Proteus Fund Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $21,796,906 (2023)
Total Grants Distributed: Over $297 million since 1994
Grant Range: $5,000 - $2,000,000 (typical: $10,000 - $150,000)
Geographic Focus: United States (national)
Organization Size: $51 million philanthropic organization with 90+ staff
Number of Grants (2023): 291 awards

Contact Details

Website: www.proteusfund.org
Phone: (413) 256-0349
Email: website.info@proteusfund.org
Mailing Address: PO Box 825467, Philadelphia, PA 19182-5467
Office Locations: New York, NY and Waltham, MA (303 Wyman Street, Suite 300, Waltham, MA 02451)

Overview

Founded in 1994 in Massachusetts by Meg Gage (a pioneer in mobilizing philanthropic dollars to advance peace and security work), Proteus Fund has grown into a $51 million progressive philanthropic organization. The fund operates as an "ecosystem of donor collaboratives, fiscally sponsored projects, and donor advised funds" working to advance democracy, human rights, and social justice.

Since its founding, Proteus Fund has distributed over $297 million through more than 6,000 grants. The organization supports 25 funds and initiatives with a staff of over 90 individuals based across the United States. Proteus has earned a 4-star rating (96%) from Charity Navigator and is a signatory to Philanthropy's Promise, committing significant grantmaking dollars to underserved communities.

The fund takes a collaborative approach, partnering with foundations, advocates, and individual donors. Their work focuses on the interconnected goals of racial, gender, queer, and disability justice, and an inclusive, fully representative democracy. Under CEO Paul Di Donato's leadership since 2016, grantmaking has nearly doubled from $11-12 million to approximately $20 million annually.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Proteus operates four main donor collaborative funds plus fiscal sponsorship and donor advised funds:

1. Piper Fund

Focus: Democracy protection, money in politics reform, judicial independence, right to protest
Total Distributed: $43,258,283 (992 grants to 277 organizations)
Key Areas: Campaign finance reform, judicial integrity (first and only national donor collaborative in this area since 2012), protecting protest rights with priority on communities of color

2. RISE Together Fund (RTF)

Focus: Supporting Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities
Total Distributed: $18,962,376 (403 grants to 127 organizations)
2025 Small Grants: Up to $25,000 per grant (average $15,000), $500,000 total budget
Key Areas: Civil rights, civic engagement, community organizing, women's leadership

3. Rights, Faith & Democracy Collaborative (RFDC)

Focus: Opposing religious exemptions that undermine civil rights
Total Distributed: $4,121,625 (64 grants to 25 organizations)
Key Areas: LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive justice, racial justice at intersections with religious freedom issues
Geographic Focus: State-based work, particularly in Georgia, Minnesota, Colorado, and New Mexico

4. Solidarity Collaborative

Focus: Cross-movement solidarity for racial justice
Key Areas: Building relationships across Black, Latinx, Native, Indigenous, AAPI, Muslim, Arab, Sikh, Jewish, and South Asian communities
Status: Launched first convening in 2024-2025

Additional Services:

Fiscal Sponsorship (since 2005): Supports emerging initiatives and innovative movement leaders
Donor Advised Funds (since 1997): For philanthropists aligned with Proteus's mission

Priority Areas

Democracy and civic engagement
LGBTQ+ rights and justice
Reproductive rights and justice
Racial and gender equity
Civil liberties and human rights
Movement building and grassroots activism
Disability justice
Intersectional solidarity work

What They Don't Fund

Based on RISE Together Fund guidelines (applicable across programs):

Partisan political campaigns and electioneering
Basic or individual needs (mutual aid, bail funds, individual donations)
Direct service not tied to intentional power-building strategy
Scholarships or individual scholarly research
Generally does not fund unsolicited requests to most collaborative funds

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Paul Di Donato - President and CEO (since 2016)

Over 40 years of social justice work as activist, advocate, lobbyist, and litigator
Previously directed the Civil Marriage Collaborative, which played a critical role in winning marriage equality in the U.S.
Harvard Law School graduate

On strategy: "Of central importance to our success is the ability to master the delicate balance between crafting and executing effective long-term philanthropic strategies while remaining flexible enough to shift tactics and priorities in response to evolving circumstances on the ground."

