People's Action Institute

About People's Action Institute

People’s Action Institute’s recent grantmaking is built around affiliate state programs, with large awards flowing to state-based organizing groups that move public education, training, policy advocacy, campaigns, and direct action. The pattern is visible in 2025 awards such as $853,518 to Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund in Milwaukee and $700,000 to Pennsylvania United in Pittsburgh, both labeled affiliate state programs support. That same support model appears across a broad network of state affiliates and allied nonprofit programs, including We Are Down Home NC, Hoosier Action Resource Center, and Voice of Community Activists & Leaders Inc (vocal-ny). The foundation’s stated work centers on community organizing, training, public education, policy advocacy, campaigns, and direct action in service of racial, economic, and gender justice. Its giving is national in scope, but the grants consistently point to state-level capacity and affiliate infrastructure rather than one-off project work. Across the recent list, the funded organizations are concentrated in programs that help local and state groups sustain organizing operations, staff, and administrative capacity for affiliate networks.

What People's Action Institute Funds

A central theme in the foundation’s portfolio is state affiliate infrastructure. It gave $335,000 to Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement in Des Moines and $301,250 to Rights & Democracy Education Fund in Burlington for affiliate state programs support, showing sustained backing for state-level organizing capacity. Another recurring area is support for broader affiliate networks and state program operations. Grants of $304,250 to Michigan Organizing Project Dba Michigan United in Detroit and $240,000 to Progressive Maryland Education Fund in Largo fit that pattern, as do awards to organizations that operate in multiple states through affiliated structures. The foundation also funds community organizing groups working through direct-action and public-education models. Examples include $270,000 to Maine People's Resource Center in Portland and $262,500 to Hometown Organizing Project in Montevallo, both for affiliate state programs support. These grants align with its focus on organizing, training, and policy advocacy at the state level.

How People's Action Institute Gives