About Commonwealth Foundation
The Commonwealth Foundation Inc prioritizes progressive civic and political change-making, providing unrestricted general support to grassroots organizing groups, policy advocacy campaigns, and civic-education projects. They fund both organizations and individual creators (writers/historians/consultants) whose work advances progressive narrative-building, local political power (notably in Richmond and Pennsylvania), and civic infrastructure. Grants are often unrestricted and aimed at movement-building rather than narrow programmatic deliverables.
Focus Areas
Local progressive electoral and organizing infrastructure (e.g., Richmond Progressive Alliance)Veteran-centered progressive advocacy and policy (e.g., Common Defense)State-level education advocacy and grassroots education campaigns in Pennsylvania (PA Stands Up Education Fund)Civic commons / democratic innovation and public-facing civic research (Popular Commons Institute)Support for individual public intellectuals, writers, and historians producing progressive analysis and narrative (e.g., Alissa Romanow, Daniel Moraff, Historians for Peace and Democracy)
Giving Approach
Concentrated, unrestricted general-operating grants with several large awards to a small set of repeat grantees; a mix of organizational and individual recipients focused on political advocacy, civic infrastructure, and narrative work rather than small one-off projects.
About Commonwealth Foundation
A defining feature of Commonwealth Foundation Inc. is its repeated unrestricted support for progressive civic and political work, including a $191,070 grant to Common Defense and a $127,661 grant to Richmond Progressive Alliance. The foundation backs grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, civic-education projects, and narrative-building efforts that support local political power and public-facing democratic work. Its recent grants also show funding for individual public intellectuals and researchers, alongside organizations, through general contributions rather than tightly scoped program awards. The portfolio includes recurring support for several groups across multiple years, which points to an ongoing relationship with some recipients rather than a one-time approach. Common Defense, Richmond Progressive Alliance, PA Stands Up Education Fund, and Popular Commons Institute all appear in the recent grants list, with the foundation using flexible funding to support movement infrastructure and civic commons work. The pattern suggests a funder that favors adaptable support for organizations and individuals working in aligned progressive fields.
What Commonwealth Foundation Funds
One major cause area is veteran-centered advocacy: Commonwealth Foundation Inc gave $191,070 to Common Defense for a general contribution, showing substantial support for organizing tied to veterans and policy change. Another is local electoral and organizing infrastructure. In Richmond, the foundation granted $127,661 to Richmond Progressive Alliance and later $94,273 to the same group, both listed as general contributions. Education advocacy is also present. PA Stands Up Education Fund received $100,620 in 2023 and $49,000 in 2024, each as unrestricted support, indicating sustained backing for Pennsylvania education organizing. The foundation also funds civic and narrative work, including $54,000 to Popular Commons Institute and $18,785 to Historians for Peace and Democracy, both in New York, for general contribution purposes.
How Commonwealth Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is tightly grouped: the 25th percentile is $49,250, the median is $54,000, and the 75th percentile is $97,446. The recent list shows repeated awards to the same recipients across 2023 and 2024, including Richmond Progressive Alliance, PA Stands Up Education Fund, and Popular Commons Institute, which indicates ongoing support rather than isolated grants. The foundation gives unrestricted general contributions and does not fund individuals as a stated category, although individual creators appear in the recent grants list. No application process is described in the data.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$208K
Total Assets
$396K
Total Revenue
$966K
Total Expenses
$923K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $49K and $97K, with a median of $54K.
25th Percentile
$49K
Median
$54K
75th Percentile
$97K
Geographic Reach
National6 states funded
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
RICHARD HEALEY
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