Non-profit

Ignite Philanthropy

Website:

www.ignitephilanthropy.org/

Tax ID:

20-5806345

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2021):

Revenue: $963,814,870
Expenses: $552,517,598
Assets: $1,240,165,354

Type:

Grantmaking Organization

Project of:

New Venture Fund

Head of Operations and Program Support:

Maha Anter

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Ignite Philanthropy is a project of New Venture Fund that fundraises for advocacy addressing violence against children. 1 It uses the identity politics concept of intersectionality to advocate for far-left ideas on gender, financial redistribution, and discrimination. 2

In a 2023 survey of Ignite Philanthropy’s current and prospective partners, respondents reported that Ignite Philanthropy needs to be clearer of its positioning on issues, the connections between violence against children and its advocacy, and how its work is philanthropic. Respondents also criticized Ignite Philanthropy for not entirely “covering” the concept of intersectionality in its advocacy. 3

Background

Ignite Philanthropy is a fiscally sponsored project of New Venture Fund managed by Arabella Advisors and reports being founded by Human Dignity Foundation, Oak Foundation, and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. It serves as a philanthropic fund for donors seeking to address violence against children. 4

Ignite Philanthropy provides research into addressing violence against children. It claims that poverty, discrimination, inequality, and patriarchy increase violence against children. Ignite Philanthropy uses violence against children to fundraise and support its advocacy on social and economic issues. 5

Advocacy

Ignite Philanthropy advocates for using the identity politics concept of intersectionality to address issues related to violence against children. It also advocates for the funding of so-called “equitable distribution of resources” to countries based on the income of the country and the distribution of resources to organizations that it determines are under-funded. 6

Under the umbrella of intersectionality, Ignite Philanthropy advocates for blanket support of left-of-center issues under the guise of addressing violence against children. As result, it advocates for redistributionist initiatives. Also due to its support for intersectionality, it blames patriarchy, all forms of discrimination, colonialism, and normalizing heterosexuality as the root causes violence against children and states that it uses this perspective to inform its advocacy. 7

Ignite Philanthropy states that it supports its advocacy through its “Thrive Together” grantmaking program, which ended in 2023. The only requirement for organizations seeking a Thrive Together grant was that they are led by individuals who were victims of childhood violence. 8

Ignite Philanthropy’s “Strategic Network” program supports the group’s advocacy by partnering with organizations to discuss how they can address the issue of childhood sexual violence. The program states it prioritizes so-called “anti-oppression” advocacy with its network partners to address childhood sexual violence. Its 2024 to 2025 “Implementation Plan” states that it has 10 long-term grants to partner organizations and will last throughout 2024 to fund its networking efforts. 9

Criticisms From Partner Organizations

In 2023, Ignite Philanthropy conducted a survey with current and prospective partners to obtain feedback on its work. Participants responded that Ignite Philanthropy needed to be transparent about how it is philanthropic approach, its positioning on issues, and its areas of work connect to violence against children. Additional feedback included a lack of focus on strategies to prevent violence against children and communication plans for its advocacy. 10

Grantmaking

In 2023, Ignite Philanthropy launched a grant program called “Thrive Together” that gave out 14 grants up to $20,000 each to organizations globally. The grants went to groups led by victims of childhood violence and advocated on behalf of the issue. 11

Leadership

Maha Anter is the head of operations and program support for Ignite Philanthropy. Previously, Anter worked for the United Kingdom-based Stars Foundation and With and For Girls Fund, where she oversaw grantmaking. 12

References

  1. “Ignite Philanthropy.” The Human Dignity Foundation, November 25, 2020. https://www.humandignity.foundation/grantee/ignite-philanthropy-2/.
  2. “2024-2025 Implementation Plan.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abd02788d57e1fd85f0816/1705758759893/Ignite_Philanthropy_Implementation_Plan_2024-2025_EN.pdf.
  3. “Summary of Field Consultation Input and Strategy Improvements .” Ignite Philanthropy, June 2023. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abd0090e949c0ab0dbcc85/1705758729486/Ignite_Philanthropy_Field_Consultation_EN.pdf.
  4. “Ignite Philanthropy.” The Human Dignity Foundation, November 25, 2020. https://www.humandignity.foundation/grantee/ignite-philanthropy-2/.
  5. .“.Enabling Transformative Change from Local to Global: In Summary.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65f00be0a899e90a18682051/1710230496854/Ignite_Strategy_2024-2029_Exec_Summary_EN.pdf
  6. “2024-2025 Implementation Plan.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abd02788d57e1fd85f0816/1705758759893/Ignite_Philanthropy_Implementation_Plan_2024-2025_EN.pdf.
  7. “2024-2029 Strategy.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abc7c2e857340af3b54f06/1705756610680/Ignite_Philanthropy_Strategy_2024-2029_EN.pdf.
  8. “2024-2025 Implementation Plan.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abd02788d57e1fd85f0816/1705758759893/Ignite_Philanthropy_Implementation_Plan_2024-2025_EN.pdf.
  9. “2024-2025 Implementation Plan.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abd02788d57e1fd85f0816/1705758759893/Ignite_Philanthropy_Implementation_Plan_2024-2025_EN.pdf.
  10. “Summary of Field Consultation Input and Strategy Improvements .” Ignite Philanthropy, June 2023. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f9fba72994cac80e4214b6/t/65abd0090e949c0ab0dbcc85/1705758729486/Ignite_Philanthropy_Field_Consultation_EN.pdf.
  11. “Thrive Together.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://www.ignitephilanthropy.org/thrive-together.
  12. “Maha Anter.” Ignite Philanthropy. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://www.ignitephilanthropy.org/maha.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 2007

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2021 Dec Form 990 $963,814,870 $552,517,598 $1,240,165,354 $121,945,666 N $954,914,471 $5,592,131 $1,243,301 $1,064,921
    2020 Dec Form 990 $975,483,022 $658,874,215 $822,949,241 $109,560,817 N $965,342,332 $4,945,524 $3,645,155 $515,562
    2019 Dec Form 990 $460,798,902 $420,857,504 $490,833,258 $83,355,380 N $450,007,353 $3,902,750 $4,554,888 $408,672 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $405,281,263 $373,007,693 $422,572,828 $51,081,614 Y $394,964,720 $6,939,138 $2,403,729 $598,350 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $358,858,641 $329,784,536 $383,435,182 $44,217,538 N $356,195,628 $2,981,865 $2,565,115 $252,299 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $357,581,316 $264,546,947 $364,305,889 $42,489,604 N $363,725,355 $3,205,477 $1,403,901 $236,660 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $318,405,056 $214,351,188 $264,453,055 $34,360,980 N $315,729,299 $2,100,649 $620,682 $160,833 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $179,424,945 $134,487,602 $143,413,906 $17,602,708 N $177,897,024 $1,222,950 $341,155 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $112,942,320 $74,982,490 $85,262,349 $4,388,494 N $111,843,284 $906,840 $192,196 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $52,519,099 $39,574,786 $44,254,337 $1,340,312 N $51,601,903 $764,640 $152,556 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $36,542,348 $24,722,363 $32,883,497 $2,913,785 N $35,238,110 $1,138,686 $162,836 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)