Foundation for Systemic Change (FSC) is a family foundation and grantmaking organization that supports comprehensive left-of-center systemic change in response to societal challenges. ¹

FSC’s grants highlight economic, political, social, racial, ethnic, and environmental inequities ² and promote long-term systemic societal changes on issues including climate change, political polarization, democracy, and LGBT issues. ³ The organization is deeply committed to the critical race theory-influenced principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ⁴ and has claimed that multiple generations in the United States have faced systemic racism. ⁵

History and Leadership

Foundation for Systemic Change (FSC) was founded by John Heffernan and his wife, Margie Heffernan, in 2021. ⁶

John Heffernan became the president of FSC in 2021. ⁷ Heffernan has worked in the critical race theory-influenced social justice space for more than 30 years and created FSC to support initiatives to produce liberal systemic change in response to what he identifies as societal ills. ⁸ Previously, he worked at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Democratic Institute, Coalition for International Justice, International Rescue Committee, and the United Nations. ^{9 10}

FSC’s team of advisors includes individuals affiliated with the New York Times, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Amnesty International, the Obama administration Department of State, and Global Citizens Initiative. ¹¹

Activities and Funding

Foundation for Systemic Change (FSC) is a family foundation that supports comprehensive left-of-center systemic change in response to societal challenges through advocacy and grantmaking. ¹²

FSC is deeply committed to the critical race theory-influenced principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. ¹³ The organization has claimed that multiple generations in the United States have faced systemic racism, policies, and narratives that have strategically oppressed minority groups, preventing their access to equity. ¹⁴

FSC members have worked in human rights, social justice, and humanitarian spaces for more than 20 years on 5 continents and target investment in organizations and individuals promoting its members’ desired long-term societal change. ¹⁵

Foundation for Systemic Change’s partners include the Pollen Initiative, Human Rights Watch, Memria.org, Creative Visions, Voice of Witness, the VII Foundation, Social Documentary Network, and others. ¹⁶

Grantmaking

Foundation for Systemic Change makes grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, individuals who are fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3) organizations, and foreign organizations that are fiscally sponsored by a U.S. organization that follows principles in line with FCS’s diversity, equity, and inclusion statement. FSC’s grants highlight economic, political, social, racial, ethnic, and environmental inequities. ¹⁷ These grants aid grantees that integrate a systemic change message into their projects. ¹⁸

FSC’s grants range between $5,000 and $20,000 and often support documentaries, podcasts, articles, essays, theater, books, and other projects that highlight what FSC considers are economic, political, social, racial, ethnic, and environmental inequities. ¹⁹

Some of FSC’s grantmaking is focused on journalism to both promote long-term systemic societal changes and reporting on issues including climate change, violence and hate, political polarization, threats to democracy, and LGBT issues. To support these issues, FSC and the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) created the Fred Ross Systemic Change Journalism Competition to give awards to high school students who are aligned with their worldview. The project is named for Fred Ross, a labor union activist who worked with United Farm Workers organizers Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. ²⁰

In 2022, FSC made grants to Adelphi University, Disability Rights International, Educators Institute for Human Rights, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, Open Rods Academy, Proof Media for Social Justice, Realize Impact, Reportage International, Sima International, the World Federalist Movement/Institute for Global Politics, and others. ²¹

Funding

Foundation for Systemic Change receives funding from individual contributions and grants. ^{22 23} In 20222, FSC reported revenue of $369,651 and expenses of $195,113. ²⁴ FSC reported revenue of $1,034,448 and expenses of $58,520 in 2021. ²⁵

1. “The Foundation for Systemic Change (FSC) exists to advance justice and equality around the world, driving change that produces comprehensive, sustainable – not episodic – impact.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/#:~:text=As%20a%20foundation%20focused%20on,inclusion%2C%20and%20non%2Ddiscrimination.
2. “Apply for FSC Funding.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/funding.
3. “Fred Ross Systemic Change Journalism Competition.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/journalism-competition.
4. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are Important to us.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/#:~:text=As%20a%20foundation%20focused%20on,inclusion%2C%20and%20non%2Ddiscrimination.
5. “Award Information.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/aviard-inspires.
6. “Overview.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-foundation-for-systemic-change/about/.
7. “John Heffernan.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-heffernan-12b12710b/.
8. “About FSC.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/about.
9. “Experience.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-heffernan-12b12710b/details/experience/.
10. “John Heffernan. Conference on World Affairs. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.colorado.edu/cwa/john-heffernan#:~:text=John%20Heffernan%20has%20over%20three,the%20Foundation%20for%20Systemic%20Change.
11. “Team of Advisors.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/team.
12. “The Foundation for Systemic Change (FSC) exists to advance justice and equality around the world, driving change that produces comprehensive, sustainable – not episodic – impact.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/#:~:text=As%20a%20foundation%20focused%20on,inclusion%2C%20and%20non%2Ddiscrimination
13. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are Important to us.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/#:~:text=As%20a%20foundation%20focused%20on,inclusion%2C%20and%20non%2Ddiscrimination.
14. “Award Information.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/aviard-inspires.
15. “Overview.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-foundation-for-systemic-change/about/.
16. “Our Partners.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/partners-1.
17. “Apply for FSC Funding.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/funding.
18. “About FSC.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/about.
19. “Apply for FSC Funding.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/funding.
20. “Fred Ross Systemic Change Journalism Competition.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/journalism-competition.
21.   “Foundation for Systemic Change.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2022. Part XIV. https://irs-efile-renderer.instrumentl.com/render?object_id=202300949349100715.
22. ^[1] “Donate.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/checkout/donate?donatePageId=61980449a1f9a205e4b15a6e.
23. “You Can Make a Difference.” Foundation for Systemic Change. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.foundationforsystemicchange.org/connect.
24. “Foundation for Systemic Change.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2022. Part I. https://irs-efile-renderer.instrumentl.com/render?object_id=202300949349100715.
25. ^[1] “Foundation for Systemic Change.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2021. Part I. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/862725801_202112_990PF_2023030621028942.pdf.