The Albert and Janice Meister Family Fund concentrates on progressive civic and social change work — funding advocacy, legal defense of civil liberties, and policy-oriented efforts alongside support for reproductive health access and climate advocacy. They make relatively large, targeted grants (often repeated) to national advocacy organizations, a major research university, and mission-driven journalism serving underserved communities. Their giving mixes direct service (helping people access abortion care) with systems-change investments (gun-violence prevention, climate policy, constitutional rights).
A defining feature of the Albert and Janice Meister Family Foundat is its repeated support for civil liberties, reproductive access, and climate advocacy through targeted grants to established national and California-based organizations. In 2023 and 2024, the foundation backed Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence with $160,000 and $100,000 for gun-violence prevention work, while also supporting the Roger Baldwin Foundation with $100,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025 for constitutional liberties. The same pattern appears in reproductive-health funding: Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project received $110,000 in 2023 and $80,000 in 2024 to help women pay for safe, legal abortions or emergency contraception. Climate Emergency Fund also received $110,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2025 for climate awareness and sustainable energy advocacy. Alongside advocacy, the foundation funds civic journalism, legal defense, and university-based research, including support for Cityside Journalism Initiative, the University of Chicago, and Freedom to Read Foundation. The grants suggest a funder that favors focused, multi-year commitments over broad dispersal, with support that often connects direct assistance to longer-term policy or public-interest work.
In reproductive health, the foundation gave $110,000 in 2023 and $80,000 in 2024 to Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project to help women who cannot pay for safe, legal abortions or emergency contraception. For climate work, it awarded Climate Emergency Fund $110,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2025 to support climate-change awareness and advocacy for sustainable energy. Civil liberties also appears as a recurring theme: the Roger Baldwin Foundation received $100,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025 for protecting liberties guaranteed by the US Constitution. The foundation has also supported nonprofit journalism, including $150,000 in 2025 to Cityside Journalism Initiative to deliver high-quality journalism to underserved communities.
Typical grant size clusters around $33,500 at the 25th percentile, a median of $50,000, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeat grants to the same organizations across multiple years, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. It is a regular funder, not a program-related-investment maker, and the data shows it also funds individuals. The 990 data and recent grants point to a mix of general operating support, designated support, and project-specific grants, with the largest awards concentrated in the six-figure range.
$846K
$20.1M
$2M
$944K
Most grants fall between $34K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$34K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants with repeat funding to a small set of national and local organizations; mixes programmatic/direct-service support with policy/advocacy and institutional general operating support rather than many small, one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Climate Emergency Fund, Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, Cityside Journalism Initiative, University of Chicago
The foundation gives nationally, but its recent grants are entirely to US recipients. California appears most often among recipient locations, including Berkeley, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Oakland, and San Francisco-area vehicles. New York is another frequent landing spot, with grants to New York City organizations and New Orleans appearing as an additional US city in the record. Chicago-based recipients also show up repeatedly, including institutions and advocacy groups in Chicago and Evanston.
Its recent grants emphasize civil liberties, reproductive health access, gun violence prevention, climate advocacy, nonprofit journalism, and related public-interest work. The record also includes support for university-based research, arts programming, and a youth dance program.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, Climate Emergency Fund, Roger Baldwin Foundation, Cityside Journalism Initiative, Flight Path Dance Foundation, and The University of Chicago.
The typical grant size is $33,500 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger six-figure grants, such as $265,000 and $260,000.
The foundation gives nationally, and 38% of its grants go to recipients in California. The recent record also shows recipients in New York, Illinois, Washington, DC, and Louisiana.
The purposes include general operating expenses, designated fund support, and project-specific support such as fighting gun violence, protecting constitutional liberties, supporting journalism for underserved communities, and funding arts and health-related programs.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITYSIDE JOUNRALISM INTIATIVE | BERKELEY, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY JOURNALISM TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES |
| CLIMATE EMERGENCY FUND | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY |
| WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ASSISTANCE PROJECT | SANTA MONICA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR SAFE, LEGAL ABORTIONS OR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION |
| FLIGHT PATH DANCE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $80,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT TUITION-FREE YOUTH DANCE COMPANY AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR NYC DANCERS AGES 14-18 |
| FREEDOM TO READ FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OF THE PRESS |
| COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISM | NEW YORK, NY | $60,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT PRESS FREEDOM AND KEEPING JOURNALISTS SAFE |
| ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PROTECTING THE LIBERTIES GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION |
| 4PT0 SCHOOLS | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CREATE ART PORTFOLIOS |
| EAST BAY SPCA | OAKLAND, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT MEDICAL CARE FOR ANIMALS BEING TAKEN IN |
| ELECTRONIC FRONTEIR FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT DEFENSE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES IN THE DIGITAL WORLD |
| CITY REPORT | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT NONPROFIT PUBLIC JOURNALISM |
| FREEDOM OF THE PRESS FOUNDATION | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FREEDOM OF THE PRESS |
| BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT NONPROFIT PUBLIC JOURNALISM |
| KEEP OAKLAND BEAUTIFUL | OAKLAND, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT LITTER CLEAN-UP EVENT IN OAKLAND AND PROMOTION OF SAFE, INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SPACES |
