In a move that keeps the spirit of Yip Harburg alive, the foundation is awarding grants between $500 and $5,000 to 501(c)(3) nonprofits with assets under $10 million. Eligible organisations must apply once per year and can submit their proposal at any of the four quarterly review meetings held in December, March, June, and September.
Past grantees include the Bail Project, RIP Medical Debt, and the Midwest Innocence Project, all of whom received funding for legal advocacy, medical debt relief, and criminal‑justice reform. The foundation’s grant statistics show that 30 % of its money goes to social and economic justice, 30 % to immigration rights, and 40 % to environmental, climate, and underserved‑community initiatives.
The foundation’s coffers are fed by royalties from Harburg’s catalog of over 600 songs, including the Academy‑Award‑winning “Over the Rainbow.” Although the foundation does not disclose which specific tracks generate the revenue, it directs licensing inquiries through the Yip Harburg Lyrics Foundation and the Songwriters Guild of America.
Applications are reviewed within 30 days of submission, and recipients are notified of funding decisions. The foundation’s next grant cycle will open in September 2024, with deadlines set for the following month, allowing nonprofits to plan their fiscal year around the foundation’s funding schedule.