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SOROS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133965896 · Form 990PF · FY2024 · NTEE T23 · Philanthropy & Grantmaking · Micro (<$100K)
revenue
$-17.8M
expenses
$10.5M
net assets
$172.6M
employees
—
profile · synthesized from sources

SOROS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND is a New York-based grantmaking foundation focused on economic development, social equity, and impact investing. It provides financial support to organizations working in reproductive health access, clean energy in developing countries, independent media, and civic technology. The fund operates primarily by making grants to nonprofit and mission-driven entities globally.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Civic Technology & Voter Access
Supports projects that leverage technology to expand mobile voting and broader voter access infrastructure in the United States
Clean Energy Access Initiative
Supports clean, renewable energy access to communities in 16 least developed African countries through grants to implementing partners like Acumen Fund
Impact Investing & Climate Solutions
Provides general and project support to networks promoting impact investing in climate solutions and tropical agriculture
Independent Media Support Program
Funds innovative platforms and revenue models for independent media outlets in North America, including SAAS tools and advertising development
Reproductive Health Access Fund
Provides grants to organizations advancing telehealth abortion access, malpractice insurance for providers, and consumer-facing digital reproductive healthcare tools
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Women's Rights and Empowerment Grants 3 activities
    • Funding corporate engagement and ventures in reproductive health
      Provides general and targeted funding for ventures and corporate engagement initiatives focused on improving reproductive health outcomes.
    • Funding digital tools for reproductive healthcare access
      Provides multi-year funding to develop digital tools that improve access to reproductive healthcare services.
    • Funding initiatives to advance reproductive rights in the United States
      Funds initiatives aimed at advancing reproductive rights within the United States through strategic grantmaking.
  • Climate Change Research and Advocacy Funding 2 activities
    • Funding clean and renewable energy access in least developed African countries
      Funds initiatives that expand clean and renewable energy access across 16 least developed African countries.
    • Funding climate solutions investment frameworks and global campaigns
      Finances the development of a climate solutions investment framework, promotes investor alignment, and supports a global campaign to advance climate-focused investing.
  • Public Media Funding 1 activity
    • Funding SaaS platforms for independent media in North America
      Finances a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform designed to support the operations and sustainability of independent media organizations in North America.
  • Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
    • Funding impact data enhancement for Amazon Biodiversity Funds
      Supports efforts to enhance impact data collection and reporting for the Amazon Biodiversity Funds.
  • Medical Research Funding 1 activity
    • Funding malpractice insurance for telehealth abortion providers
      Funds malpractice insurance coverage for healthcare providers delivering telehealth abortion services, including research into the feasibility of new insurance models in states where abortion is restricted.
  • Human Rights Advocacy Funding 1 activity
    • Funding technology-driven civic engagement and mobile voting access
      Funds project development to expand mobile voting and voter access through technology-driven civic engagement platforms.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Funding general operating support for partner organizations
      Provides general operating support to partner organizations across issue areas.
    • Funding revenue diversification for media and membership organizations
      Supports efforts to diversify and strengthen revenue streams in membership, live events, and advertising through grants to relevant organizations.
financials · form 990PF · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$-17.78M
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue——
Investment income$0—
Other revenue$-70K
expenses
Total expenses$10.49M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$6.49M
balance sheet
Total assets$174.94M
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$172.57M
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -137.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • CATHERINE CAX — DIRECTOR OF INVESTMENT
  • LEONARD BENARDO — DIRECTOR
  • MAIJA ARBOLINO — DIRECTOR
relationships · 12

Who they work with

  • ABORTION COALITION OF TELEMEDICINE Partner — Recipient of $1 million grant for malpractice insurance supporting telehealth abortion access
  • ACUMEN FUND Partner — Recipient of $3 million grant for renewable energy access in Africa
  • FREE DEMOCRACY FOUNDATION Partner — Recipient of $250,000 project support for mobile voting and civic engagement technology
  • GLOBAL IMPACT INVESTING NETWORK Partner — Recipient of $150,000 grant for climate solutions investing initiatives
  • INDIEGRAF MEDIA INC Partner — Recipient of $250,000 grant for a SaaS platform serving independent media
  • MAYDAY HEALTH Partner — Recipient of $150,000 grant to advance reproductive rights in the U.S.
  • NATIONAL WOMEN'S HEALTH NETWORK Partner — Recipient of $195,000 grant to study feasibility of new malpractice insurance models for telehealth abortion providers
  • REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INVESTORS ALLIANCE INC Partner — Recipient of $250,000 general and targeted support grant
  • SCROLL MEDIA INC Partner — Recipient of $270,000 grant to strengthen revenue diversification
  • THE GLOBAL STEERING GROUP FOR IMPACT INVESTMENT Partner — Recipient of $200,000 general support grant
  • THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TROPICAL AGRICULTURE Partner — Recipient of $150,000 grant to supplement Amazon Biodiversity Funds impact data
  • THE REIMAGINATION LAB Partner — Recipient of $250,000 multi-year grant for digital reproductive healthcare tools
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Impact Investing for Energy Access
    methodology: impact_investing_for_energy_access
    By deploying grant capital to fund renewable energy infrastructure in underserved African communities, we increase energy equity because access to reliable power enables economic development, education, and health outcomes.
  • Support for Independent Media Infrastructure
    methodology: support_for_independent_media_infrastructure
    By funding scalable technological infrastructure for independent media, we strengthen information ecosystems because resilient, tech-enabled outlets can operate autonomously and reach broader audiences.
  • Technology-Leveraged Civic Engagement
    methodology: technology_leveraged_civic_engagement
    By using technology-enabled grantmaking, we catalyze scalable improvements in voter access and civic participation because digital tools lower barriers to engagement and amplify marginalized voices.