHealth Care

Populations it has supported include black communities, children, disabled, families, hispanic communities, indigenous.

black communitieschildrendisabledfamilieshispanic communitiesindigenousjustice involvedwomen girls

Grant history

The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for Public Welfare Foundation Inc, by amount:

RecipientLocationGrantYear
Highlander Research and Education Center
General Support
New Market, TN$1.4M2022
Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs
General Support
Calabasas, CA$1.3M2022
Raise the Floor Alliance
General support
Chicago, IL$1.1M2020
Vera Institute of Justice Inc
Support for state-based efforts to increase access to prison-based college education
New York, NY$1.0M2018
Common Justice
General Support
Brooklyn, NY$1.0M2018
Public Justice Center
Support for the Workplace Justice Project
Baltimore, MD$900K2020
Michigan Center for Youth Justice
General Support - to strengthen organization's operating and programmatic infrastructure.
Ann Arbor, MI$900K2022
New Venture Fund
YOUTH FIRST
Washington, DC$900K2017
Campaign for Youth Justice
GENERAL SUPPORT
Washington, DC$800K2017
Voices for a Second Chance
General Support
Washington, DC$753K2022
Tides Center
THE ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE
San Francisco, CA$750K2017
Tides Center
Program support to develop and drive criminal justice efforts in target states
San Francisco, CA$750K2018
Raise the Floor Alliance
General Support
Chicago, IL$700K2018
National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
General Support and Support for policy and technical assistance on violence intervention strategies.
Oakland, CA$700K2023
New Venture Fund
SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGATION NETWORK.
Washington, DC$700K2017

Public Welfare Foundation Inc giving by year

Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:

2017$21.1M
2018$21.6M
2020$20.7M
2022$21.7M
2023$24.7M
2024$25.5M

How to apply for funding from Public Welfare Foundation Inc

From Public Welfare Foundation Inc's IRS Form 990-PF, on how it handles applications:

“LETTERS OF INQUIRY ARE EXAMINED ON A ROLLING BASIS.”

Verify the current process on the foundation's own materials before sending anything. You can review the foundation directly at publicwelfare.org.

Is Public Welfare Foundation Inc the right funder for your nonprofit?

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Frequently asked questions about Public Welfare Foundation Inc

Does Public Welfare Foundation Inc accept grant applications?
Yes — Public Welfare Foundation Inc's IRS filing describes an application process. Confirm the current details directly with the foundation before applying.
What does Public Welfare Foundation Inc fund?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc's grants focus on arts & culture. Recent recipients include Highlander Research and Education Center, Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs, Raise the Floor Alliance. Its full grant history is listed above.
How much does Public Welfare Foundation Inc give in grants?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc reported $20.7M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $135.2M over 1,069 grants.
Where is Public Welfare Foundation Inc located?
Public Welfare Foundation Inc is based in Washington, District of Columbia. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 540597601.
How can I find foundations similar to Public Welfare Foundation Inc?
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Foundations similar to Public Welfare Foundation Inc

Other District of Columbia grantmakers with overlapping priorities:

About this profile. This page is built from Public Welfare Foundation Inc's public IRS Form 990-PF and 990 filings, indexed by Bespoke Grants alongside 13M+ grants from 225,000+ U.S. foundations. Grant figures reflect filings available to date; IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag. Bespoke Grants is not affiliated with Public Welfare Foundation Inc. Always confirm current giving priorities and application procedures with the foundation directly before applying.