The Guardian of Rights Fund prioritizes defending and strengthening U.S. democratic processes, with most dollars directed to election infrastructure, electoral campaigns, and organizations that defend democratic norms. Their grants support both technical election administration (vote counting, election security, civic tech) and politically active electoral/PAC efforts, often funding groups that operate at the national or battleground-state level. They also make targeted regional democracy and civic engagement investments in the Western U.S. and occasional gifts to policy institutes and conservation groups aligned with governance priorities.
Guardian of Rights Fund’s largest recent grant was $3.5 million to Democracy Defense Project Inc for general operating support, which captures the funder’s emphasis on defending U.S. democratic processes through organizational capacity and electoral work. The fund also backed several large national organizations in the same orbit, including $1.2 million to Future Now Action for electoral purpose and $1 million to Defending Democracy Together Institute for general operating support. Across the recent grants list, the pattern is consistent: the foundation favors election infrastructure, civic integrity, and electoral vehicles that operate in national or battleground-state settings. It also funds groups working on secure election systems, voter access, and democratic norm defense, alongside regional democracy efforts in the West. The grant record includes both policy-oriented organizations and politically active entities, indicating a portfolio that spans administration, advocacy, and campaign-adjacent infrastructure. Recent awards also show repeat support for some recipients across 2024 and 2025, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts.
Election infrastructure is a core theme. The foundation gave $1.125 million to Center for Secure and Modern Elections for general operating support in 2024, then made another $250,000 general operating grant to the same organization in 2025. It also awarded $500,000 to RightCount Inc for general operating support, pointing to interest in ballot counting and election administration. In civic participation and voter access work, Guardian of Rights Fund gave $500,000 to Every Eligible American for general operating support and $50,000 to Promote the Vote for general operating support. Political and electoral vehicles are another clear area: the fund gave $500,000 to Keep Country First Policy Action Inc for electoral purpose, $350,000 to America Leads Inc for electoral purpose, and $250,000 to Resolute Republic for electoral purpose. The record also includes policy and legal-defense groups such as States United Action Inc and American Unity Fund Inc.
Typical grants cluster at a high level: the 25th percentile and median are both $250,000, while the 75th percentile is $500,000. The foundation makes both one-time and recurring awards; several recipients appear in both 2024 and 2025, including Future Now Action, Keep Country First Policy Action Inc, United to Protect Democracy, Center for Civic and Tech Life, and Center for Secure and Modern Elections. Guardian of Rights Fund is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Its recent grants also include a mix of general operating support and electoral-purpose grants.
$10.4M
$26M
$1.8M
$11.4M
Most grants fall between $250K and $500K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$250K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$500K
About 5% of grants go to recipients in DC.
LARRY ROGERS
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a small set of recurring national and battleground-focused organizations; mix of large multi-year/general operating grants and sizable electoral-purpose awards often sent to both nonprofit and independent-expenditure vehicles. The foundation repeats grants to core election-focused grantees, favors operational support over many small grants, and occasionally funds policy or regional partners to complement national efforts.
Notable grantees: Democracy Defense Project Inc, Center for Secure and Modern Elections, Future Now Action, Defending Democracy Together Institute, Center for Civic and Tech Life
Grantmaking is national, with all 28 recent grants going to U.S. recipients. The top state by grant count is Illinois, helped by awards to Chicago-based Center for Civic and Tech Life and Promote the Vote in Lansing, Michigan. Washington, DC appears frequently among recipients, alongside organizations in Virginia, Delaware, Wyoming, Florida, New York, Montana, and New Jersey. The only New Jersey recipient in the list is Democracy Defense Project Inc in Short Hills, reflecting a small share of grants to the HQ state.
The fund supports organizations working on election infrastructure, democratic norm defense, civic tech, voter access, and electoral-purpose activity. Recent grants include Center for Secure and Modern Elections, States United Action Inc, RightCount Inc, and several electoral vehicles such as Future Now Action and Keep Country First Policy Action Inc.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2024 and 2025, including Future Now Action, Keep Country First Policy Action Inc, United to Protect Democracy, Center for Civic and Tech Life, and Center for Secure and Modern Elections. That pattern points to ongoing support relationships.
