Policy Impact

In 2021, Policy Impact received a $230,000 grant from the left-of-center Tides Foundation ⁴ and a $85,000 grant from the William and Hewlett Foundation directed to Democracy Funders Network. ⁵ Policy Impact also received $400,000 in grants from the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties between 2016 and 2018 ^{6 7 8} and $255,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2016. ⁹

History and Leadership

Policy Impact is headquartered in Berkeley, California. ¹⁰ The organization received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in February 2011. ¹¹

Kari Saratovsky is the executive director of Policy Impact. ¹² She has previously worked at the left-of-center Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, the Case Foundation, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. ¹³

Aaron Dorfman and Lionel Johnson are the directors of Policy Impact. Dorfman is the president and CEO of the left-wing philanthropic-industry advocacy group National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. He previously worked at People Acting for Community Together and left-of-center advocacy organization ACORN. ¹⁴ Johnson is a member of the board of directors of the Oxfam America, National Democratic Institute, RAND Corporation, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and  Truman National Security Project. Previously, he was the chairman of the board of directors of Foreign Policy for America and a board member of the NEA Foundation and Freedom House. ¹⁵

Activities and Funding

Policy Impact is a left-of-center organization that serves as a fiscal sponsor for donations and disbursements of individuals and foundations to other entities. ¹ Its partners often include youth-serving and other nonprofit organizations. ¹² The left-of-center donor community Democracy Funders Network is a fiscally sponsored project of Policy Impact. ^{2 3}

In 2021, Policy Impact spent $842,264 on a group of civic leaders for a biannual meeting to discuss how to “revitalize” the American system of governance and democracy at large. The project funded various reports about democracy, hosted events for “democracy funders” and was used to educate philanthropy on Policy Impact’s approach towards “investing in democracy.” Policy Impact also spent $142,674 on legislative staff to develop relationships and host education-related opportunities with experts and $47,457 on projects to mentor future “social change leaders.” ¹⁶ That same year, Policy Impact paid Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies $515,353 and Capitol Impact $144,946 for management and programmatic services. ¹⁷

In 2020, Policy Impact spent $420,000 on contracts for individuals who are “defending and rebuilding fundamental democratic norms, values, and institutions” and $232,800 on contracts for a digital magazine and community civic education projects to counter what the group calls “global illiberalism and authoritarianism” by “revitalizing philosophical liberal traditions.” Policy Impact spent $146,360 on contracts to coordinate education policy on issues including education, health, and the environment in as well as $50,445 on its Democracy Funders Network and Young Funder Learning Program in 2020. ¹⁸

Also in 2020, Policy Impact paid $339,505 to Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies, $232,800 to the Persuasion Institute, $144,356 to Capitol Impact Consulting, and $130,950 to Citizen Inc. for program service contractors. ¹⁹

Funding

Policy Impact receives its funding from individuals and foundation grants. In 2021, Policy Impact reported revenue of $1,622,078 and expenses of $1,129,953. In 2020, Policy Impact reported revenue of $722,098 and expenses of $888,745. ²⁰

In 2021, Policy Impact received $230,000 from the left-of-center Tides Foundation ⁴ and $85,000 from the William and Hewlett Foundation for its project, Democracy Funders Network. ⁵ The organization also received $29,594 from the Water Foundation in 2020. ²¹

Between 2016 and 2018, Policy Impact received $400,000 in grants from the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. ^{6 7 8}

Policy Impact also received $25,000 from the Marin Community Foundation in 2019, ²² $255,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2016, ⁹ and $74,850 from the left-of-center Resources Legacy Fund from 2017 to 2019. ^{23 24 25}