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Center for the Study of Democratic Institution at a glance

· Public charity

Center for the Study of Democratic Institution

Organization of events and contributions to various charitable organizations to foster and encourage dialogues, discussions and contributions in public health, public policy, national security, foreign affairs, democracy, and human rights; also to contribute to youth education and outreach in art and music in Los Angeles County.

$3.0M
Granted FY2025still arriving
21
Grants FY2025still arriving
6
States reached
$1.0M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

International$3.6MEducation$3.3MPublic Benefit$2.2MArts & Culture$1.8MSocial Science$1.6MHealth$175kScience & Tech$30kCommunity Improvement$15k
02FY2025 · 21 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k8 grants · $140k
  • $50k–250k10 grants · $1.1M
  • $250k+3 grants · $1.7M
$50,000
Median grant
6
States reached
$21M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Davidson College$1,000,000
Atlantic Council$400,000
Brookings Institution$300,000
Music Center$200,000
New America Foundation$200,000
Johns Hopkins University$160,000
Truman Center for National Policy$110,000
RAND Corporation$100,000
International Refugee Assistance Program$100,000
Los Angeles Philharmonic$100,000
Los Angeles World Affairs Council$50,000
Sun Valley Writers Conference Inc$50,000
Meridian International Center$50,000
Los Angeles Free Clinic$25,000
Inter-American Dialogue$25,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–20, $100k) land where the poverty rate runs at 17%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT INC: $100k → 17%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

88%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$11M · 24 repeat orgs$1.5M to everyone else

24 repeat relationships: 19 still active in FY2025, 5 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

24
8

Total granted

$11M
$262k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+6%
+14%

Still filing today

92%
88%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 59% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $1.2M went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24’25
InternationalEducationArts & CulturePublic BenefitHealthSocial ScienceOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
    6× · 2020–2025 · $2.0M · revenue +42%
  • AC
    ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES INC
    5× · 2020–2025 · $1.9M · revenue +84%
  • TB
    THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
    6× · 2020–2025 · $1.4M · revenue +46%

Funded once

  • CE
    CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE
    one grant, 2022 · $100k · revenue -24%
  • TF
    THE FREE IRAQ FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2021 · $100k · revenue -99%
  • CT
    CENTER THEATRE GROUP OF LOS ANGELES
    one grant, 2024 · $20k · revenue -15%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

—
2
Peter G Peterson Institute for International Economics

The peterson institute for international economics (piie) is an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to strengthening prosperity and human welfare in the global economy through expert analysis and practical…

Social Science
3
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

The american enterprise institute is a community of scholars and supporters committed to expanding liberty, increasing individual opportunity, and strengthening free enterprise. aei pursues these ideals through independent thinking and the…

Social Science
4
Foreign Policy Research Institute

The foreign policy research institute (frpi) is dedicated to producing the highest quality scholarship and nonpartisan policy analysis focused on crucial foreign policy and national security challenges facing the united states. we educate…

International
5
International Crisis Group

Crisis group works to prevent and resolve deadly conflict around the world by informing and influencing the perceptions and actions of policymakers and other key conflict actors. to this end, we endeavour to talk to all sides and provide…

International
6
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Inc

Central indiana corporate partnership (cicp) is an alliance of indiana's business and research university leaders coming together to foster long-term prosperity for the region. cicp's mission is to transform the economy of indiana in order…

Community Improvement
7
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
8
The George Washington University

The mission of the george washington university (gw) is to educate individuals in liberal arts, languages, sciences, learned professions, and other courses and subjects of study, and to conduct scholarly research and publish the findings…

Education
9
National Opinion Research Center

See schedule onorc at the university of chicago conducts research and data science on critical societal issues to guide decision-making and the development of programs and public policy. our experts identify relationships and trends, and…

Social Science
10
The Union of Concerned Scientists Inc

The union of concerned scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.

International
11
Manhattan Institute for Policy Research Inc

The manhattan institute is a community of scholars, journalists, activists, and civic leaders dedicated to advancing opportunity, individual liberty, and the rule of law in america and its great cities.

