The 85 Fund primarily bankrolls conservative public-policy infrastructure, legal advocacy for religious and free‑speech claims, and free‑market think tanks and networks. A large share of its assets flows to intermediary vehicles and national conservative institutions, with additional targeted support for state policy shops and faith-based causes. The foundation’s pattern suggests strategic, influence-focused philanthropy aimed at shaping policy, law, and civic institutions rather than direct service delivery.
A $92,050,000 grant to Donors Trust in 2024 is the clearest sign of how The 85 Fund operates: it channels very large sums through intermediary vehicles as well as directly to conservative legal, policy, and advocacy institutions. The foundation’s recent awards also include $39,000,000 to Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund in 2025, showing that its giving is not limited to one intermediary but extends to other large regranting or charitable vehicles. Across the recent grants list, The 85 Fund supports organizations working on religious liberty, free speech, free-market policy, and state-level legislative influence. The Federalist Society, Becket Fund for Religious Freedom, Club for Growth Foundation, Ethics and Public Policy Center, and American Legislative Exchange Counsel each appear in the record, often with repeated support over multiple years. That pattern points to a funder that backs institutions with durable policy and legal infrastructure rather than short-term project grants. Its portfolio also reaches market-oriented research groups and advocacy organizations such as Paragon Health Institute, Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, and Manhattan Institute for Public Research Inc. The grant record suggests a strategic, institution-building approach centered on policy development, litigation, and network support.
In policy advocacy, The 85 Fund gave $2,300,000 to Federalist Society in 2023 and $1,500,000 to Club for Growth Foundation in 2025, alongside repeated support for Ethics and Public Policy Center. Those awards place legal and public-policy infrastructure at the center of the foundation’s giving. Religious-freedom work is another clear thread. The fund gave $400,000 in both 2024 and 2025 to Becket Fund For Religious Rreedom, and $925,000 in 2025 to Fidelis Center for Law and Policy. That pairing shows sustained support for organizations tied to legal advocacy on faith-related issues. The 85 Fund also backs policy research. It awarded $1,000,000 in 2025 to Paragon Health Institute and $400,000 in 2024 to Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy. A separate $450,000 grant to Manhattan Institute for Public Research Inc in 2023 extends that research-oriented pattern into broader market and civic policy work.
Typical awards are sizable: the recent-grants list shows a 25th percentile of $47,500, a median of $110,000, and a 75th percentile of $350,000. At the high end, the foundation makes very large general-support transfers, especially to intermediary organizations. The record also shows repeat giving to the same organizations across multiple years, including Donors Trust, Club for Growth Foundation, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Paragon Health Institute, American Legislative Exchange Counsel, and Becket Fund For Religious Rreedom. That repetition suggests multi-year support rather than one-off awards. The 85 Fund is classified as a Pure DAF Provider, and the grants are listed as general support to 501(c)(3) public charities and other tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.
$118.2M
$2.8M
$168.5M
$169.7M
Most grants fall between $48K and $350K, with a median of $110K.
25th Percentile
$48K
Median
$110K
75th Percentile
$350K
About 7% of grants go to recipients in VA.
Carrie Severino
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Highly concentrated and strategic: a small number of very large grants (notably a dominant transfer to Donors Trust) combined with repeated multi-year support to national conservative legal and policy organizations and state policy groups. Mix of intermediaries and direct funding, with many repeat grantees and an emphasis on influence-building rather than broad, distributed charitable grants.
Notable grantees: Donors Trust, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Federalist Society, Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
Giving is US-only in the recent-grants file, with all 116 grants going to recipients in the United States. The strongest concentration by recipient location is Virginia, the top state by grant count. Alexandria, VA appears repeatedly through Donors Trust, while Arlington, VA appears through Paragon Health Institute and American Legislative Exchange Counsel. Other recurring recipient cities include Washington, DC, New York City, and New Haven. The foundation’s Texas footprint is limited in the recent record, with 6% of grants going to recipients in Texas, including Flower Mound.
The recent grant record centers on conservative public-policy infrastructure, legal advocacy, religious-freedom organizations, and market-oriented research groups. Named recipients include Federalist Society, Becket Fund For Religious Rreedom, Club for Growth Foundation, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Paragon Health Institute, and Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Donors Trust, Club for Growth Foundation, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Paragon Health Institute, American Legislative Exchange Counsel, and Becket Fund For Religious Rreedom. That pattern points to recurring support rather than isolated awards.
The recent-grants distribution shows a 25th percentile of $47,500, a median of $110,000, and a 75th percentile of $350,000. The fund also makes much larger general-support grants to intermediary and policy institutions at the top end of the list.
Virginia is the top state by grant count. Recipients in Alexandria and Arlington account for much of that concentration, while every grant in the recent file goes to a US recipient.
The fund is classified as a Pure DAF Provider and its recent awards are listed as general support. The pattern favors institutional and infrastructure support, with large transfers to intermediary vehicles and repeated grants to policy, legal, and advocacy organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust | Alexandria, VA | $67,900,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund | New Haven, CT | $39,000,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Club for Growth Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,500,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Ethics and Public Policy Center | Washington, DC | $1,325,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Hawthorn Foundation Inc | New York City, NY | $1,100,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Paragon Health Institute | Arlington, VA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Fidelis Center for Law and Policy | Madison, WI | $925,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Maine Policy Institute | Portland, ME | $760,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Triton Research Institute | West Bridgewater, MA | $500,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| The Tikvah Fund | New York, NY | $450,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Legislative Exchange Counsel | Arlington, VA | $429,881 | 2025 | General Support |
| Becket Fund For Religious Rreedom | Washington, DC | $400,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Center for Individual Rights | Washington, DC | $350,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| National Center for Public policy | Washington, DC | $300,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Smart Approaches to Marijuana INC | Alexandria, VA | $300,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Independent Womans Forum | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Central Fund of Israel | Cedarhurst, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Library of Congress | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Eagles' Wings | Clarence, NY | $180,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Georgia Community Foundation | Peachtree Corners, GA | $110,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| The Heritage Foundation | Washington, DC | $110,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Americans for Limited Government | Fairfax, VA | $110,000 | 2025 | 501c3 Activities Only |
| Youth Leadership Foundation | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | $80,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| National Civic Art Society | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Americans for Limited Govt Research Foundation | Fairfax, VA | $70,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Legal Insurection Foundation | Warwick, RI | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Conscience Project | McClean, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy | Pasadena, CA | $45,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| The Free State Foundation | Potomac, MD | $40,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Elm Institute Inc | New Haven, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Accountability Foundation | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Juris Link | Phoenix, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Council For National Policy | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | 501c3 Activities Only |
| Family Research Council | Washington, DC | $20,300 | 2025 | General Support |
| State Policy Network | Arlington, VA | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Faith Freedom Coalition | Duluth, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | 501c3 Activities Only |
| Health Markets Policy Network | Washington, DC | $6,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Young Americans for Liberty Foundation | Austin, TX | $6,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Donors Trust | Alexandria, VA | $92,050,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Club for Growth Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,500,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Ethics and Public Policy Center | Washington, DC | $1,325,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Federalist Society | Washington, DC | $750,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Hawthorn Foundation Inc | New York City, NY | $600,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| American Legislative Exchange Counsel | Arlington, VA | $576,031 | 2024 | General Support |
| Turning Point USA | Indianapolis, IN | $515,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Center for Law and Policy | Washington, DC | $425,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy | Pasadena, CA | $400,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Independent Womans Forum | Washington, DC | $350,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Center for Equal Opportunity | Falls Church, VA | $325,000 | 2024 | General Support |
Donors Trust
$67,900,000General Support
Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund
$39,000,000General Support
Club for Growth Foundation
$1,500,000General Support
Ethics and Public Policy Center
$1,325,000General Support
Hawthorn Foundation Inc
$1,100,000General Support
Paragon Health Institute
$1,000,000General Support
Fidelis Center for Law and Policy
$925,000General Support
Maine Policy Institute
$760,000General Support
Triton Research Institute
$500,000General Support
The Tikvah Fund
$450,000General Support
American Legislative Exchange Counsel
$429,881General Support
Becket Fund For Religious Rreedom
$400,000General Support
Center for Individual Rights
$350,000General Support
National Center for Public policy
$300,000General Support
Smart Approaches to Marijuana INC
$300,000General Support
Independent Womans Forum
$250,000General Support
Central Fund of Israel
$250,000General Support
Library of Congress
$250,000General Support
Eagles' Wings
$180,000General Support
Georgia Community Foundation
$110,000General Support
The Heritage Foundation
$110,000General Support
Americans for Limited Government
$110,000501c3 Activities Only
Youth Leadership Foundation
$100,000General Support
Cornell University
$80,000General Support
National Civic Art Society
$75,000General Support
Americans for Limited Govt Research Foundation
$70,000General Support
Legal Insurection Foundation
$50,000General Support
Conscience Project
$50,000General Support
Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy
$45,000General Support
The Free State Foundation
$40,000General Support
Elm Institute Inc
$25,000General Support
American Accountability Foundation
$25,000General Support
American Juris Link
$25,000General Support
Council For National Policy
$25,000501c3 Activities Only
Family Research Council
$20,300General Support
State Policy Network
$20,000General Support
Faith Freedom Coalition
$10,000501c3 Activities Only
Health Markets Policy Network
$6,000General Support
Young Americans for Liberty Foundation
$6,000General Support
Donors Trust
$92,050,000General Support
Club for Growth Foundation
$1,500,000General Support
Ethics and Public Policy Center
$1,325,000General Support
Federalist Society
$750,000General Support
Hawthorn Foundation Inc
$600,000General Support
American Legislative Exchange Counsel
$576,031General Support
Turning Point USA
$515,000General Support
Center for Law and Policy
$425,000General Support
Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy
$400,000General Support
Independent Womans Forum
$350,000General Support
Center for Equal Opportunity
$325,000General Support