Soros Economic Development Fund
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The fund works globally and prioritises climate and inclusive development, independent media, justice and human rights, access to medicines, the care economy and racial justice, so check that your work sits within one of these themes before writing.
- About 8 in 10 of its 29 grants to organisations fell between $45,000 and $650,000, and the median was $250,000, so a request in or below that band matches what it has usually given, though its largest grant of $3,000,000 shows the band is not a ceiling.
- Applications are rolling, and the website asks organisations to familiarise themselves with the fund's work and opportunities before submitting an inquiry, so start there rather than sending a cold request.
- Repeat funding made up only 3% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing, so it does not depend mainly on returning grantees.
Overview
Soros Economic Development Fund is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Soros Economic Development Fund is the impact investment arm of the Open Society Foundations. It works globally to support the Foundations’ programmatic strategies across regions and themes, using private capital for rights-respecting, justice-enhancing systemic change. It prioritises climate and inclusive development, independent media, and justice and human rights, alongside access to medicines, the care economy and racial justice. It supports businesses, funds, platforms and nonprofits across geographies and sectors. Its approach deploys debt, equity and guarantees through direct and indirect investments, including via fund managers, and draws on partners across the nonprofit, public and private sectors to strengthen investments and advance the wider mission.
Themes
- Climate and Inclusive Development
- Independent Media
- Justice and Human Rights
- Access to medicines
- Care economy
- Racial justice
Geographic Focus
Priority: Globally.
How to apply
Organisations are asked to familiarise themselves with the fund’s work and available opportunities on the website before submitting an inquiry.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 3% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 29 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 17%
- The largest single recipient received 30% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 3% of grant dollars went to organisations Soros Economic Development Fund had funded in earlier filings.
- 15% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Canada, Colombia, Belgium).
- 40% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 16 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $198k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Acumen Fund · To support clean, renewable energy access to communities in 16 least developed african countries.$3,000,0002024 tax year
- Abortion Coalition of Telemedicine · To provide malpractice insurance for shield providers enabling telehealth abortion access.$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Scroll Media · The primary goals are to diversify and deepen three existing revenue streams: membership; ground events and advertising.$270,0002024 tax year
- Free Democracy Foundation · Project support to help lay the groundwork for commercial actors to scale the mobile voting and broader voter access landscape, leveraging technology to enhance civic engagement and participation.$250,0002024 tax year
- Reimagination Lab · General support (2024-26) for the reimagination lab to develop consumer-facing digital products to expand access to reproductive healthcare.$250,0002024 tax year
- Reproductive Health Investors Alliance · General support for rhia ventures and targeted support for rhia's corporate engagement strategy.$250,0002024 tax year
- Indiegraf Media · To support an innovative saas platform that supports independent media outlets in north america.$250,0002024 tax year
- Global Steering Group for Impact Investment · To provide general support$200,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Leonard Benardo — Director
- Maija Arbolino — Director
- Nicole Stallworth — Secretary
- James Beaver — Treasurer
- Catherine Cax — Director of Investment
- Georgia Keohane — CEO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $15,187,204 | $1,625,000 | $171,335,557 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $8,470,220 | $1,911,895 | $209,698,194 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $17,152,427 | $6,490,000 | $174,941,278 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Soros Economic Development Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Applying to Soros Economic Development Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required