The Edmund Pettus Bridge over the Alabama River in Selma

Grant recipient EIN 86-1596460Civil rights

Who funds Defending Education?

24 private foundations gave Defending Education in Arlington, VA $3.5 million across 52 grants, in tax years 2021 to 2025.

Grants listed on funders’ 990-PF returns for tax years 2021 to 2025, read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

Grants received by year

Grants from private foundations by the funder’s tax year. The latest year is in blue; it is not complete until all its returns reach the IRS.

Every foundation grant, by year

52 grants

Each line as the funder listed it on its return, newest year first, then largest.

  1. Thomas W Smith Foundation IncBoca Raton, FL 2025

    Education

    $50,000
  2. Clifford F Favrot Family FundCovington, LA 2025

    General

    $35,000
  3. Bertrand Hopper Memorial FoundationTaylorville, IL 2025

    General operating purposes

    $20,000
  4. PM Foundation IncFort Lauderdale, FL 2025

    Supporting organization and advocacy

    $20,000
  5. Melvin S Cohen Foundation IncEau Claire, WI 2025

    Operating funds

    $1,000
  6. Chiavacci Family FoundationCoral Gables, FL 2025

    General purpose

    $1,000
  7. K & E Fund IncHouston, TX 2025

    General support

    $1,000
  8. The Searle Freedom TrustMadison, WI 2024

    Education and outreach

    $250,000
  9. Bader Family FoundationArlington, VA 2024

    General charitable contribution

    $247,000
  10. The Marcus Foundation IncAtlanta, GA 2024

    To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization

    $150,000
  11. Thomas W Smith Foundation IncBoca Raton, FL 2024

    Education

    $50,000
  12. The Tina Snider FoundationGloucester, MA 2024

    General operations

    $20,000
  13. Clifford F Favrot Family FundCovington, LA 2024

    General

    $18,000
  14. Bertrand Hopper Memorial FoundationTaylorville, IL 2024

    General operating purposes

    $15,000
  15. PM Foundation IncFort Lauderdale, FL 2024

    Supporting organization and advocacy

    $15,000
  16. K & E Fund IncHouston, TX 2024

    General support

    $1,000
  17. The Hayworth Family FoundationArmonk, NY 2024

    Unrestricted donation

    $500
  18. Bader Family FoundationArlington, VA 2023

    Charitable contribution

    $250,000
  19. Diana Davis Spencer Foundation IncBethesda, MD 2023

    General operating support

    $200,000
  20. The Marcus Foundation IncAtlanta, GA 2023

    To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization

    $150,000
  21. The Searle Freedom TrustMadison, WI 2023

    Education and outreach

    $125,000
  22. Thomas W Smith Foundation IncBoca Raton, FL 2023

    Education

    $50,000
  23. Bertrand Hopper Memorial FoundationTaylorville, IL 2023

    General operating purposes

    $20,000
  24. Clifford F Favrot Family FundCovington, LA 2023

    General

    $15,000
  25. The Tina Snider FoundationGloucester, MA 2023

    Operations

    $5,000
  26. Ralph L Smith Foundation 13952400Kansas City, MO 2023

    Charitable contribution

    $2,500
  27. McCarthy Family Charitable FoundationBurke, VA 2023

    Children's Education

    $1,000
  28. K & E Fund IncHouston, TX 2023

    General support

    $1,000
  29. The Sandra & Lawrence Post Family FoundationThousand Oaks, CA 2023

    Parents' rights

    $1,000
  30. Paulson Family FoundationWest Palm Beach, FL 2022

    To promote the organization's goal of restoring a healthy, non-political education for kids

    $500,000
  31. Bader Family FoundationArlington, VA 2022

    Chariitable contribution

    $160,000
  32. Diana Davis Spencer Foundation IncBethesda, MD 2022

    Public educational outreach

    $150,000
  33. The Searle Freedom TrustMadison, WI 2022

    Education and outreach

    $125,000
  34. Edelman Family FoundationNew York, NY 2022

    To provide general support in defend education

    $50,000
  35. Thomas W Smith Foundation IncBoca Raton, FL 2022

    Education

    $50,000
  36. Bertrand Hopper Memorial FoundationTaylorville, IL 2022

    Charitable donation

    $20,000
  37. Ralph L Smith Foundation 13952400Kansas City, MO 2022

    Support of charitable

    $10,000
  38. The Tina Snider FoundationGloucester, MA 2022

    General op

    $10,000
  39. The Sandra & Lawrence Post Family FoundationThousand Oaks, CA 2022

    Parents' rights

    $3,000
  40. The Pfizer Foundation IncNew York, NY 2022

    Matching gifts

    $1,625
  41. Faith in Families FoundationCenter Valley, PA 2022

    General & unrestricted

    $250
  42. K & E Fund IncHouston, TX 2022

    General support

    $250
  43. The Justin and Michelle Hughes FoundationSan Francisco, CA 2022

    General & unrestricted

    $100
  44. The Searle Freedom TrustMadison, WI 2021

    Education and outreach

    $250,000
  45. Edelman Family FoundationNew York, NY 2021

    To provide general support to defend education

    $200,000
  46. Bader Family FoundationArlington, VA 2021

    Chariitable contribution

    $130,000
  47. Bertrand Hopper Memorial FoundationTaylorville, IL 2021

    Charitable donation

    $35,000
  48. The Achelis & Bodman FoundationNew York, NY 2021

    General operating support

    $25,000
  49. The Snider FoundationCollegeville, PA 2021

    Operating support

    $20,000
  50. Hamilton Roddis Foundation IncMadison, WI 2021

    General support

    $5,000
  51. McCarthy Family Charitable FoundationBurke, VA 2021

    Furtherance of charitable purposes

    $1,000
  52. K & E Fund IncHouston, TX 2021

    General support

    $500

Funders of similar organizations nearby

Foundations that gave to other civil rights organizations in Arlington, VA and are not among Defending Education’s funders above.

  1. Amazonsmile FoundationSeattle, WA 22 grants Preselected only $128,325 to similar organizations
  2. Shell USA Company FoundationHouston, TX 19 grants Preselected only $16,375 to similar organizations
  3. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation IncCharlotte, NC 31 grants Accepts applications $8,336 to similar organizations
  4. The Roe FoundationGreenville, SC 7 grants Preselected only $12,095,643 to similar organizations
  5. Sarah Scaife Foundation IncorporatedPittsburgh, PA 12 grants Accepts applications $4,020,000 to similar organizations
  6. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation IncMilwaukee, WI 16 grants Accepts applications $1,815,000 to similar organizations
  7. The Dunn FoundationCollegeville, PA 16 grants Preselected only $1,727,000 to similar organizations
  8. The Alta and John Franks FoundationShreveport, LA 11 grants Preselected only $1,235,000 to similar organizations

About this match

Funders write a recipient’s name and address, not its EIN. We matched these grants to EIN 86-1596460 by name and ZIP code against the IRS list of exempt organizations and our list of filers. Grants we could not tie to one organization are not counted here.