Wallace Global Fund
Wallace Global Fund is a private family philanthropic foundation founded in 1995 that supports more than 300 people-powered movement partners annually across democracy, environment, corporate accountability, and women's rights using grants, mission-aligned investments, and advocacy voice.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wallace Global Fund does
Wallace Global Fund is a private philanthropic foundation established in 1995 as a spin-off from the Wallace Genetic Foundation, itself created in 1959 by Henry A. Wallace, the 33rd Vice President of the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt. The foundation is co-chaired by Henry Scott Wallace (grandson of Henry A. Wallace) and Scott Fitzmorris (great grandson) and led operationally by Executive Director Ellen Dorsey. Headquartered at 2000 S Street NW in Washington, D.C., WGF operates with a small staff in the 11–50 range.
The foundation supports people-powered movements advancing four intersectional program areas: democracy, environment, corporate accountability, and women's rights. Its deployment model combines grants, program-related investments, and the foundation's own advocacy voice rather than relying on grants alone. WGF supports more than 300 movement partners annually and reports spending in excess of the IRS-mandated 5% minimum distribution, maintaining a portfolio that is 100% divested from fossil fuels. Notable programmatic initiatives include the Henry A. Wallace Award (since 2017), the founding of the Divest-Invest Philanthropy coalition (2014) which grew to over 200 foundations and approximately $40 trillion in pledged divestments, the SHINE Campaign for distributed renewable energy, and the Donor Working Group on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.
WGF's revenue model is that of an endowment-funded foundation. It does not charge for products or services, does not accept unsolicited proposals, and does not publish pricing. Its revenue is derived from investment returns on a roughly $120 million endowment (as referenced in 2020), augmented by extraordinary giving commitments such as the 2020 pledge to spend 20% of endowment assets on COVID-19 and systemic change response. Distribution is conducted directly to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations, non-U.S. legal equivalents, and organizations demonstrating charitable intent whose work aligns with WGF's four program areas.
Wallace Global Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wallace Global Fund
- Legal name
- Wallace Global Fund
- Website
- https://wgf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wallace Global Fund is a private family philanthropic foundation founded in 1995 that supports more than 300 people-powered movement partners annually across democracy, environment, corporate accountability, and women's rights using grants, mission-aligned investments, and advocacy voice.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wallace Global Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Philanthropic Foundation
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Social Impact & Inclusive Finance Funds (FSANAJAH), Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
Keywords
Where Wallace Global Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wallace Global Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Endowment Returns and Investment Income: The foundation operates from an endowment and generates revenue through investment returns on its assets. They pursue mission-aligned investing, fully divested from fossil fuels, that delivers both positive social impact and financial returns.
- Philanthropic Grantmaking: Distributes funds to nonprofit organizations and social movements through grants and program-related investments to advance democracy, environment, corporate accountability, and women's rights initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Wallace Global Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wallace Global Fund is a private philanthropic foundation that channels grants and mission-aligned investments from an endowment to support people-powered movements advancing democracy, human rights, gender justice, and environmental protection. It combines grantmaking, impact investing, and an institutional advocacy voice to drive systemic change in its priority issue areas.
Product overview
Wallace Global Fund is a philanthropic foundation that supports people-powered movements advancing democracy, protecting human rights, and fighting for a healthy planet. The organization operates as a grantmaking foundation using grants, investments, and advocacy voice to advance its mission. As a philanthropic organization rather than a technology company, it does not offer software products, platforms, or digital services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Movement Grantmaking Program Multi-year general operating and project grants to nonprofit organizations, coalitions, and movement infrastructure groups advancing democracy, human rights, gender justice, and environmental protection. Designed for 501(c)(3) and fiscally sponsored advocacy organizations whose work aligns with the foundation's priority programs.
- Mission-Aligned Investing Program Deployment of endowment capital into investments selected for both financial return and alignment with the foundation's mission, including a 100% fossil fuel divestment commitment across the portfolio. Directed by the foundation's investment committee to support climate, democracy, and rights-positive outcomes alongside endowment performance.
- Henry A. Wallace Award An annual award recognizing leadership in advancing the foundation's priority areas of democracy, human rights, gender justice, and environmental protection, honoring the legacy of the foundation's namesake.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ movement partners supported annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wallace Global Fund
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Wallace Global Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wallace Global Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major, core and flagship.
- Business and Human Rights Resource CentresupportingWGF grantee that worked alongside International Trade Union Confederation and Corporate Accountability Roundtable to advocate for Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in EU.
- Global CitizenmajorWGF partnered with Global Citizen's Give While You Live campaign. At Global Goal: Unite for Our Future Summit, WGF committed 20% of endowment and challenged peers in philanthropy to double their giving for COVID-19 relief and systemic change efforts.
- Heartland FundcoreDonor partnership dedicated to building vibrant civic engagement and organizing capacity in rural areas of the United States. WGF provides catalytic support based on the landmark report 'All The People All The Places' on rural civic engagement.
