About Way to Rise
Way to Rise is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) philanthropic fund and strategy center working toward multiracial democracy, especially where it is most undermined—in the South and Southwest. Way to Rise is exclusively focused on designing and executing data-informed programs and grantmaking that lead to breakthroughs in building a vibrant and sustainable democracy.
Focus Areas
Voter outreachCivic engagementVoting rightsLeadership developmentData & researchNarrative and media strategyMultiracial democracy
Who They Fund
nonprofit organizations / grant recipients
Funding Style
general operating / unrestricted supportcore organizational supportoverhead and administrative funding
About Way to Rise
Way to Rise uses philanthropic capital to support multiracial democracy work, with a strong emphasis on the South and Southwest and on the organizations trying new tactics there. In the recent grants list, several of the largest awards are general operating grants, including $600,000 to State Power Fund and $550,000 to Florida Rising Together, which signals a focus on core organizational capacity rather than narrowly restricted projects. The foundation also backs infrastructure groups that sit behind state and regional civic work, such as Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc., Hopewell Fund, and New Venture Fund. Its grantmaking is national in scope, but the recipient mix shows repeated support for nonprofits advancing voter outreach, civic engagement, voting rights, narrative strategy, and leadership development. The foundation’s active programs point to a deliberate strategy: rapid response grantmaking during crises, narrative coordination through media and content, and data-centered support for partners that need voter-file access, analysis, and training. Way to Rise also makes general support grants to leaders and organizations positioned to experiment with new approaches in places where democracy is most undermined.
What Way to Rise Funds
Way to Rise’s program design links civic work with communications, data, and leadership support. In narrative strategy, it gave $250,000 to First Look Institute for general operations and supports the Changing the Narrative program through research, content creation, distribution, and state-based narrative coordinators. In voter outreach, it awarded $250,000 to Rural Arizona Engagement for general operations and runs AMPLIFY, which provides localized creative assets, toolkits, newsletters, and strategic briefings to grassroots partners. Data capacity is another clear thread: the Innovations in Data program gives nonprofit partners access to voter-file data, analysis, training, and cohort support, while a $200,000 grant to Activate 48 Education Fund shows how that work appears in the grant list. Leadership support is equally explicit, with general operating grants used to back local and emerging leaders trying new tactics.
How Way to Rise Gives
Way to Rise’s recent grants cluster at a fairly high level: the typical award sits at $50,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $165,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list shows repeated support for the same recipients across 2024 and 2025, including Florida Rising Together, Hopewell Fund, Neo Philanthropy, Sustainable Markets Foundation, Teamster Rank & File Education and Legal Defense Foundation, and New Venture Fund. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The organization is a pure DAF provider and its grantmaking is largely structured as general operating or general support funding. It does accept unsolicited requests for at least one rapid-response program, while other named programs indicate more directed funding relationships.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$10.6M
Total Assets
$8.1M
Total Revenue
$13.8M
Total Expenses
$18.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $165K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$165K
Geographic Reach
National24 states funded
About 9% of grants go to recipients in NC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
EBONI SPEIGHT
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