Public Benefit
12
Cna Corporation

Cna is a non-profit research organization that operates the center for naval analyses, a federally funded research center that has supported the navy and marine corps for nearly seventy years, and the institute for public research that…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is New America Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Citizens for Democracy Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

32 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 32 of the 35 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
2
Early backer (in before they grew)
31/32
Grantees still filing
17/32
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $1,978,427 · EducationJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYDavidson College: $1,000,000 · EducationDavidson CollegeDEMOCRACY A JOURNAL OF IDEAS INC: $500,000 · EducationDEMOCRACY A JOURNAL OF IDEAS INCSUN VALLEY WRITERS' CONFERENCE INC: $255,000 · EducationSUN VALLEY WRITERS' CONFERENCE IN…+1 more: $2,277 · EducationATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES INC: $1,850,000 · InternationalATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UN…LOS ANGELES WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL AND TOWN HALL: $285,000 · InternationalLOS ANGELES WORLD AFFAIRS …MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER: $250,000 · InternationalMERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CEN…INTER-AMERICAN DIALOGUE: $150,000 · InternationalTRUMAN NATIONAL SECURITY PROJECT: $120,000 · InternationalCARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: $100,000 · InternationalHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC: $100,000 · International+4 more: $75,000 · InternationalNEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: $1,212,276 · OtherNEW AMERICA FOUNDATI…WILSON CENTER INC: $300,000 · OtherWILSON CENTER INCMusic Center: $200,000 · OtherMusic CenterTHE FREE IRAQ FOUNDATION: $100,000 · OtherTURNOUT ACTIVISM INC: $185,000 · OtherTURNOUT ACTIVISM INCTHE LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC: $125,000 · OtherTHE LOS ANGELES FREE…+5 more: $150,300 · Other+5 morePERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY: $813,643 · Arts & CulturePERFORMING A…LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION: $547,000 · Arts & CultureLOS ANGELES …+2 more: $50,000 · Arts & CultureTHE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: $1,371,365 · Social ScienceTHE BROOKING…INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT INC: $500,000 · Human ServicesTRUMAN CENTER FOR NATIONAL POLICY: $290,000 · Public BenefitThe Rand Corporation: $200,000 · Public Benefit
Education$3,735,704International$2,930,000Other$2,272,576Arts & Culture$1,410,643Social Science$1,371,365Human Services$500,000Public Benefit$490,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $1,978,427 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES INC: $1,850,000 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetTHE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: $1,371,365 over 6y, 0.3% of budgetNEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: $1,212,276 over 6y, 0.5% of budgetDavidson College: $1,000,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetPERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY: $813,643 over 2y, 1.2% of budgetLOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION: $547,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetINTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT INC: $500,000 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetDEMOCRACY A JOURNAL OF IDEAS INC: $500,000 over 5y, 19% of budgetTRUMAN CENTER FOR NATIONAL POLICY: $290,000 over 4y, 10% of budgetLOS ANGELES WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL AND TOWN HALL: $285,000 over 6y, 5.9% of budgetSUN VALLEY WRITERS' CONFERENCE INC: $255,000 over 6y, 1.8% of budgetMERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER: $250,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetThe Rand Corporation: $200,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTURNOUT ACTIVISM INC: $185,000 over 4y, 19% of budgetINTER-AMERICAN DIALOGUE: $150,000 over 6y, 0.8% of budgetTHE LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC: $125,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetTRUMAN NATIONAL SECURITY PROJECT: $120,000 over 2y, 11% of budgetCARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: $100,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE FREE IRAQ FOUNDATION: $100,000 over 1y, 6.0% of budgetHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC: $100,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetVENICE FAMILY CLINIC: $50,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetENDOWMENT OF THE US INSTITUTE OF PEACE: $50,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetREDONDO BEACH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION: $30,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetCALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER FOUNDATION: $30,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCENTER THEATRE GROUP OF LOS ANGELES: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHIRD SECTOR NEW ENGLAND INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $10,300 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AZADI PROJECT INC: $10,000 over 1y, 16% of budgetCITIZENS FOR DEMOCRACY INC: $10,000 over 1y, 60% of budgetTHE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES - US: $5,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetLOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY: $2,277 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Gs Donor Advised Phil…National Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…Morgan Stanley Global…American Endowment Fo…American Online Givin…Fidelity Investments …Donor Advised Charita…Amazonsmile Foundation
Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management IncNY11.1× affinity5 shared granteesties to 8 of 8Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · American Endowment Foundation · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Amazonsmile Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Center for the Study of Democratic Institution funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Center for the Study of Democratic Institution. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%5%19%42%75%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 12%
  • Johns Hopkins University: 12% of income from government
  • Third Sector New England Inc: 3% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Center for the Study of Democratic Institution?

Find your warmest path to Center for the Study of Democratic Institution through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 35 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Center for the Study of Democratic Institution’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home