NCRP

What NCRP does

NCRP (National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research, advocacy, and watchdog organization founded in 1976 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It operates as the only independent watchdog of foundations in the United States, working to make philanthropy more accountable, transparent, and responsive to marginalized communities. Its core deliverables are organized around three pillars: Supporting Movements (Movement Investment Project, Reproductive Access & Gendered Violence Initiative, Climate Justice engagement), Setting Standards (the Power Moves self-assessment toolkit for foundations, biennial Impact Awards, data advocacy with Candid), and Responding to the Moment (the Regressive Philanthropy Initiative, rapid-response research).

Its product surface is content- and services-based rather than technology-based: a comprehensive Resource Library dating to 1976, the quarterly Responsive Philanthropy journal, the Power Moves assessment framework, the Movement Investment Project briefs, and the Unpacking Philanthropy video series. Technical infrastructure is limited to a WordPress website, interactive data visualizations on philanthropic giving (e.g., immigrant/refugee funding), and a database managed in-house.

NCRP is funded almost entirely through donations and grants from institutional donors (foundations including Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation) and individuals; no commercial pricing exists. Its customer base is horizontal: foundations and grantmakers (primary), nonprofits and social justice movements (primary), media and researchers (secondary), and individual donors (secondary). The organization employs approximately 22 staff (President & CEO Aaron Dorfman, EVP & CIO Russell Roybal, VP/COO Burhan Razi, plus directors of research, communications, resource mobilization, data, field, and movement engagement).

Name

NCRP

Legal name

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Website

https://ncrp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit watchdog, founded in 1976, that conducts research and advocacy to make U.S. foundations more accountable and to direct philanthropic resources toward social justice movements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Advocacy and Research

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAE

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAN

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAJ

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Philanthropy advocacy
• Foundation accountability
• Movement investment
• Grantmaker research
• Social justice funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Donations: NCRP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization financially supported by institutional donors (foundations) and individuals who share their vision for philanthropy. The organization receives contributions from grantmaker supporters including major foundations such as Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and others listed on their supporters page. Donors receive additional supporter-only updates and invitations to learning and engagement opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NCRP conducts research, advocacy, and standards-setting to make U.S. philanthropy more responsive, accountable, and equitable. Its core offerings include the Movement Investment Project (guiding funders toward social justice movements), the Power Moves self-assessment toolkit (evaluating foundations on Build/Share/Wield Power dimensions), the NCRP Impact Awards (recognizing exemplary grantmakers), the Responsive Philanthropy Journal (flagship quarterly publication), and a comprehensive Resource Library of philanthropic research dating to 1976. These offerings serve foundations, nonprofits, and grassroots movement organizations seeking to redirect resources toward underserved communities and social justice outcomes.

Product overview

NCRP offers a platform of advocacy and research products centered on promoting responsive and accountable philanthropy. The core offerings include the Movement Investment Project (providing analysis and guidance for funders on movement-based giving), Power Moves (a self-assessment toolkit for foundations to evaluate their equity practices across Build/Share/Wield Power dimensions), the NCRP Impact Awards (recognizing exemplary funders), and the Responsive Philanthropy Journal (NCRP's flagship publication). Additional products include the Resource Center/Library of historical research, data advocacy partnerships with Candid, and specialized movement investment resources. These offerings work together as an integrated ecosystem aimed at improving philanthropy sector accountability and directing resources to social justice movements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Movement Investment Project A research and analysis initiative that provides funders with guidance on investing in social justice movements. Includes resources, briefs, and testimonials from movement leaders on effective funding practices for community-led advocacy and organizing. Targeted at foundations, institutional grantmakers, and grassroots movement organizations.
• Power Moves A comprehensive self-assessment toolkit for foundations to evaluate how well they are building, sharing, and wielding power for equity and justice. Includes guides, sample questionnaires, discussion tools, and case studies across three dimensions: Build Power, Share Power, and Wield Power. Targeted at foundation leadership and program officers.
• NCRP Impact Awards

Quantifiable outcome

• 115:1 return on investment for social justice funding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CandidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024NCRP and Candid renewed their data collaboration agreement in August 2024. NCRP uses Candid data to produce research such as the Black Funding Denied report on philanthropy’s resourcing of Black communities. The partnership helps ensure funders and nonprofits have access to high-quality, consistent, and timely public data on grantmaking. NCRP will encourage nonprofits to provide demographic data through Candid’s Demographics via Candid initiative and work with Candid to improve subject area coding and taxonomy of grants and grantees to better reflect movement work.
• CHANGE PhilanthropyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHANGE Philanthropy is listed as an organizational supporter of NCRP. As a coalition of philanthropic networks working together to strengthen bridges across funders and communities, CHANGE Philanthropy has collaborated with NCRP on sector initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO): GEO is a community of foundations committed to learning and effectiveness in philanthropy. It overlaps with NCRP's Power Moves and standards-setting work aimed at improving foundation practice.
• Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP): CEP produces research and assessment tools (e.g., Grantee Perception Report) used by foundations to evaluate their effectiveness. It directly overlaps with NCRP's Power Moves assessment work in helping foundations diagnose and improve their practices.
• Independent Sector: Independent Sector is a national membership organization of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs that conducts research, policy advocacy, and public-facing campaigns on the charitable sector — directly comparable to NCRP's role as sector advocate and researcher.
• Council on Foundations: Council on Foundations is a leading membership association for U.S. foundations that produces research, convenes funders, and sets community standards — overlapping with NCRP's role in defining and promoting philanthropic best practices.
• Bolder Advocacy: Bolder Advocacy (an Alliance for Justice program) provides resources to help nonprofits and foundations engage in advocacy legally and effectively — directly comparable to NCRP's movement-investment education work.
• Alliance for Justice: Alliance for Justice advocates for nonprofits' advocacy rights and works to ensure foundations can support policy and civic engagement work — closely aligned with NCRP's mission of defending foundations' ability to fund advocacy and social justice movements.
• Candid: Candid (formerly Foundation Center + GuideStar) is the dominant philanthropy data and research organization. It is both NCRP's closest data partner and the most direct peer in producing sector-wide research, transparency tools, and grantmaking analytics for U.S. foundations and nonprofits.

Others

• Funders' Committee for Civic Participation: A network of foundations that support civic participation and democracy grantmaking — a thematically adjacent coalition partner that shares NCRP's focus on resourcing movement and civic engagement work.

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Philanthropy Group: The Aspen Institute's philanthropic-sector programs (including the Aspen Philanthropy Group) produce research and convene leaders on responsive and effective philanthropy — a broader-incumbent peer that overlaps in research and convening mission.

Emerging players

• Decolonizing Wealth Project: An emerging player that reframes philanthropic practice around racial equity and reparative giving — sharing NCRP's social-justice framing but more focused on donor education and movement-aligned giving strategies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncrp
• Xx.com/ncrp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NCRP