- Human Dignity FoundationcoreCo-sponsored the End Violence Against Girls: Summit on FGM/C, the first global FGM/C convening in the U.S. at the United States Institute of Peace. Over 200 activists, policymakers, scholars and donors gathered to develop recommendations for FGM/C abandonment.
- Standing Rock Sioux TribeflagshipPresented inaugural Henry A. Wallace Award to Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for resistance defending sacred land and water against Dakota Access Pipeline. Provided $250,000 award and pledged up to $1 million in investments for renewable energy projects led by the Tribe.
- SHINE CampaigncoreInternational campaign to spur investment in distributed renewable energy projects to reach over 800 million people without energy access. WGF pledged 1% of assets and joined with Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) and GreenFaith as founding partners.
- Donor Working Group on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (DWG)coreCo-founded in 2001 with USAID, Public Welfare Foundation, WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, and others. Donor alliance committed to mobilizing resources and elevating efforts to end FGM worldwide.
- Protect the Protest Task ForcecoreCoalition launched to fight Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). Partners include Greenpeace, Earthrights International, 350.org, Center for Constitutional Rights, Public Citizen and others.
- US Institute of PeacecoreHost venue for the End Violence Against Girls: Summit on FGM/C, the first global FGM/C convening in the U.S.
- Divest-Invest PhilanthropyflagshipLaunched by Wallace Global Fund in 2014 with Compton Foundation, Schmidt Family Foundation, Russell Family Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Coalition of foundations committed to divesting from fossil fuels and investing 5% of assets into climate solutions. Grew to over 200 foundations signing the pledge. By 2021, reached $40 trillion in pledged divestment commitments.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wallace Global Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ford Foundation: One of the largest US private foundations, with a global grantmaking footprint across democracy, human rights, economic fairness, and climate. Highly comparable to WGF in programmatic verticals and progressive orientation, but operates at vastly greater scale (~$16B endowment) and broader geographic scope.
- Open Society Foundations: Large progressive private foundation funding democracy, human rights, and climate work globally. Closely comparable to WGF in thematic focus and movement-support approach, but with substantially larger capital and a more centralized network structure.
- MacArthur Foundation: Major US foundation supporting climate solutions, democratic participation, and human rights. Comparable in thematic verticals and progressive orientation, but with much greater endowment scale and a wider programmatic remit.
- Hewlett Foundation: Large family foundation funding climate, democracy, and global development. Overlapping programmatic priorities with WGF, but substantially larger endowment and a broader grantmaking footprint.
Direct peers
- NoVo Foundation: Family foundation focused on social justice, gender equality, and indigenous rights. Strong overlap with WGF's women's rights, democracy, and movement-support priorities, with comparable activist orientation.
- Tides Foundation: Public charity and fiscal sponsor that channels philanthropic capital to progressive social movements. Comparable to WGF as a movement-support intermediary, though Tides operates a sponsor/incubator model versus WGF's direct grantmaking.
- Arcus Foundation: Family foundation with focused grantmaking on social justice (including LGBTQ rights) and conservation. Comparable in mission-aligned investing, activist grantmaking, and small-staff foundation operating model.
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund: Also a co-founding partner of Divest-Invest Philanthropy alongside WGF. Family foundation focused on climate, democracy, and sustainable development with mission-aligned investing — directly comparable structure and thematic priorities.
- Schmidt Family Foundation: Co-founding partner of WGF's Divest-Invest Philanthropy in 2014. Family foundation with aligned mission on climate, democracy, and sustainability, making it a tight functional peer in both grantmaking and fossil-fuel divestment advocacy.
- Compton Foundation: Co-founder of the Divest-Invest Philanthropy coalition with WGF. Family foundation prioritizing environmental sustainability, peace, and justice, with similar mission-aligned investment approach and small-staff operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wallace Global Fund social profiles
Digital presenceWallace Global Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wallace Global Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Wallace Global Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wallace Global Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wallace Global Fund
What does Wallace Global Fund do?
Wallace Global Fund is a private philanthropic foundation that channels grants and mission-aligned investments from an endowment to support people-powered movements advancing democracy, human rights, gender justice, and environmental protection. It combines grantmaking, impact investing, and an institutional advocacy voice to drive systemic change in its priority issue areas.
Is Wallace Global Fund a public or private company?
Wallace Global Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wallace Global Fund founded?
Wallace Global Fund was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wallace Global Fund based?
Wallace Global Fund is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wallace Global Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Endowment Returns and Investment Income is the primary driver. The others are philanthropic Grantmaking.
Who are Wallace Global Fund's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, MacArthur Foundation and Hewlett Foundation. Direct peers are NoVo Foundation, Tides Foundation, Arcus Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Schmidt Family Foundation and Compton Foundation.
Does Wallace Global Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wallace Global Fund.
What industry is Wallace Global Fund in?
Wallace Global Fund's product category is Philanthropic Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of FSANAJAH, Social Impact & Inclusive Finance Funds. Its NAICS code is 813211.