The Sprocket Foundation concentrates its giving by making large, unrestricted grants to philanthropic intermediaries that support progressive movement-building and nonprofit capacity. Rather than funding direct service providers, it channels funding through regrantors and fiscal sponsors to seed and sustain advocacy, organizing, and collaborative initiatives. Grants are few but substantial and aimed at flexible, general operating support.
Highly concentrated: four large grants total, split between two repeat grantees; emphasis on multi-hundred-thousand-dollar unrestricted awards to intermediaries rather than many small, direct-service grants.
The Sprocket Foundation’s recent giving is defined by large, unrestricted grants to philanthropic intermediaries rather than direct-service charities. In 2024, its biggest award went to Borealis Philanthropy for unrestricted charitable support, and the same approach appears across a portfolio built to sustain advocacy, organizing, and movement infrastructure. The foundation uses its resources to back organizations that regrant, fiscally sponsor, or hold space for broader coalitions, which points to a preference for flexible capital over project-specific funding. That pattern shows up repeatedly in the recent grants list. Proteus Fund received unrestricted support in 2024 after an earlier operating grant, while Common Counsel Foundation also appears with funding in both 2023 and 2024. Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, Groundswell Fund, Tides Foundation, and The Praxis Project Inc. are among the other intermediaries in the portfolio, indicating a consistent emphasis on organizations that can channel support outward or strengthen collaborative infrastructure. The Sprocket Foundation’s giving is substantial relative to its grant count, and the recipient list suggests a deliberate focus on organizations positioned to support nonprofit resilience, advocacy capacity, and long-horizon movement work.
The Sprocket Foundation backs philanthropic intermediaries that support social-justice infrastructure. Borealis Philanthropy received $275,000 for unrestricted charitable support in 2024, while Proteus Fund received $235,000 for unrestricted charitable support in the same year. Its support for intermediary organizations also extends to fiscal sponsorship and coalition infrastructure. Common Counsel Foundation received $165,000 in 2024, and Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs received $155,000 in 2024, both as unrestricted charitable grants. Movement and advocacy capacity appear as another thread. The Praxis Project Inc. received $100,000 in 2024, and Defending Rights and Dissent received $60,000 in 2024. These grants align with a portfolio centered on nonprofit organizational support, operational sustainability, and flexible funding for advocacy-oriented work.
Typical grants cluster in a relatively high, flexible range: p25 is $40,000, median is $50,000, and p75 is $97,500. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients across 2023 and 2024, including multiple renewals with the same organizations, which suggests an ongoing relationship model rather than one-off awards. Grants are structured as unrestricted charitable grants or support for operating activities. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$2M
$20.5M
$339K
$2.4M
Most grants fall between $40K and $98K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$40K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$98K
About 12% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: Borealis Philanthropy, Proteus Fund, Progressive regranting collaboratives and fiscal sponsors (representative of the foundation's strategy)
The grant record is national, with recipients located entirely in the United States. California is the top state by grant count, and Pennsylvania accounts for 12% of grants. Recent recipient cities include Minneapolis, Amherst, Oakland, Calabasas, Brooklyn, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Roxbury, Washington, DC, Oak Park Heights, Saint Louis, and San Diego. The pattern points to a broad U.S. footprint with concentrations in several major nonprofit hubs.
The foundation funds philanthropic intermediaries, fiscal sponsors, and regrantors that support movement-building and nonprofit capacity. Recent recipients include Borealis Philanthropy, Proteus Fund, Common Counsel Foundation, Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, and Groundswell Fund.
Recent grants cluster around a median of $50,000, with p25 at $40,000 and p75 at $97,500. The recent list also includes larger awards such as $275,000 and $235,000 to intermediary organizations.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2023 and 2024, including Borealis Philanthropy, Proteus Fund, Common Counsel Foundation, Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, Groundswell Fund, Tides Foundation, The Praxis Project Inc, Bread & Roses, Trans Queer Pueblo, Families for Justice Healing, Movement Alliance Project, Mano Amiga, Amistad Law Project, and others.
The foundation gives nationally across the United States, with California as the top state by grant count. Pennsylvania receives 12% of grants, and recent recipient cities include Oakland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Minneapolis, Amherst, Phoenix, Washington, DC, and San Diego.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOREALIS PHILANTHROPY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $275,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| PROTEUS FUND | AMHERST, MA | $235,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $165,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEURS | CALABASAS, CA | $155,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| GROUNDSWELL FUND | BROOKLYN, NY | $110,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| TIDES FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| THE PRAXIS PROJECT INC | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| BREAD & ROSES | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $85,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| TRANS QUEER PUEBLO | PHOENIX, AZ | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| FAMILIES FOR JUSTICE HEALING | ROXBORY, MA | $70,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| DEFENDING RIGHTS AND DISSENT | WASHINGTON, DC | $60,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MOVEMENT ALLIANCE PROJECT | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $55,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MANO AMIGA | OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MN | $55,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| FAITH FOR JUSTICE | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $55,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| AMISTAD LAW PROJECT | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| ASTRAEA FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| ORGANIZING BLACK INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| TEXAS JAIL PROJECT | CYPRESS, TX | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MUSLIM JUSTICE LEAGUE | BOSTON, MA | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MAINE INITIATIVES | PORTLAND, ME | $35,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| RAHAM INC | DETROIT, MI | $35,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| CLEAN AIR COALITION OF WESTERN NEW YORK | BUFFALO, NY | $30,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR SAFE PLACE | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| GREATER BIRMINGHAM MINISTRIES | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| BOREALIS PHILANTHROPY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $275,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| PROTEUS FUND | AMHERST, MA | $235,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $165,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEURS | CALABASAS, CA | $155,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| GROUNDSWELL FUND | BROOKLYN, NY | $110,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| TIDES FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| THE PRAXIS PROJECT INC | OAKLAND, CA | $90,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| BREAD & ROSES | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $85,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| TRANS QUEER PUEBLO | PHOENIX, AZ | $75,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| FAMILIES FOR JUSTICE HEALING | ROXBORY, MA | $65,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| MANO AMIGA | OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MN | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| ASTRAEA FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| DEFENDING RIGHTS AND DISSENT | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| GREATER BIRMINGHAM MINISTRIES | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| MOVEMENT ALLIANCE PROJECT | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| AMISTAD LAW PROJECT | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| FAITH FOR JUSTICE | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $40,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| TEXAS JAIL PROJECT | CYPRESS, TX | $40,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| PUBLIC JUSTICE CENTER OMC | BALTIMORE, MD | $40,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| MAINE INITIATIVES | PORTLAND, ME | $35,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR SAFE PLACE | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| MUSLIM JUSTICE LEAGUE | BOSTON, MA | $30,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| RAHAM INC | DETROIT, MI | $30,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
| CLEAN AIR COALITION OF WESTERN NEW YORK | BUFFALO, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
GROUNDSWELL FUND
$110,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
TIDES FOUNDATION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
MANO AMIGA
$55,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
ORGANIZING BLACK INC
$40,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
RAHAM INC
$35,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
GROUNDSWELL FUND
$110,000TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
TIDES FOUNDATION
$100,000TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
MANO AMIGA
$50,000TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
RAHAM INC
$30,000TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
TO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES