Tides
Philanthropy

Through Tides Foundation, we partner with mission-aligned funders to shift resources and power to proximate leaders working to advance social justice.

A Latine person standing with a crowd of people with their fists in the air in solidarity. Photo credit: TakeAction Minnesota, Healthy Democracy Fund grantee Two speakers hugging at the 6th annual Environmental Justice Summit hosted by Hip-Hop for Change in the in San Francisco. Photo credit: Amaya Edwards; People over Plastic, a Women’s Environmental Leadership Fund grantee Two young Black women with Leaders Igniting Transformation registering people to vote. Photo credit: Leaders Igniting Transformation, Partner of Alliance for Youth Organizing (Healthy Democracy Fund grantee)
A Latine person standing with a crowd of people with their fists in the air in solidarity. Photo credit: TakeAction Minnesota, Healthy Democracy Fund grantee Two speakers hugging at the 6th annual Environmental Justice Summit hosted by Hip-Hop for Change in the in San Francisco. Photo credit: Amaya Edwards; People over Plastic, a Women’s Environmental Leadership Fund grantee Two young Black women with Leaders Igniting Transformation registering people to vote. Photo credit: Leaders Igniting Transformation, Partner of Alliance for Youth Organizing (Healthy Democracy Fund grantee)

What is Social Justice Philanthropy?

Similar to community philanthropy, social justice philanthropy recognizes that best solutions come from the places and people most impacted by the issue. Traditional philanthropy can be overly prescriptive and top down, and not taking into account the needs and expertise of proximate leaders and communities. Social justice philanthropy intentionally affirms the power of those leading the charge for social justice.

Tides’ philanthropy practices are built on close partnerships with community leaders and funders, directing power, money, and resources to local organizations the forefront of climate justice, racial equity, reproductive freedom, democracy, and more.

Our Philanthropic Tools

Our partners’ wide range of funds and initiatives actively support changemakers in the fight for a more just world.

  • Three Black women sitting together in an office. Photo credit: Black Alliance for Just Immigration, an Immigrants Belong grantee

    Donor Advised Funds

    For partners who share our commitment funding leaders and communities historically denied power, our donor advised funds are an efficient and high-impact way to fuel meaningful social justice work.

  • Two organizers with Election Defenders wearing masks and an 'I voted' sticker. Photo credit: Working Families, a Collective Action Fund

    Collective Action Funds

    A solution originated at Tides, these funds allow multiple people or organizations to pool their resources for a common cause and to work together to recommend grants.

  • A teacher writing on the blackboard for her class in Rwanda. Photo credit: Kate Spade NY

    Social Change Leader Funds

    Social change leader funds are grantmaking solutions through Tides Foundation that community leaders can use to raise funds and direct dollars toward their social justice work.

  • A group of Tides staff at a meeting.

    Strategic Advising & Consulting

    For donors with the passion and vision to go beyond standard grantmaking, our advisors are here to help strategize and implement bold, equity-centered giving initiatives to maximize impact.

  • Refugee community members join Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition for a grassroots lobby day to share their powerful stories with their state legislators and advocate for a welcoming Tennessee. Photo credit: Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Immigrants Belong Fund grantee

    Tides Initiatives

    Pool resources with like-minded donors to support community-based organizations working to solve the most urgent issues of our time.

  • Fifth Star Funds Stella Ashaolu giving a presentation. Photo credit: Fifth Star Funds, a Tides fiscally sponsored project

    Impact Investing

    Tides leverages decades of experience in social justice to build personalized, values-aligned investment portfolios to align with our partners’ investments with the positive social change they seek.

Get Off Your Assets

Rhiannon Carnes, co-founder & co-executive director of the Ohio Women’s Alliance and Victor & Lorraine Honig Initiative Awardee 2022 A Latine woman with Nuestra Casa talking to another woman at a tabling event. Photo credit: Nuestra Casa, The Victor & Lorraine Honig Initiative Awardee 2023 Two Working Families Party PA members tabling. Photo credit: Movement Voter Fund, Healthy Democracy Fund grantee
Rhiannon Carnes, co-founder & co-executive director of the Ohio Women’s Alliance and Victor & Lorraine Honig Initiative Awardee 2022 A Latine woman with Nuestra Casa talking to another woman at a tabling event. Photo credit: Nuestra Casa, The Victor & Lorraine Honig Initiative Awardee 2023 Two Working Families Party PA members tabling. Photo credit: Movement Voter Fund, Healthy Democracy Fund grantee

Solving the critical issues of our time demands urgent action at a scale. Philanthropy writ large, especially private foundations and donor advised funds, leaves too many assets on the sidelines. That’s why we see Tides’ philanthropy not as a write-off, but as a tool to fuel movements at scale. We embolden and inspire our activist donors to award 20 to 30 percent of their funds every year to equip leaders in the field working toward change.

Learn More About Get Off Your Assets

Why Tides

We combine our partners’ resources with our diverse giving tools, issue area expertise, and expansive network to create a mighty force for justice.

Grantmaking

Our advisors and legal teams bring a profound commitment to equity and deep philanthropic knowledge to our partnerships, so our donors can award more and complex grants than they can elsewhere. Donors use their funds at Tides to support charitable programs at 501(c)(4)s, international organizations, and so much more.

Expertise

We take our partners’ trust seriously, and know it must be earned. Our nearly 50-year track record of ethical grantmaking, commitment to operational excellence, and dedicated advisors with deep social sector experience all enable us to steward donor resources carefully.

Connection

Tides leans on our vast network to pinpoint the social justice leaders and movements that need our investment the most, helping our donors fund high-impact work they may not have known about otherwise. Our donors also have opportunities to forge new connections with other funders and social change leaders who share their vision and passion for justice.    

Trust-Based Philanthropy

Tides helps our funders practice trust-based philanthropy, so they can feel confident they’re powering community-led solutions rooted in justice while centering equity. Leverage our diverse fund types and tap our advisors’ expertise to build bigger and more impactful philanthropic initiatives.

A Latine woman and girl potting plants. Photo credit: East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Frontline Justice Fund grantee A Black mother and son at the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights' community hub's soccer field and playground. Photo credit: Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Immigrants Belong grantee A group of people with Native Renewables staff standing next to a solar panel in the desert. Photo credit: Native Renewables, Women’s Environmental Leadership Fund grantee
A Latine woman and girl potting plants. Photo credit: East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Frontline Justice Fund grantee A Black mother and son at the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights' community hub's soccer field and playground. Photo credit: Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Immigrants Belong grantee A group of people with Native Renewables staff standing next to a solar panel in the desert. Photo credit: Native Renewables, Women’s Environmental Leadership Fund grantee

Interested in Partnering with Tides?

There’s no greater force than the collective power of people united for justice. Join us to fuel lasting change.

Connect with Tides