Afeyan Family Foundation
The Afeyan Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded by Noubar and Anna Afeyan in 2000, it designs, builds, and supports innovative organizations and initiatives in education, science and technology, and humanitarian action. Its programs affect communities around the world, including in Armenia and the greater Boston area.
Afeyan Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Afeyan Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $47K), mostly in Massachusetts. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,375,486
- -53.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -27.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $47,431
- -35.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $14,754,202
- +43.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (10 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Afeyan Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its grant-seeker page says it is not accepting grant or funding proposals at this time, based on its current commitments.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Website: https://afeyanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Afeyan Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($360K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 116 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its programs impact communities around the world, including Armenia and the greater Boston area. In the 2025 filing, grant dollars were reported as 60% to recipients in Massachusetts, 32% in California, 6% in New York, 1% in Texas, and less than 1% in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Afeyan Family Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 24 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $84K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $38K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 31% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 215% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2025) to $4.0M (2020). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | For the MISTI Armenia Fund within the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS) | $360,000 |
| Beacon Academy Inc Boston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $240,000 |
| American University of Armenia Corporation Glendale, CA | These funds support short-term collaborations grants, research grants, and a student research showcase themed around health and wellbeing, transport and mobility, sustainable and smart society, and industrial innovations and applications | $200,000 |
| Prostate Cancer Foundation Santa Monica, CA | PCF Young Investigator Award | $100,000 |
| Hakawati Tarzana, CA | AZAD (the rabbit and the wolf) production | $80,000 |
| Armenian General Benevolent Union New York, NY | Archbishop Khajag Barsamian representing the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Vatican | $50,000 |
| International Institute of New England Inc Boston, MA | Charitable Event | $50,000 |
| Armenian American Medical Assoc Inc Wellesley, MA | Overview Hypertension Management Program in Rural Armenia | $37,684 |
| Armenian American Medical Assoc Inc Wellesley, MA | Health Professions Education project run in partnership with HENAR and BU | $30,000 |
| Armenian American Medical Assoc Inc Wellesley, MA | Rural Family Medicine Fellowship Program | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Afeyan Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $14,754,202 | $6,025,484 | $1,527,301 | $1,375,486 | 29 | $1,401,150 | $2,556,466 | $653,038 |
| 2024 | $10,256,019 | $12,891,476 | $2,991,577 | $2,953,790 | 40 | $2,978,677 | $7,454,427 | — |
| 2023 | $356,120 | $2,264,432 | $2,290,863 | $2,216,823 | 21 | $2,261,664 | $742,359 | — |
| 2022 | $382,551 | $855,342 | $2,013,811 | $1,996,040 | 15 | $1,996,040 | $306,222 | $40,544 |
| 2021 | $1,541,020 | $607,640 | $2,357,778 | $2,319,374 | 11 | $2,319,374 | $569,236 | $123,424 |
| 2020 | $3,279,635 | $1,553,452 | $4,024,011 | $3,990,428 | 26 | — | $1,519,869 | $254,885 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Afeyan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $653K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated aim is to “build and advance innovative solutions for a better world.” Its website describes work in humanitarian action and science and technology, and lists education among the areas in which it supports organizations and initiatives. Its stated values include originality, equity and belonging, gratitude, and sustainability.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for varied organizations and purposes. MIT’s stated mission is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship. Beacon Academy says it works to close the opportunity gap for Greater Boston students through education and advocacy. The American University of Armenia describes its mission as supporting the university’s educational and research activities. The Prostate Cancer Foundation says it funds research into prostate cancer biology and treatment. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions, not additional stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $1,375,486. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $360,000, with a median grant of $15,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $360,000 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the MISTI Armenia Fund within MIT’s Center for International Studies; $240,000 to Beacon Academy for general and unrestricted support; and $200,000 to the American University of Armenia Corporation for short-term collaboration and research grants and a student research showcase. Other reported grants included $100,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation for a Young Investigator Award, $80,000 to Hakawati for an AZAD production, and $50,000 to the Armenian General Benevolent Union for representation of the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Vatican.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Noubar B Afeyan and Anna K Afeyan Gunnarson as trustees.
Afeyan Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anna K Afeyan Gunnarson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Noubar B Afeyan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Afeyan Family Foundation
How much does Afeyan Family Foundation give each year?
Afeyan Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.0M across 40 grants.
What is Afeyan Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Afeyan Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $47,431, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Afeyan Family Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Afeyan Family Foundation give grants?
Afeyan Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (32%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (8 grants), Wellesley, MA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Cambridge, MA (2 grants).
Does Afeyan Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 41% of Afeyan Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Event" (4 grants).
Who are Afeyan Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Afeyan Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($360,000), Beacon Academy Inc ($240,000) and American University of Armenia Corporation ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Afeyan Family Foundation?
Afeyan Family Foundation reported $14.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $653K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Afeyan Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to “build and advance innovative solutions for a better world.” Its website describes work in humanitarian action and science and technology, and lists education among the areas in which it supports organizations and initiatives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Afeyan Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Afeyan Family Foundation's EIN?
Afeyan Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3489109. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Afeyan Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Afeyan Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/afeyan-family-foundation-morg_5286c90829764c8d86417214e42b3736
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043489109_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Afeyan Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/afeyan-family-foundation-morg_5286c90829764c8d86417214e42b3736},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Afeyan Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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