Six women forming interconnected shapes by joining their thumbs and index fingers together with palms facing outward, most wearing Mauna Medic caps, symbolizing unity and solidarity for Maui Medic Healers Hui, a Tides Foundation WE LEAD grantee partner.

COMMUNITY

IS POWER

Where there is community, there is power: To unite for justice, to stand for dignity and human rights, to unlock transformative change. In a pivotal election year that both galvanized movement leaders and signaled a political and social shift, Tides remained steadfast in our commitment to social justice. Here’s how we moved resources and historically denied both to fuel their justice-advancing work in 2024.

Maui Medic Healers Hui, a Tides Foundation WE LEAD grantee partner

A Message From Our CEO

In a year that challenged our democracy and fundamental civil rights, 2024 revealed the extraordinary resilience of proximate leaders and their communities.

The scale of our impact in 2024 tells a powerful story: We awarded more than $445 million in grants distributed across 3,250+ Tides Foundation grantees globally. We also supported more than 125 organizations through fiscal sponsorship. But the true measure of our success lies in the stories of impact which are interwoven throughout this report.

Across the country, countless grassroots organizations mobilized voters from disenfranchised communities to participate in the democratic process. Reproductive rights advocates successfully led ballot measure efforts to protect or expand access to reproductive justice in seven states. And when devastating wildfires in Hawai’i and hurricanes in Florida and North Carolina struck, they guided emergency response efforts for those who needed them most.

Janiece Evans-Page

What binds these efforts is an essential truth: community is power.

Real change happens when those closest to the challenges have the support they need to create solutions. At Tides, we remain as committed as ever to shifting power and resources to communities who face systemic barriers. This commitment requires continually examining our practices, deepening our partnerships with doers and donors, and always centering the proximate leaders who are driving transformative change in their communities.  

We recognize that the most powerful role we can play is to support, amplify, and follow those who have always held the keys to justice and transformation. We’re asking you to join forces with us and pledge to share capabilities and resources to communities already forging their own solutions. 

In partnership,

Janiece Evans-Page

Young Black woman speaks passionately at an outdoor event, holding a sheet of paper and wearing a shirt that reads “SAFE NOT STRANDED,” advocating for safety, dignity, and justice for all communities.

Two advocates at a rally holding signs supporting immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights; one sign reads “Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” and the other calls for unity against oppression. The scene highlights grassroots activism and intersectional solidarity.

Justice Action Center (top) and Florida Immigrant Coalition (bottom), Tides Foundation I-Belong Fund grantee partners

Brickson Diamond

Message From Our Board Chair

The social sector stands at a pivotal moment. As threats to our democracy increase; climate disasters intensify; and efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion escalate, traditional philanthropic approaches are proving insufficient. The path forward demands a fundamental shift in how we deploy resources and share power. As Board Chair, I've watched with pride as Tides has deepened its commitment to shifting power and strengthened its infrastructure to meet the complex challenges of our time.

At Tides, “community is power” isn’t just a theme — it's the through line that drives every aspect of our work. We are committed to ensuring that our infrastructure serves rather than hinders a shift in power to communities. The challenges we face as a society demand nothing less than a radical reimagining of how we fund and support social change.

Throughout 2024, our Board engaged in profound reflection on what it truly means to be in service to movement leaders. We’ve examined our governance structures, decision-making processes, and accountability frameworks in an effort to shift power, center community wisdom, and recognize that those proximate to the issues invariably hold the most insightful solutions.

The stories within this report illuminate what becomes possible when resources flow to communities without unnecessary restrictions. As we look ahead, the Board remains steadfast in our commitment to evolving Tides’ approach to meet this moment. We will continue to leverage our positions to advocate for practices that center justice and equity across the philanthropic sector, and we invite our peers and partners to join us in this vital transformation.

In solidarity,

Brickson Diamond