The American Muslim Fund is an advocacy group focused on coordinating grants and other financial support for Muslim organizations in the United States. ^[1] The American Muslim Fund describes itself as the first national community foundation in the United States focused on creating donor advised funds and distributing funds to the Muslim community. ^[2]

It is most notable for its partnership with the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on the so-called “hate-free” philanthropy campaign targeting institutional donor-advised funds’ grantmaking to social conservative organizations. ^[3]

Activities

“Hate-Free Philanthropy”

On March 10, 2020, the American Muslim Fund, along with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), released a white paper discussing how philanthropic nonprofits can deny funding to organizations classified as hate groups. Titled “Hate-Free Philanthropy,” the white paper discussed areas including the issue of “hate-funding” for philanthropies, understanding the role of donor-advised funds, the role of private sectors like Big Tech in pushing anti-hate policies, and how the philanthropic community can develop a framework for “greater reform.” ^[4] The white paper itself was a product of a symposium in August 2019 which included CAIR, SPLC, and the AMF along with several dozen like-minded advocates. ^[5]

Philanthropy

From 2017 through 2019, the American Muslim Fund granted more than $1 million to 115 nonprofits to support efforts such as disaster and humanitarian relief, food banks and domestic violence shelters. ^[6]

Among the organization it has contributed to are the University of Texas at Austin, Muslim Foster Care Association, and Clubfoot Solutions. ^[7]