Board of Directors

Nic Campbell (Board Chair) - Founder, Build Up Companies; 15+ years in nonprofit governance

Rick Scott (Treasurer) - Recently retired VP of Finance & Compliance at McKnight Foundation

Eric K. Ward - Executive Director, Western States Center; civil rights leader and only American recipient of the Civil Courage Prize

Desiree Flores - Executive Director, General Service Foundation; 20 years funding social justice movements

Risa Jaz Rifkind - Senior Director at Disability Lead; appointed to National Council on Disability by President Biden

Patricia Eng - Former President & CEO of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy

Tammy Dowley-Blackman - Leadership expert; founded Proteus Fund Diversity Fellowship

Maria Teresa Rojas - Philanthropy consultant; founded International Migration Initiative at Open Society Foundations

Nima Shirazi - Vice President, Spitfire Strategies; co-host of "Citations Needed" podcast

Additional board members: Tia Oros Peters, Elizabeth (Betsy) Schmidt, Everrette Thompson-François

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important: Most collaborative funds do NOT accept unsolicited proposals. However, specific funds announce open calls for proposals at designated times.

For RISE Together Fund (RTF) Small Grants:

Open application process with published guidelines
Applications accepted in cycles (e.g., Round 1: April 2 - May 2, 2025)
Maximum request: $25,000; average grant: $15,000
Contact for c4 funding: webcontact.rtaf@proteusactionleague.org

For Other Funds (Piper, RFDC, Solidarity Collaborative):

Contact program directors and officers directly for grantmaking opportunities
Program contact information available on corresponding program pages at proteusfund.org
Submit inquiries via contact form or phone: (413) 256-0349

General Inquiry:

Email: website.info@proteusfund.org
Note: "Proteus Fund does not accept or respond to unsolicited requests for funding" through general channels

Decision Timeline

Varies by program and funding cycle
RTF Small Grants: Applications reviewed in cycles, decisions communicated after each round closes

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated; contact program officers for guidance on specific funds

Application Success Factors

What Proteus Values in Grantees:

Grassroots-Led Decision Making: Proteus puts "faith in those doing the work" and removes "stilted reporting structures that halt innovation"
Strategic Risk Taking: The organization recognizes "that if grantees are too afraid to fail, they will never truly succeed"
Collaboration and Intersectionality: Applications should emphasize how initiatives "work across movements or address multiple justice issues simultaneously"
General Operating Support: RTF prioritizes "general operating grants to allow for organizational flexibility when possible"
Community-Centered Work: Priority for "state-based organizations representing communities whose rights and lives are most impacted"

Examples of Recent Grantees (2023-2024):

PROMO (Missouri) - LGBTQ+ advocacy and deep canvassing
Allied Media Projects - $167,325
Black Farmer Fund - $250,000
Voter Participation Center - $1,500,000
Grassroots International - $750,000
Movement Strategy Center - $750,000
Arab American Civic Council - $120,000
Disability Culture Lab - Communications hub for disability justice movement

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Most funds require relationship-building first - Proteus does not accept unsolicited proposals to most programs; build relationships with program officers before formal applications
Emphasize intersectionality - Proteus values work that bridges movements and addresses multiple justice issues simultaneously
Focus on state-level impact - Many programs prioritize state-based organizing and community-led coalitions rather than national advocacy alone
Watch for open calls - RTF and occasionally other funds open competitive application processes; monitor program pages and sign up for mailing lists
Align with progressive social justice mission - Proteus explicitly supports progressive causes related to democracy, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and civic engagement
Request general operating support - The fund prioritizes flexible, unrestricted funding that allows organizational flexibility
Contact program officers directly - For each fund, reach out to designated program staff to discuss alignment before formal engagement

References

Accessed December 2025