Catalyst Research & Education Fund primarily funds legal advocacy and strategic litigation aimed at defending civil rights, expanding access to health-related care, and holding government and policing systems accountable. Much of its support takes the form of project- or fellowship-style grants to law firms, public-interest legal centers, and advocacy organizations that provide direct representation, impact litigation, or policy oversight. Grants are national in scope and emphasize organizations that combine legal expertise with movement-building or public-interest impact.
Catalyst Research & Education Fund’s recent giving is anchored by fellowship-style support for public-interest legal work, with large grants moving through intermediaries and law organizations rather than direct individual awards. The fund repeatedly backs civil rights, public health, and accountability litigation, including a $980,000 grant in 2023 and $600,000 in 2024 to North Star Fund Inc for fellowship projects, followed by $406,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. That pattern shows a funder comfortable making substantial, multi-year commitments when a legal advocacy platform is in place. The foundation also supports litigation tied to access to medication and broader civil rights enforcement. In 2025 it gave $167,672 to Kaplan & Grady LLC for charitable public health (access to medication) litigation, and $100,000 in 2023 to Justice Catalyst Law for civil rights litigation. Other recent awards support organizations working on police accountability, surveillance oversight, immigrant rights, and legal representation for marginalized communities. The result is a grantmaker centered on legal strategy, movement-adjacent infrastructure, and public-interest representation.
A major theme is public health access to medication. In 2025, Catalyst Research & Education Fund awarded $167,672 to Kaplan & Grady LLC for charitable public health (access to medication) litigation, and $95,000 to Community Education Group Inc for charitable public health (access to medication) advocacy. Civil rights litigation is another core area. The foundation gave $100,000 to Justice Catalyst Law in 2023 to support civil rights litigation, and $35,000 to Civil Rights Corp in 2025 for a charitable fellowship project. It also backs police accountability and surveillance oversight. Recent awards include $140,000 to Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Inc for a charitable fellowship project and $70,000 to The National Police Accountability Project for the same general fellowship category. Immigrant-rights-related work appears as well, including a $52,500 grant to National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild for a charitable fellowship project.
Typical grants fall at $65,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $600,000 at the 75th percentile, showing a mix of mid-sized awards and a few very large commitments. The recent record also shows repeat support to the same recipient over multiple years: North Star Fund Inc received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Gernstein Harrow LLP appears in both 2024 and 2025. Catalyst Research & Education Fund is a public charity, and the grants shown are project-based, fellowship-based, and litigation-focused rather than individual awards. No application process is stated in the data.
$1.7M
$2M
$2.3M
$2.9M
Most grants fall between $65K and $600K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$65K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$600K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated, program-focused giving: a mix of a few large commitments (notably a multi-grant, high-dollar relationship with North Star Fund) and numerous moderate-sized awards to legal clinics, specialty law firms, and advocacy groups. Many grants are labeled as fellowships or project support, indicating preference for funding staff/fellows and impact litigation rather than unrestricted general operating support.
Notable grantees: North Star Fund, Justice Catalyst Law, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, National Police Accountability Project, Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center
Catalyst Research & Education Fund gives nationally, with all recent grants in the United States. New York City is a frequent recipient location, including awards to North Star Fund Inc, Justice Catalyst Law, Legal Action Center of the City of New York Inc, National Advocates for Pregnant Women, New York Legal Assistance Group, Latinojustice Prldef, and Urban Justice Center. Other recipient hubs include Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; and San Francisco, CA. The grants also reach smaller locations such as Lost City, WV; Helena, MT; and Anchorage, AK.
The funder supports legal advocacy tied to civil rights, public health access to medication, police accountability, surveillance oversight, immigrant rights, and fellowship-style public-interest legal work. Recent grants name each of those themes directly in their purposes, including litigation, advocacy, and fellowship projects.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $65,000, a median of $100,000, and a 75th percentile of $600,000. That places many awards in the mid-five-figure to six-figure range, with some much larger fellowship commitments.
Yes. North Star Fund Inc received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, all for fellowship projects. Gernstein Harrow LLP also appears in both 2024 and 2025, which indicates recurring support to some recipients.
The top state by grant count is New York. Recent recipient cities in that state include New York City organizations such as North Star Fund Inc, Justice Catalyst Law, Legal Action Center of the City of New York Inc, and Urban Justice Center.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH STAR FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $406,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS |
| KAPLAN & GRADY LLC | CHICAGO, IL | $167,672 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PUBLIC HEALTH (ACCESS TO MEDICATION) LITIGATION |
| RODERICK AND SOLANGE MACARTHUR JUSTICE CENTER | NILES, IL | $140,660 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS |
| SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT PROJECT INC | NEW YORK, NY | $140,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS |
| COMMUNITY EDUCATION GROUP INC | LOST CITY, WV | $95,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PUBLIC HEALTH (ACCESS TO MEDICATION) ADVOCACY |
| CUNEO GILBERT & LADUCA LLP | WASHINGTON, DC | $70,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF ALASKA FOUNDATION | ANCHORAGE, AK | $70,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| LEGAL ACTION CENTER OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $70,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| THE NATIONAL POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT | KANSAS CITY, KS | $70,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| NEW YORK LEGAL ASSISTANCE GROUP | NEW YORK, NY | $70,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| NATIONAL ADVOCATES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN | NEW YORK, NY | $70,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| NATIONAL IMMIGRATION PROJECT OF THE NATIONAL LAYWERS GUILD | WASHINGTON, DC | $52,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| LEGAL AID AT WORK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $52,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| FREEDOM COMMUNITY CENTER | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $45,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| URBAN JUSTICE CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| CIVIL RIGHTS CORP | WASHINGTON, DC | $35,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| UPPER SEVEN LAW | HELENA, MT | $35,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $35,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| GERNSTEIN HARROW LLP | WASHINGTON, DC | $32,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| LAW OFFICE OF WILLIAM MOST LLC | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $8,950 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CIVIL RIGHTS REPRESENTATION |
| NORTH STAR FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $600,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS |
| EMERY CELLI BRINCKERHOFF ABADY WARD & MAAZEL LLP | NEW YORK, NY | $65,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| GERNSTEIN HARROW LLP | WASHINGTON, DC | $65,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT |
| NORTH STAR FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $980,000 | 2023 | TO FUND FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS |
| JUSTICE CATALYST LAW | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION |
KAPLAN & GRADY LLC
$167,672CHARITABLE PUBLIC HEALTH (ACCESS TO MEDICATION) LITIGATION
RODERICK AND SOLANGE MACARTHUR JUSTICE CENTER
$140,660CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS
COMMUNITY EDUCATION GROUP INC
$95,000CHARITABLE PUBLIC HEALTH (ACCESS TO MEDICATION) ADVOCACY
CUNEO GILBERT & LADUCA LLP
CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF ALASKA FOUNDATION
$70,000CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
THE NATIONAL POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
$70,000CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF
$35,000CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
GERNSTEIN HARROW LLP
$32,500CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
LAW OFFICE OF WILLIAM MOST LLC
$8,950CHARITABLE CIVIL RIGHTS REPRESENTATION
EMERY CELLI BRINCKERHOFF ABADY WARD & MAAZEL LLP
$65,000CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
GERNSTEIN HARROW LLP
$65,000CHARITABLE FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
JUSTICE CATALYST LAW
$100,000TO SUPPORT CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION