Founded in 1996, Proteus has brought together $145 million towards the realization of this vision. Partnering with individual donors and foundations, they design and manage collaborative grant making on a range of leading social change arenas—from curbing the growing influence of money in politics to advancing marriage equality and protecting civil liberties in an age of heightened national security. Their high-impact initiatives combine targeted grants and technical assistance, informed by rigorous policy analysis and research, as well as expert input from the field. Each program is structured around a strategy that is refined yearly, and when appropriate, incorporates a rapid response grant making function and support for lobbying activity.