About Ashoka
We pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship and are building toward an "Everyone A Changemaker" world where all people have the confidence, access and support to co-lead solutions for the common good.
Focus Areas
social entrepreneurshipyouth leadership / young changemakerseducationhealthsystems changeresponsible AI / technology for social goodcorporate engagement
Who They Fund
social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows)youth and young changemakersbroader societal stakeholders / citizens enabled as changemakers
Funding Style
systems change
About Ashoka
Ashoka’s largest recent grant went to Youth Venture Inc for developing youth, a signal that young changemakers remain central to its work. The foundation’s public profile is built around social entrepreneurship and systems change, with a stated aim of moving toward an "Everyone A Changemaker" world. That shows up in both its fellowship model and its youth-focused programs, which are designed to build leadership, agency, and networks for people advancing solutions in their communities. The foundation also backs convenings and accelerators that connect social entrepreneurs across regions. Its fellowship platform supports leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, while programmatic support reaches executive leaders, youth participants, and organizations working on migration, healthy longevity, and social inclusion. Recent grants show a mix of very large program support and smaller awards, suggesting a structure that combines anchor funding with targeted, program-specific grants. Across the record on file, the grants are national in scope and concentrated in the United States, with Virginia appearing frequently among recipient locations.
What Ashoka Funds
In youth leadership, Ashoka supported Youth Venture Inc with $2,108,294 for developing youth, reflecting a major investment in young changemakers. The foundation also funds convenings for this age group through Generation Changemaker, a program built around peer exchange, network-building, and civic engagement for youth participants. On housing and community development, Ashoka made $17,500 grants to Enterprise Community Partners Inc and Greater Milwaukee Committee for Community Development. It also supported housing- and tenant-related groups such as Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance with $7,500 and Family Housing Fund with $10,000. Migration and inclusion appear in programs like Fundusz Tutaj, which provides $7,500 pilot grants for boys and young men with migration experience in Poland, and in the Here Fund, which supports NGOs strengthening resilience among people with refugee and migrant experiences.
How Ashoka Gives
Ashoka’s typical grant size sits at $7,500 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $16,032 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes one very large grant, with most other awards clustered in the five-figure and low four-figure range. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Its grantmaking pattern mixes broad, recurring institutional support with program-specific awards tied to fellows, youth initiatives, and pilot funds. The 2025 and 2023 entries on file show continued activity over multiple years.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.1M
Total Assets
$96.8M
Total Revenue
$42.1M
Total Expenses
$48.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $16K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$16K
Geographic Reach
National13 states funded
About 6% of grants go to recipients in IL.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
WILLIAM DRAYTON
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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