| CREATIVE COMMONS CORPORATION | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT A THRIVING COMMONS OF SHARED KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE |
| GIFFORDS LAW CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE |
| ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROTECTING THE LIBERTIES GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION |
| PHILANTHROPIC VENTURES FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $80,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT DESIGNATED FUND FOR OAKSTOP EFFECT PROGRAM |
| WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ASSISTANCE PROJECT | SANTA MONICA, CA | $80,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR SAFE, LEGAL ABORTIONS OR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION |
| FLIGHT PATH DANCE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $80,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT TUITION-FREE YOUTH DANCE COMPANY AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR NYC DANCERS AGES 14-18 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY THEORY |
| CITYSIDE JOUNRALISM INTIATIVE | BERKELEY, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY JOURNALISM TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES |
| THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ARTS PROGRAMMING |
| NOTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT NEPHROLOGY RESEARCH |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT EMPOWERING PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO COLLECT AND DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE UNDER FREE LICENSE |
| FREEDOM TO READ FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $40,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OF THE PRESS |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SANTA CRUZ | APTOS, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PHILANTHROPIES |
| CLIMATE EMERGENCY FUND | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY |
| UBS DONOR ADVISED FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $265,000 | 2023 | DONOR ADVISED FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $260,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES |
| GIFFORDS LAW CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $160,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE |
| WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ASSISTANCE PROJECT | SANTA MONICA, CA | $110,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR SAFE, LEGAL ABORTIONS OR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION |
| CLIMATE EMERGENCY FUND | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $110,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY |
| PHILANTHROPIC VENTURES FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT DESIGNATED FUND FOR OAKSTOP EFFECT PROGRAM |
| THE ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION OF ACLU OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY THEORY |
| FLIGHT PATH DANCE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT TUITION-FREE YOUTH DANCE COMPANY AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR NYC DANCERS AGES 14-18 |
| THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ARTS PROGRAMMING |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $33,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROVISIONING OF MEALS IN RESPONSE TO HUMANITARIAN, CLIMATE, AND COMMUNITY CRISES |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $33,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HUMANITARIAN CRISES TO RECOVER AND REBUILD THEIR LIVES |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $33,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROVISIONING OF FOOD, WATER AND HEALTHCARE AROUND THE GLOBE |
| BRADY CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE |
CITYSIDE JOUNRALISM INTIATIVE
$150,000SUPPORT DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY JOURNALISM TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
SUPPORT AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR SAFE, LEGAL ABORTIONS OR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
FLIGHT PATH DANCE FOUNDATION
$80,000SUPPORT TUITION-FREE YOUTH DANCE COMPANY AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR NYC DANCERS AGES 14-18
FREEDOM TO READ FOUNDATION
$75,000SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OF THE PRESS
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISM
$60,500SUPPORT PRESS FREEDOM AND KEEPING JOURNALISTS SAFE
ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION
$50,000SUPPORT PROTECTING THE LIBERTIES GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION
4PT0 SCHOOLS
$50,000SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CREATE ART PORTFOLIOS
ELECTRONIC FRONTEIR FOUNDATION
$35,000SUPPORT DEFENSE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES IN THE DIGITAL WORLD
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
$25,000SUPPORT NONPROFIT PUBLIC JOURNALISM
KEEP OAKLAND BEAUTIFUL
$25,000SUPPORT LITTER CLEAN-UP EVENT IN OAKLAND AND PROMOTION OF SAFE, INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SPACES
SUPPORT A THRIVING COMMONS OF SHARED KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE
SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE
ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION
$100,000SUPPORT PROTECTING THE LIBERTIES GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION
SUPPORT DESIGNATED FUND FOR OAKSTOP EFFECT PROGRAM
SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR SAFE, LEGAL ABORTIONS OR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
FLIGHT PATH DANCE FOUNDATION
$80,000SUPPORT TUITION-FREE YOUTH DANCE COMPANY AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR NYC DANCERS AGES 14-18
CITYSIDE JOUNRALISM INTIATIVE
$50,000SUPPORT DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY JOURNALISM TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
$50,000SUPPORT ARTS PROGRAMMING
NOTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
$50,000SUPPORT NEPHROLOGY RESEARCH
SUPPORT EMPOWERING PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO COLLECT AND DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE UNDER FREE LICENSE
FREEDOM TO READ FOUNDATION
$40,000SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OF THE PRESS
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SANTA CRUZ
$25,000SUPPORT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PHILANTHROPIES
CLIMATE EMERGENCY FUND
$25,000SUPPORT AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
UBS DONOR ADVISED FUND
$265,000DONOR ADVISED FUND
SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE
SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR SAFE, LEGAL ABORTIONS OR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
SUPPORT AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
SUPPORT DESIGNATED FUND FOR OAKSTOP EFFECT PROGRAM
FLIGHT PATH DANCE FOUNDATION
$50,000SUPPORT TUITION-FREE YOUTH DANCE COMPANY AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR NYC DANCERS AGES 14-18
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
$50,000SUPPORT ARTS PROGRAMMING
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
$33,000SUPPORT PROVISIONING OF MEALS IN RESPONSE TO HUMANITARIAN, CLIMATE, AND COMMUNITY CRISES
SUPPORT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HUMANITARIAN CRISES TO RECOVER AND REBUILD THEIR LIVES
SUPPORT PROVISIONING OF FOOD, WATER AND HEALTHCARE AROUND THE GLOBE
SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE