The foundation concentrates the bulk of its funding on a single, mission-aligned organization (DEMOCRACY MATTERS) that appears to run civic education and advocacy programs, while also making a series of smaller, targeted grants for emergency refugee relief and complementary education initiatives. Its activity mixes long‑term investment in a core democracy/civic-engagement effort with shorter-term, crisis-responsive support for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees delivered through a variety of service providers and contractors.
Democracy Matters Foundation places an unusually large share of its giving behind one core democracy organization: a $31,380,000 grant to Democracy Matters in 2025 for educational and lobbying activities. That grant dwarfs the rest of the recent record and shows that the foundation can make very large, mission-aligned awards alongside a narrower set of smaller program grants. In the same recent period, it backed Onyx Impact with $1,867,250 for an education program and Facts First USA with $535,000 for an educational program, pointing to a strong interest in civic education and public-facing information work. The foundation also appears in humanitarian and refugee-response funding, especially around Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. Some of that support is routed through service providers and contractors rather than direct individual aid, with recipients such as American Rescue Project and Alliance for Open Society International appearing in the recent grant list. The pattern suggests a funder that combines a dominant anchor grant with targeted, project-based support for emergency relocation, rescue, and resettlement work.
In democracy and civic education, the foundation gave $535,000 to Facts First USA for an educational program, and $1,867,250 to Onyx Impact for an education program. Those grants sit alongside a much larger commitment to educational and lobbying activities through its core democracy partner. Its refugee-related work splits across Afghan and Ukrainian support. American Rescue Project received $365,000 for the Afghan Rescue Project after a $1,021,204 grant in 2023 for a Ukrainian project. Other refugee grants include $560,000 to Alliance for Open Society International for Afghan refugees and $186,084 to Drone Nerds Inc for Ukrainian refugees. The foundation also made a $400,000 general support grant to Choose Chicago Foundation, showing that its portfolio is not limited to one issue area. Across these grants, education, advocacy, emergency relief, and resettlement-related work are the clearest threads.
Recent grants are highly skewed. The typical award sits at $20,440 at the 25th percentile, $80,424 at the median, and $541,250 at the 75th percentile, reflecting a mix of many smaller awards and a few very large ones. The foundation’s 2025 filing year and recent grants show repeated support to some organizations across years, including Democracy Matters and American Rescue Project. It appears to operate as a grantmaking foundation rather than one that funds individuals, and it makes no program-related investments. The portfolio includes both general support and project-specific grants, with some awards labeled for educational, lobbying, rescue, or refugee-support purposes.
$33.6M
$2.2M
$35.6M
$34.7M
Most grants fall between $20K and $541K, with a median of $80K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$80K
75th Percentile
$541K
BRADLEY BEYCHOK
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Highly concentrated: one dominant, multi‑million dollar core grantee receives the majority of funds, while the remainder is dispersed as numerous small-to-medium emergency or program-specific grants (many to LLCs and contractors). Mix of a few repeat grantees and many one-off or consultant-style awards for crisis response.
Notable grantees: DEMOCRACY MATTERS, ONYX IMPACT, AMERICAN RESCUE PROJECT, ALLIANCE FOR OPEN SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL, FACTS FIRST USA
Grant recipients are entirely U.S.-based in the recent sample, with 20 grants going to U.S. organizations. Washington, DC is the top state by grant count, and 25% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Beyond DC, grants land in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and other U.S. cities, including Dania, Lafayette, and Fairfax Station. The geography suggests a national reach with a notable concentration in the capital region.
Its recent grants center on educational and lobbying activities tied to democracy work, along with civic education and public affairs programs. A second major thread is humanitarian support for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, including rescue, resettlement, and emergency-relief-related projects.
Yes. Democracy Matters appears as a major repeated recipient, and American Rescue Project also appears more than once in the recent grants list. That suggests the foundation makes both anchor grants and follow-on project support.
The distribution is wide, with a 25th percentile grant of $20,440, a median of $80,424, and a 75th percentile of $541,250. That pattern shows many smaller grants alongside a smaller number of very large awards.
Washington, DC is the top state by grant count, and 25% of grants go to recipients in DC. The recent recipient list also includes organizations in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Dania, Lafayette, and Fairfax Station, showing a national spread.
The foundation does not fund individuals. Its recent record shows grants to organizations such as nonprofits, LLCs, and other entities, with support directed to programs, rescue projects, and general organizational purposes.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEMOCRACY MATTERS | WASHINGTON, DC | $31,380,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL AND LOBBYING ACTIVITIES |
| ONYX IMPACT | ATLANTA, GA | $1,867,250 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| CHOOSE CHICAGO FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FACTS FIRST USA | WASHINGTON, DC | $535,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM |
| AMERICAN RESCUE PROJECT | WASHINGTON, DC | $365,000 | 2024 | AFGHAN RESCUE PROJECT |
| AB FOUNDATION BRIDGETOGETHER LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,282,500 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES |
| AMERICAN RESCUE PROJECT | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,021,204 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR UKRAIN PROJECT |
| ALLIANCE FOR OPEN SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $560,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| DRONE NERDS INC | DANIA, FL | $186,084 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES |
| NOBIS GROUP INC | NEW YORK, NY | $88,920 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| WOODEN HORSE STRATEGIES LLC | WINDSOR, MO | $71,928 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| NATIONAL ABLE NETWORK INC | CHICAGO, IL | $60,405 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| KHAZAELI WYRSCH LLC | ST LOUIS, MO | $56,600 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| TEAM THEMIS | CHICAGO, IL | $37,552 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| EVAC INC | LAFAYETTE, CO | $20,770 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $19,450 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| MOUFLARD FAMILY FOUNDATION LIMITED | DALLAS, TX | $18,405 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| 2728 PICTURES | HERMOSA BEACH, CA | $17,099 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
| NORTH AMERICAN RESCUE HOLDINGS LLC | GREER, SC | $11,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES |
| LUSIDITY | FAIRFAX STATION, VA | $6,030 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES |
DEMOCRACY MATTERS
$31,380,000EDUCATIONAL AND LOBBYING ACTIVITIES
ONYX IMPACT
$1,867,250EDUCATION PROGRAM
CHOOSE CHICAGO FOUNDATION
$400,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FACTS FIRST USA
$535,000EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
AB FOUNDATION BRIDGETOGETHER LLC
$2,282,500EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
DRONE NERDS INC
$186,084SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES
NOBIS GROUP INC
$88,920SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
WOODEN HORSE STRATEGIES LLC
$71,928SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
KHAZAELI WYRSCH LLC
$56,600SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
TEAM THEMIS
$37,552SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
EVAC INC
$20,770SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
MOUFLARD FAMILY FOUNDATION LIMITED
$18,405SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
2728 PICTURES
$17,099SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
NORTH AMERICAN RESCUE HOLDINGS LLC
$11,000SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES
LUSIDITY
$6,030SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES