Open Society Institute
Accepts applications
Open Society Institute is a private foundation in New York, New York. In tax year 2024 it gave $156 million in 559 grants; the typical grant was $15,000 and the largest $38.0 million. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$156 million
- Number of grants559
- Typical grant$15,000
- Largest grant$38.0 million
- Assets$5.4 billion
- New grantees55%
Giving in 2024 was down from $210 million the year before.
55% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $210 million | 676 | $5.3 billion |
| 2024 | $156 million | 559 | $5.4 billion |
How to apply
| Contact | Open Society Institute Grants Dept 224 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (212) 548-0600 |
| What to submit, deadlines, restrictions | Refer to website at www.opensocietyfoundations.org |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Open Society Institute funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 27 states, the most to New York. It also paid $18.9 million in 70 grants to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 350 | $114 million |
| District of Columbia | 30 | $4.6 million |
| California | 15 | $4.5 million |
| Illinois | 6 | $3.0 million |
| Massachusetts | 8 | $528,070 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $225,000 |
| Montana | 2 | $150,309 |
| Washington | 3 | $139,750 |
| Maryland | 20 | $99,597 |
| Virginia | 2 | $37,686 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Central European University | To provide general support | $38.0 million |
| Central European University | To provide general support | $32.0 million |
| Bard College | To provide general support | $12.5 million |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc | To advance open societies and inclusive democracies in politics and governance by hosting and supporting the establishment of the women's political leadership fund, a fiscally-sponsored project of the grantee | $5.0 million |
| Media Development Investment Fund | To provide general support | $5.0 million |
| The Barack Obama Foundation | To support the foundations efforts to scale up their international programs and in particular, obama foundation leaders, scholars and fellows programs | $3.0 million |
| Bard College | To support bard college's center for civic engagement as the new administrative hub for the open society university network's operations | $2.8 million |
| Reset Tech | To support the grantees work in protecting public safety, fundamental rights and election integrity by encouraging effective enforcement of the digital services act | $2.0 million |
| Aspiration | To ensure effective enforcement of social media accountability rules during the 2024 eu elections in order to reduce and mitigate the spread of disinformation | $2.0 million |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc | To support the international fund for public interest media to seed new revenue streams for public interest media in the global south | $1.5 million |
| Institute of International Education Inc | To allow the grantee to manage a travel and learning fund for individuals and organizations to participate in convenings, exchanges, education, global learning, conducting research, and travel | $1.5 million |
| Tides Foundation | To support the asia empowerment fund for civil society groups advancing democratic governance | $1.4 million |
| International Development Economics Associates | To provide general support | $1.3 million |
| Access Now | To provide general support | $1.2 million |
| Dignity Alliance International | To provide general support | $1.0 million |
| Climate Vulnerable Forum | To provide general support | $1.0 million |
| Brac USA Inc | To support brac USA's ultra poor graduation initiative, which aims to mobilize governments globally to scale graduation and economic inclusion programs through government social protection systems | $1.0 million |
| Transparentem | To provide general support | $1.0 million |
| Global Citizen | To support global citizens programmatic work to increase development finance and improve global governance for the global south | $1.0 million |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc | To support the climate emergency collaboration group, a project of the grantee, and its work on global financial architecture reform through building an effective global ecosystem of civil society, political and technical actors working together to create momentum and political space for ambitious change aimed to reduce poverty and promote sustainability | $999,500 |
| Freedom Voices Network | To provide general support | $930,000 |
| Black Equity Organisation | To provide general support | $750,000 |
| Bard College | To provide funding for training osun faculty in best practices for liberal arts & sciences instruction | $737,059 |
| We Are Purposeful LTD | To set up a fund that resources and amplifies the critical contributions of girls and gender expansive young people working to reclaim democracy and counter authoritarianism, in and beyond the generation equality forum process | $691,250 |
| International Partnership for Human Rights (Iphr) | To provide general support | $690,000 |
| Chatham House | To support two think tank convenings on reimagining global governance and to provide programmatic support to advance the grantees work on the environment, multilateralism, the advancement of democracy, and security, peace, and responses to conflict | $600,000 |
| The Institute for Public Policy Research | To provide general support | $590,000 |
| Uplift Afghanistan Fund | To provide general support | $572,987 |
| Lapis Middle East and Africa FZ LLC | To improve access to basic education for unserved/underserved children in afghanistan, amid discriminatory education and other policies against women and girls | $557,535 |
| Balanced Economy Project | To provide general support | $500,000 |
| Frida the Young Feminist Fund | To provide general support | $500,000 |
| The One Campaign | To support the grantee's programmatic work on development policy and financing for the global south | $500,000 |
| Earthrights International Inc | To provide general support | $500,000 |
| Slycan Trust Ev | To provide general support | $450,000 |
| Escr-Net (International Network for Economic Soci | To provide general support | $450,000 |
| Global Solutions Initiative Foundation GGMBH | To provide general support | $400,000 |
| Joffe Charitable Trust Cio | To provide general support | $400,000 |
| Asia Democracy Network | To provide general support | $400,000 |
| European Network Against Racism (Enar) Aisbl | To provide general support | $400,000 |
| Odi | To support the grantees work on multilateral development bank funding for developing countries | $350,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Alexander Soros
- Maija Arbolino
- Greg Taylor
- Leonard Benardo
- Mark Malloch-Brown
- Binaifer Nowrojee
- Nicole Wilett
- Laura Silber
- Pedro Abramovay
- Sandra Breka
- Samantha Stokes-Baydur
- Catherine Livingston
- Debbie Fine
- Smita Singh
Questions people ask
Does Open Society Institute accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: Refer to website at www.opensocietyfoundations.org.
How much does Open Society Institute give?
$156 million in tax year 2024, across 559 grants, with a typical grant of $15,000.
Who runs Open Society Institute?
Its 2024 filing lists Alexander Soros (Trustee), Maija Arbolino (Treasurer/Cfo), Greg Taylor (Global Director of Ops (Former)) and Leonard Benardo (Senior Vice President) among 14 officers and trustees.
What does Open Society Institute fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, international and science and research.