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Non-profit

Pillars Fund

Website:

pillarsfund.org/
Location:

CHICAGO, IL
Tax ID:

81-0983087
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $2,244,617
Expenses: $2,052,444
Assets: $2,621,737
Type:

Grantmaking Organization
President:

Kashif Shaikh

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The Pillars Fund is a left-of-center Muslim grantmaking organization that provides grants to political organizations that oppose voter integrity laws, establish activist incubators, advocate for race-focused social and economic policies, and seek to extend voting rights to ex-felons, in addition to general funding for the arts and sciences. 1

Background

The Pillars Fund was founded in 2010 as a volunteer-based organization. 2 Pillars Fund became an official nonprofit organization in 2015. 2 Kashif Shaikh, the president and founder of the organization, created the Pillars Fund as an intermediary through which contributions could flow to other Muslim organizations. 2

Shaikh has stated that he was inspired to form the Pillars Fund after participating in a workshop hosted by the Stanford University Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS). 2 Beyond the workshop, Shaikh has noted that the Pillars Fund was inspired by other community-focused organizations, including the United Way and local Jewish federations. 2

Finances

In 2019, Pillars Fund received $2,244,617 in total revenue, 3 made $2,052,444 in expenditures, 4 and possessed $2,564,821 in net assets. 5

Grantmaking

Grants in 2022

In 2022, the Pillars Fund made contributions to 32 Muslim organizations, touching on a variety of subject matters including voting law and race- and ethnicity-based social and economic policies. 6

Pillars Fund supported a number of organizations that advocate for government policies that benefit specific groups over others with taxpayer dollars based on race, ethnicity, and religion such as the Action Center on Race and the Economy 6 and the Appellate Project, a left-of-center organization that hosts an incubator program to increase minority participation in appellate-level litigation. 7

Pillars Fund has contributed to  the Action Center on Race and the Economy, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, Mpower Change, Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, Pillars of the Community, Vigilant Love, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment, American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute, New American Leaders, the Hurma Project, Malikah, Project South,  and the Inverse Surveillance Project. 1

In 2022, the Pillars Fund contributed to Believers Bail Out, 1 an organization that provides bail for incarcerated individuals and individuals held in custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 8

In addition to pooling money to provide bail, Believers Bail Out advocates for abolishing the bond system entirely, 8 and refers to bail as a “system that criminalizes poverty and is inherently racist in nature.” 8

In 2022, the Pillars Fund contributed to organizations that advocate for weakening voter integrity laws, such as the Georgia Muslim Voter Project, which has opposed voter identification laws and limits on absentee voting, 9 and Inner-City Muslim Action Network, which has advocated for individuals on parole and probation to have voting privileges. 10 Other organizations supported by the Pillars Fund include the IL Muslim Civic Coalition and the Emgage Foundation. 1

In 2022, the Pillars Fund contributed to Muslim-related museums, publications, and medical research centers, including the International Museum of Muslim Cultures, American Muslim Health Professionals, Global Deaf Muslim Project, the Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab, and Maristan. 1

Grants in 2019

In 2019, the Pillars Fund made contributions to 26 Muslim organizations. 11 In 2019, the Pillars Fund contributed to NEO Philanthropy ($26,000), 6 a left-of-center grantmaking organization. 12

In 2019, the Pillars Fund contributed to the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute at University of Southern California ($51,000), Allied Media Projects ($42,500), Muslim Wellness Foundation ($26,500), Muslim Power Building Project, Muslim Advocates ($51,000) , Action Center on Race and the Economy ($10,000), the Hurma Project, Mpower Change, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding ($54,000), Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, Pillars of the Community ($16,000), and Project South ($26,000). 6

In 2019, the Pillars Fund contributed to the Emgage Foundation ($21,000), Georgia Muslim Voter Project ($11,000) , and the Inner-City Muslim Action Network ($50,000). 6

In 2019, the Pillars Foundation made contributions to a number of hospitals, museums, universities, and media companies, including the CUNY School of Law ($26,500), Georgetown University ($10,000), Huron University Fund ($16,000), Indiana University Foundation ($10,000), International Museum of Muslim Cultures ($26,000), Islamic Scholarship Fund ($16,000), Brooklyn Historical Society ($21,000), Children’s Museum of Manhattan ($21,000), Film Makers Collaborative ($21,000), and Unity Productions Foundation ($26,000). 6

Leadership

Kashif Shaikh is the founder and president of the Pillar Fund. Prior to forming the Pillar Fund, Shaikh worked for United Way and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. 13

References

  1. “Our-Portfolio – 2022” pillars. https://pillarsfund.org/grants/our-portfolio/
  2. Herman, Felicia. “Giving Circles in Cross-Cultural Context” ejewishphilanthropy.com November 19, 2013. Accessed May 10, 2022. https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/giving-circles-in-cross-cultural-context/
  3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Pillars Fund. Part I. Line 12. 2019.
  4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Pillars Fund . Part I. Line 18. 2019.
  5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Pillars Fund. Part I. Line 22. 2019.
  6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-I, Part II). Pillars Fund. Part IV. 2019.
  7. “FAQs” The Appellate Institute. https://theappellateproject.org/faqs
  8. “About Us” Believers Bail Out. https://believersbailout.org/about
  9. “Georgia Muslim Voter Project Joins Lawsuit Against New Voter Suppression Law” Georgia Muslim Voter Project. March 30, 2021. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://www.gamvp.org/blog/georgia-muslim-voter-project-joins-lawsuit-against-new-voter-suppresion-law
  10. “These Georgians can’t vote on Tuesday. But they’re mobilizing by the thousands.” Inner-City Muslim Action Network. November 2, 2020. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://www.imancentral.org/updates/no-taxation-feature-15691/
  11. “Our Portfolio – 2019” Pillars. https://pillarsfund.org/grants/our-portfolio/
  12. “About Us” NEO Philanthropy. https://neophilanthropy.org/about/
  13. Kapos, Shia.“KAPOS: Chicago grantmaker is making national waves” Chicago-Sun Times. August 7, 2017. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/8/7/18319422/kapos-chicago-grantmaker-is-making-national-waves
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 2016

    • 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
    2019 Dec Form 990 $2,244,617 $2,052,444 $2,621,737 $56,916 N $2,244,617 $0 $0 $155,000 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,454,674 $1,097,966 $2,405,417 $32,769 N $1,454,674 $0 $0 $150,000 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,906,122 $692,094 $2,021,096 $5,156 N $1,906,122 $0 $0 $112,500
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,077,075 $275,163 $809,746 $7,834 N $1,077,075 $0 $0 $50,000

    Pillars Fund

    200 W MADISON 3RD FLOOR
    CHICAGO, IL 60606-3412