American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
ActiveEmployment
About American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
Advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services, and prosperity and opportunity for all working families.
Focus Areas
labor rights and unionspublic serviceshealth careretirement securityeducation and trainingscholarshipspolitical advocacy
Who They Fund
working familiesunion members and labor organizerspublic sector employeeslow- and middle-income workersstudents from working-class backgrounds
Funding Style
About American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees has used its recent grantmaking to move large sums into political and civic work tied to labor, public services, and working families. The biggest grant in the latest list is $4,000,000 to For Our Future Action Fund, followed by $2,200,000 to For Our Future and $1,750,000 to For Our Future Action Fund in earlier years, showing a repeated relationship with that network. The foundation also supported America Votes with multiple awards, including $900,000 in 2025 and $375,000 in both 2023 and 2024, alongside six-figure grants to Working America, Strategic Victory Fund, and other advocacy organizations. Beyond those larger commitments, the pattern includes support for state and local groups such as A Better Wisconsin Together, ProgressNow, and Development Now For Chicago. The foundation’s stated focus areas include labor rights and unions, public services, health care, retirement security, education and training, scholarships, and political advocacy. Its portfolio also includes scholarship and internship programs for AFSCME members and their families, indicating that its funding extends from policy and advocacy to direct educational support.
What American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Funds
In labor and civic advocacy, the foundation gave $4,000,000 to For Our Future Action Fund and $900,000 to America Votes, both in Washington, DC, reflecting support for organizations engaged in public-facing political work. It also awarded $550,000 to Development Now For Chicago in Chicago, IL, and $400,000 to ProgressNow in Lansing, MI, showing attention to state-level organizing. Education and member advancement appear through several active scholarship and internship programs. AFSCME Family Scholarship offers renewable $2,000 awards to graduating high school seniors who are family members of full dues-paying AFSCME members. Union Plus Scholarship, also for the United States, awards $500 to $4,000 to students of working families, including AFSCME members and their families. Union Scholars provides a paid summer internship for students interested in social justice and workers’ rights.
How American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Gives
Typical grant size sits at $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $89,750 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grant list also shows a separate tier of large awards in the hundreds of thousands and millions. The foundation is a Regular Funder and a DAF classification is listed as Regular Funder. The recent record suggests repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including America Votes, ProgressNow, Strategic Victory Fund, and AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer. Several active scholarship programs accept unsolicited applications, while affiliate scholarship programs and the Jerry Wurf Memorial Fund are not described as accepting unsolicited requests.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$14M
Total Assets
$393.5M
Total Revenue
$190.3M
Total Expenses
$169.2M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $90K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$90K
Geographic Reach
National30 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
LEE SAUNDERS
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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