The grant size distribution is centered at $250,000: the 25th percentile is $250,000, the median is $250,000, and the 75th percentile is $500,000. The recent list also includes larger awards such as $3.5 million and $1.2 million.
Its giving is national, but the top state by grant count is Illinois. Washington, DC is also a major recipient location, and the recent grants list includes recipients in Virginia, Delaware, Wyoming, Florida, New York, Montana, and New Jersey.
The record includes general operating support, general operating, and electoral purpose grants. Examples include $1.125 million to Center for Secure and Modern Elections for general operating support, $900,000 to Western Futures Fund Inc for electoral purpose, and $400,000 to States United Action Inc for general operating.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEMOCRACY DEFENSE PROJECT INC | SHORT HILLS, NJ | $5,600,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| FUTURE NOW ACTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2026 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| CENTER FOR SECURE AND MODERN ELECTIONS | WASHINGTON, DC | $750,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| NEW VENTURE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY | ARLINGTON, VA | $500,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| WESTERN FUTURES FUND INC | SHERIDAN, WY | $500,000 | 2026 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| RIGHTCOUNT INC | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $500,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| FUND FOR STATES | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2026 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| THIRD WAY | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| KEEP COUNTRY FIRST POLICY ACTION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2026 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $250,000 | 2026 | PRIMARY PURPOSE |
| Democracy Defense Project Inc | Short Hills, NJ | $3,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| Future Now Action | Washington, DC | $1,200,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| Defending Democracy Together Institute | Washington, DC | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| Western Futures Fund Inc | Sheridan, WY | $900,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| RightCount Inc | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| Keep Country First Policy Action Inc | Washington, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| States United Action Inc | Washington, DC | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| New Venture Fund | Washington, DC | $375,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| America Leads Inc | Wilmington, DE | $350,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| American Unity Fund Inc | Annandale, VA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| One for Democracy Action Fund | New York, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| Resolute Republic | Falls Church, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| Governing Majority Education Fund | Tampa, FL | $250,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| Way Back PAC | Sheridan, WY | $250,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| Center for Civic and Tech Life | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| More Perfect Union Action | Arlington, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| United to Protect Democracy | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| Conservation Leadership Network Inc | Wilmington, DE | $150,000 | 2025 | ELECTORAL PURPOSE |
| American Enterprise Institute | Washington, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CENTER FOR SECURE AND MODERN ELECTIONS | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,125,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| EVERY ELIGIBLE AMERICAN | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR CIVIC AND TECH LIFE | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| KEEP COUNTRY FIRST POLICY ACTION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| RUN FOR SOMETHING ACTION FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNITED TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FUTURE NOW ACTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| A BETTER BIG SKY | BILINGS, MT | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PROMOTE THE VOTE | LANSING, MI | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
DEMOCRACY DEFENSE PROJECT INC
$5,600,000PRIMARY PURPOSE
WESTERN FUTURES FUND INC
$500,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
RIGHTCOUNT INC
$500,000PRIMARY PURPOSE
FUND FOR STATES
$250,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
KEEP COUNTRY FIRST POLICY ACTION INC
$250,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
Democracy Defense Project Inc
$3,500,000GENERAL OPERATING
Western Futures Fund Inc
$900,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
RightCount Inc
$500,000GENERAL OPERATING
Keep Country First Policy Action Inc
$500,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
States United Action Inc
$400,000GENERAL OPERATING
America Leads Inc
$350,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
American Unity Fund Inc
$300,000GENERAL OPERATING
One for Democracy Action Fund
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING
Resolute Republic
$250,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
Governing Majority Education Fund
$250,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
Way Back PAC
$250,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
More Perfect Union Action
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING
Conservation Leadership Network Inc
$150,000ELECTORAL PURPOSE
KEEP COUNTRY FIRST POLICY ACTION INC
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT