The Nick and Leslie Hanauer Foundation concentrates its giving on public-policy influence: large, strategic grants to research organizations, policy labs, and progressive media that shape economic and democratic debate. Their support prioritizes economic policy and labor research, civic and democratic writing/analysis, and narrative/communications groups that shift public conversation, with occasional gifts to arts or international cultural partners. They favor a mix of flagship, high-dollar investments and repeat funding for a small set of aligned institutions.
Concentrated, strategic giving: a small number of relatively large grants (several six-figure gifts) and repeat grants to core policy and media grantees, rather than many small community grants. Emphasis on organizations that produce research, analysis, and public-facing narrative work to influence policy debates.
The Nick and Leslie Hanauer Foundation’s recent grantmaking is built around policy influence: large contributions to organizations shaping economic debate, labor policy, and democratic discourse. The single largest recent grant in the file is $1,000,000 to WorkMoney Inc, followed by $500,000 to The Rand Corporation and $350,000 to New Venture Fund LP, showing a willingness to back research and intermediary organizations at meaningful scale. That pattern continues in smaller repeat grants to policy and media groups that publish analysis, organize public-facing campaigns, or support advocacy infrastructure. The foundation also returns to a small set of institutions across multiple years. Democracy Journal received support in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Economic Policy Institute appears in all three years as well; and National Employment Law Project and Climate Solutions both recur. Alongside policy research, the foundation has funded narrative and cultural work, including media outlets and an arts-related grant to Royal Albert Hall America Inc. The overall picture is of a grantmaker that uses concentrated, strategic contributions to support organizations that can shape public conversation and policy debates.
Economic policy research is a clear priority. The foundation gave $65,000 to Economic Policy Institute in 2025, following $65,000 in 2024 and the same amount in 2023, and it backed American Economic Liberties Project with a $50,000 contribution in 2024. Labor and employment policy is another recurring area. National Employment Law Project received $50,000 in 2023, $40,000 in 2024, and $25,000 in 2025, indicating a repeated relationship rather than a one-time gift. WorkMoney Inc also received $1,000,000 in 2023. The foundation supports public-facing political writing and analysis as well. Democracy Journal received $85,000 in 2023, $85,000 in 2024, and $115,000 in 2025. Media Matters for America received $150,000 in 2025, and The American Prospect Inc received $25,000 in 2025 and $25,000 in 2024.
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range: p25 is $25,000, median is $40,000, and p75 is $50,000. The recent record also includes a few much larger commitments, which lifts the average above the median. Giving appears to be both recurring and selective: several recipients appear in multiple years, including Democracy Journal, Economic Policy Institute, National Employment Law Project, Washington Progress Fund, and Climate Solutions. The foundation is a private family foundation with no individuals funded and no program-related investments reported. Grants in the provided record are contribution-style awards.
$570K
$10.6M
$1.5M
$741K
Most grants fall between $25K and $50K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Notable grantees: WorkMoney Inc, The RAND Corporation, Economic Policy Institute, Democracy Journal, Media Matters for America
Giving is national, but it lands heavily in Washington state, where 45% of grants go and where several Seattle-based recipients appear. Other frequent recipient locations include Washington, DC; New York, NY; and Santa Monica, CA. The recent-grants record shows a strong concentration in U.S. grantees overall: 39 grants, or 100%, went to recipients in the United States. Recipient cities in the file include Seattle, Milwaukee, Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Dorchester.
The foundation backs organizations working on economic policy research, labor and employment policy, democratic thought leadership, progressive media, and public-interest research that informs policy debates. Recent grantees include policy organizations, journals, media groups, and research institutions.
Typical grants are in the mid-five-figure range. The provided distribution shows a p25 of $25,000, a median of $40,000, and a p75 of $50,000.
Yes. The record shows repeated support to several organizations across multiple years, including Democracy Journal in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Economic Policy Institute in the same three years; and National Employment Law Project and Climate Solutions in more than one year.
Washington state receives the largest share of grants at 45%. The recipient city list in the recent grants includes Seattle alongside other U.S. cities such as Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Milwaukee, and Dorchester.
The recent-grants data shows U.S.-only giving in the sample provided: 39 grants, or 100%, went to recipients in the United States. The geographic scope of giving is national.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media Matters for America | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Democracy Journal | WASHINGTON, DC | $115,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Royal Albert Hall America Inc | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $65,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| WASHINGTON STATE BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CLIMATE SOLUTIONS | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Capital and Main | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| National Employment Law Project | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| The American Prospect Inc | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | $14,879 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Democracy Journal | WASHINGTON, DC | $85,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $65,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| American Economic Liberties Project | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Washington Progress Fund | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| National Employment Law Project | SEATTLE, WA | $40,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Royal Albert Hall America Inc | New York, NY | $30,047 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| WASHINGTON STATE BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CLIMATE SOLUTIONS | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| American Compass Inc | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| The American Prospect Inc | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Working Washington | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Codeorg | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| WorkMoney Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $1,000,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| The Rand Corporation | Santa Monica, CA | $500,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| New Venture Fund LP | Washington DC, MD | $350,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Democracy Journal | WASHINGTON, DC | $85,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $65,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Roosevelt Forward Inc | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Children In Conflict | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| National Employment Law Project | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Center for American Progress | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Washington Progress Fund | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| WASHINGTON STATE BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Harvard College RSO Account | Dorchester, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CLIMATE SOLUTIONS | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Civic Education Fund | Calabasas, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Working Washington | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Plymouth Housing Group | Seattle, WA | $5,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Washington Bus Education Fund | Seattle, WA | $1,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
Royal Albert Hall America Inc
$100,000CONTRIBUTION
CONTRIBUTION
National Employment Law Project
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
$14,879CONTRIBUTION
National Employment Law Project
$40,000CONTRIBUTION
Royal Albert Hall America Inc
$30,047CONTRIBUTION
Working Washington
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
WorkMoney Inc
$1,000,000CONTRIBUTION
The Rand Corporation
$500,000CONTRIBUTION
Roosevelt Forward Inc
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
National Employment Law Project
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
Harvard College RSO Account
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
Civic Education Fund
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
Working Washington
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
Plymouth Housing Group
$5,000CONTRIBUTION