Channel Foundation is a left-of-center grant maker that supports groups focused on gender equity, racial justice, feminism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The Channel Foundation supports groups that are pro-abortion, advocate for left-leaning LGBT interests, and support environmentalism. The Channel Foundation has funded organizations taking creative legal actions and gender justice.

History and Background

Channel Foundation started making grants in 2009. ¹ It supports groups working on issues related to population and poverty; biodiversity, indigenous peoples’ land rights, and sustainable economic development; and indigenous peoples’ rights; and human rights, all from a gender equity perspective. ² It declares that its core values and ideals are feminism, racial justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. ³

The foundation asserts that women’s human rights are greatly underfunded and that women around the world suffer disproportionately from certain human rights abuses. ⁴ Channel Foundation funds groups that advance indigenous rights, gender equality in media and technology, ending violence against women, ensuring women’s participation in conflict resolution, ending legal inequality, promoting the rights of women with disabilities, sexual and reproductive rights, strengthening the women’s funding movement, and women’s leadership. ⁵

Channel Foundation distributes toolkits on gender-based violence and emergency response, mobilizing resources, sexual and reproductive justice, global map of advocates, gender justice, an oral history of feminism, and an app on women, peace, and security. ⁶

Grants

Channel Foundation grants typically range from $2,000 to $50,000. ⁷ In 2020, the Channel Foundation made a $60,000 to the left-of-center Fund for Global Human Rights. ⁸ In 2020, it gave $30,000 to the Global Fund for Women, $50,000 to Cultural Survival, $30,000 to the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, $50,000 to the pro-abortion group Inroads, $50,000 to the left-of-center Just Associates,  and $50,000 to the left-of-center Urgent Action Fund. ⁹

In 2021, the Channel Foundation provided grants including $30,000 to the left-of-center Praxis Project for the pro-abortion group RESURJ, $30,000 to left-of-center Panorama Global, $130,000 to the Urgent Action Fund, $150,000 to the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, $90,000 to the left-of-center LGBT advocacy organization OutRight Action International, $150,000 to Inroads, $50,000 to Cultural Survival, $90,000 to the Fund for Global Human Rights, $110,000 to the Global Fund for Women, and $50,000 to the Women’s Learning Partnership. ¹⁰

Channel Foundation has supported the founder of Women’s Link Worldwide, an organization that uses litigation in “innovative and creative ways” to fight for women and girls in the courts of Latin America, East Africa, and Europe. ¹¹ Channel Foundation has focuses on reform in Iran, women’s rights in Afghanistan, and women impacted by the war in Ukraine. ¹²

Finances

In 2021, the Channel Foundation had net assets of $19,077,788. ¹³ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2021 the Channel Foundation recorded $9,341,928 in revenue and $2,217,506 in expenses. ¹⁴ In 2020, the Channel Foundation raised $2,572,789 in revenue and $1,658,093 in expenses. ¹⁵

Leadership

Katrin Wilde has been the executive director of the Channel Foundation since 2008. ¹⁶ Wilde was previously a community outreach coordinator for Amnesty International. ¹⁷ From 2003 through 2006, Wilde was a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme, Outright International, and International Rescue Committee. ¹⁸

1. “Our History.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/about/history/#pastGrantees.
2. “Our History.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/about/history/#pastGrantees.
3. “Values.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/about/.
4. “Why Do You Focus On Funding Women’s Human Rights?” Channel Foundation. October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/about/faqs/.
5. “Grants.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/grants/#focusArea.
6. “Tools, Publications, and Multimedia.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/resources/tools-publications-media/. “Latest News.” Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.wilpf.org/wilpf-welcomes-the-new-and-improved-peacewomen-mobile-application/.
7. “Our Funding.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/about/our-funding/.
8. Channel Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2020.
9. Channel Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2020; “About Inroads.” Inroads. Accessed October 22, 2023. https://www.makeinroads.org/about-inroads.
10. Channel Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
11. “Creative Litigation for Women’s Rights.” Channel Foundation. October 2, 2019. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/event/creative-litigation-for-womens-rights/?event_date=2019-10-02.
12. “Channel Partner Leaders Address Protests in Iran.” January 19, 2023. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/2023/01/19/channel-grantee-leaders-address-protests-in-iran/; “Action.” Channel Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.channelfoundation.org/category/action/.
13. Channel Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
14. Channel Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
15. Channel Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2020.
16. “Katrin W.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-w-5b3098216/.
17. “Katrin W.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-w-5b3098216/.
18. “Katrin W.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-w-5b3098216/.