Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal.
- Instead, it should look for a route to an existing contact and approach the foundation only if invited.
- If your work fits its stated areas (decentralised technology, education, human rights, cultural preservation, government data and policy, or science and the environment), make that link clear in any contact, since no geographic focus is stated.
- Most of its grants are large: about 8 in 10 of its 11 grants to organisations fall between $600,000 and $2,000,000, with a median of about $1,550,000, and the largest was about $2,100,000, so a modest request is unlikely to match its usual size.
- All of its grant dollars to organisations in the filing went to groups it had also funded in the previous filing, which suggests a relationship-led process in which new applicants are rare.
Overview
Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web is a US private foundation based in Middletown, DE.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
FFDW is committed to preserving humanity’s most important information and supporting the development and adoption of decentralized technologies. It supports open-source software and protocols that safeguard critical data from centralized control and single points of failure, and initiatives advancing decentralized technologies, including infrastructure, tools and applications. Its stated areas of work include decentralized-web research and development; education about blockchain, cryptocurrency and other decentralized technologies; human-rights information; cultural preservation; government datasets and policy; and science and the environment. It works through education, innovation and research, and community building, collaborating with developers, researchers, nonprofit organisations and others to build decentralized infrastructure and highlight use cases. FFDW evaluates projects for their commitment to decentralized and open-source principles and works hand-in-hand with funded projects.
Themes
- Decentralized technology R&D
- Education
- Human rights
- Cultural preservation
- Government data and policy
- Science and environment
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Massachusetts and New York.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 11 grants to organisations were about $1,550,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- FFDW evaluates projects based on their commitment to decentralized and open-source principles.
- FFDW works hand-in-hand with funded projects to drive meaningful change.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 26% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Freedom of the Press Foundation · Operating$2,112,1442023 tax year
- Electronic Frontier Foundation · Operating$2,000,0002023 tax year
- Harvard Office for Sponsored Programs · Operating$1,559,0552023 tax year
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Learning · Operating$1,000,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Sheila Warren — Director
- Kristin Smith — Director
- Rainey Reitman — Director
- Clara Tsao — Vice President
- Megan Klimen — Vice President
- Brian Behlendorf — Director
- Marta Belcher — Director / President / Secretary / Treasury
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $20,914,563 | $8,579,186 | $12,281,120 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $13,693,740 | $6,671,199 | $16,423,688 | Filing for 2023 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- impact@ffdweb.org
- Middletown, DE
- ffdweb.org
Applying to Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- impact@ffdweb.org
- Middletown, DE
- ffdweb.org