Angelica Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Angelica Foundation supports organizations that defend and advocate for human rights in the United States, Mexico, and Latin America. Its grantmaking supports work in women’s rights, indigenous rights, land usage and ownership, immigration and freedom of the press.
IP TAKE: This progressive funder mainly supports smaller local and grassroots rights organizations. While it supports efforts throughout North and South America, it strongly prioritizes work in Mexico. The foundation is radically transforming the ways in which it conducts grantmaking as of 2020 to become less formal. What that means, it remains to be seen. Check back with this funder often to stay abreast of new developments.
PROFILE: The Angelica Foundation was established in 1992 by Suzanne and James Dollin to support “progressive organizations and programs in the U.S. and Latin America that empower communities to become more economically, socially, and environmentally just.” James Dollin is the founder of investment management company Pacific Partners and the non-profit Social Ventures Network, while Suzanne is the former president of the Threshold Foundation. The Angelica Foundation invests in grantmaking that promotes democracy, increases transparency, women’s rights, indigenous people’s rights, drug policy reform, and to “[advance] fair and humane immigration and economic policies.
Angelica used to partner with the Sigrid Rausing Trust, which has supported its work in New Mexico for over a decade, but ended this relationship in 2020. The Angelica Foundation has since partnered with the Threshold Foundation. The Angelica conducts various kinds of grantmaking in several focus areas through largely one program. Despite it’s name, the Mexico Human Rights Program, the foundation conducts an array of related grantmaking.
Grants for Women and Girls
The Angelica Foundation’s grantmaking for women and girls supports organizations in the United States and Latin America. It especially prioritizes Mexico, where cofounder Suzanne Dollin was raised, as its main grantmaking initiative is the Mexico Human Rights Program. In the past, Angelica has supported rights programs at organizations such as Global Exchange and the Center for Civic Policy. Other recent grantees for women’s rights include Casa Amiga Centro de Crisis and Las Libres (Centro Las Libres de Información en Salud Sexual).
Grants for Global Security and Indigenous Rights
Although the Angelica Foundation funds organizations working in the United States and Latin America, the core of its grantmaking is its more broadly named Mexico Human Rights Program. The foundation conducts both global security and indigenous rights work through this program, which supports organizations whose work involves judicial reform, community development, indigenous land rights and “resistance to extractive mega-projects,” women’s rights, immigration reform, and freedom of the press. Grantees in this area include Centro de Derechos Humanos, Centro Derechos Humanos las Mujeres, Ojo de Agua, Otros Mundos, and Servicios y Asesoría para la Paz A.C. (Serapaz).
Grants for Journalism and Media
One of the main priorities of the Angelica Foundation’s Mexico Human Rights Program is freedom of the press and protection for journalists in Mexico and Latin America. It supports groups that protect and advocate for journalists and periodicals that expose governmental corruption, especially in regions where reporters are frequently assassinated over their work. Grantees include Investigative Journalism Human Rights Field Analysis, Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales, Red de Periodistas Sociales, and Rompe el Medio – Articulo 19/Mexico.
Grants for Immigration
The Angelica Foundation funds work that supports the rights of migrant workers and immigrants across the United States and Latin America through its Mexico Human Rights Program. Grantees include Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Fair Immigration Reform Movement, and Global Exchange – Mexican Caravan Against Fear.
Important Grant Details:
Grant amounts typically range from $5,000 to $20,000. While the foundation strongly prioritizes work in Mexico, where co-founder Suzanne Dollin was raised, it may fund organizations throughout Latin America. Its grantmaking in the United States is generally limited to the southern border regions, especially New Mexico, where the Dollins reside. To learn more about the types of organizations Angelica supports, explore its recent grants list.
The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests for funding. The foundation makes grants only by invitation.
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