Afeyan Family Foundation
The Afeyan Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2000 and based in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded by Noubar and Anna Afeyan, the foundation designs, builds, and supports innovative organizations and initiatives focused on education, science and technology, health, and humanitarian action. The foundation reflects the family's Armenian and Swedish heritage and operates with what the founders describe as "immigrant mindsets" rooted in tenacity, resilience, and creativity.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.3M
+2779.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.0M
+33.2% YoY
Grant Count
40
+90.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$74K
-30.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on building and advancing innovative solutions for a better world through imagination and community strength. The foundation focuses on four core areas:
- Education and Science & Technology: Supporting innovation and advancement in these fields
- Humanitarian Action: Designing and supporting initiatives that empower those in crisis situations
- Armenian-Related Initiatives: Funding projects and issues related to Armenia and the Armenian diaspora
- Health and Global Humanitarian Initiatives: Supporting broader humanitarian causes worldwide
The foundation emphasizes values of originality, equity and belonging, gratitude, and sustainability in its work.
Grantmaking
Typical awards range from $500 to $1,030,000.
Grant Range
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's programs impact communities around the world, with particular emphasis on:
- Armenia and the greater Boston area
- Massachusetts, California, and New York (primary funding regions)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Afeyan Family Foundation (2024)
- Total assets: $10,256,019
- Total revenues: $12,891,476
- Total expenses: $2,991,577
- Total giving: $2,953,790
Related Entity - Afeyan Foundation For Armenia (2023)
- Total assets: $17,681,786
- Total revenues: $5,037,063
- Total expenses: $3,662,482
The Afeyan family also provides financial support through multiple vehicles, including a donor-advised fund held at Morgan Stanley.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,256,019 | $356,120 | $382,551 |
| Revenue | $12,891,476 | $2,264,432 | $855,342 |
| Expenses | $2,991,577 | $2,290,863 | $2,013,811 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,978,677 | $2,261,664 | $1,996,040 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,454,427 | $742,359 | $306,222 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | $40,544 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Friends of Fast ($667,000), Friends of Mcgill University Inc ($400,000), Armenian General Benevolent Union ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA CORPORATION GLENDALE, CA | to support English language courses run in conjunction with the United States Embassy in Armenia | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA CORPORATION GLENDALE, CA | To promote interdisciplinary collaboration and research excellence at AUA through new-hire research supplements; short-term collaboration funds; seed grants for existing AUA faculty; building capacity for establishing a PhD program; student-incentive awards; and private sector internships | $200,000 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA CORPORATION GLENDALE, CA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN MONTEZUMA, NM | Two 2-year scholarship funds for eligible enrolled Artsakhi students at UWC Dilijan | $140,000 |
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN MONTEZUMA, NM | to support 10 Artsakhi students at the UWC Dilijan summer camp programs | $50,000 |
| ARMENIA ARTSAKH FUND INC NORTHRIDGE, CA | for shipping medicines and other supplies to help the victims of the Artsakh war and more recent ethnic cleansing/forced deportation | $60,000 |
| ARMENIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOC INC WELLESLEY, MA | for HENAR the Mobile Primary Care Unit in Kapan and the Rural Family Medicine Fellowship Program; for AAMA the Overview Hypertension Management Program in Rural Armenia, Establishing the Children's Rehabilitation Centre at the Meghri hospital, Introducing newborn hearing screenings at Meghri maternity, and Introducing Long-Term Cardiac Monitoring for Ischemic Stroke Patients | $155,040 |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION NEW YORK, NY | CIVITTA "Future of Artsakh Refugees in Armenia Study" needs assessment | $8,000 |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION NEW YORK, NY | the displaced people of Artsakh in Armenia | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founders & Leadership
- Noubar Afeyan: Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering, chairman and cofounder of Moderna. Born in Beirut to Armenian parents; earned a chemical engineering degree from McGill University in Montreal (1983) and a Ph.D. from MIT. His grandfather survived the Armenian genocide.
- Anna Afeyan Gunnarson: Co-founder of the Afeyan Foundation. Met Noubar at an American Chemical Society conference in California forty years ago while both were drawn to the emerging biotechnology field.
Both signed the Giving Pledge, committing to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noubar B Afeyan | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Anna K Afeyan Gunnarson | Trustee | 15 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2024 Initiatives**
Launched Afeyan Initiatives for Armenia (AIFA) to coordinate philanthropic work in Armenia
Afeyan Philanthropies Launches Afeyan Initiatives for Armenia (AIFA) - TheAllocated funding to support families displaced from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)
The Afeyan Foundation Allocates Funding to Support Families Displaced fromMade grants supporting mental health and psychosocial support implementation research through McGill University partnership
**Aurora Humanitarian Initiative**
In 2015, Noubar Afeyan co-founded the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative alongside Vartan Gregorian and Ruben Vardanyan. This initiative, born from the Armenian diaspora's historical trauma, aims to shine a global light on modern-day humanitarians. Aurora administers the $1 million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, which recognizes humanitarians whose courageous actions have improved millions of lives worldwide.
Afeyan Philanthropies Launches Afeyan Initiatives for Armenia (AIFA) - The**Philanthropic Commitment**
Noubar and Anna Afeyan have publicly committed to giving away the majority of their estimated $2 billion-plus fortune to philanthropic causes focused on science, education, and global humanitarian initiatives.
The Afeyans focus on humanitarianism, education and more | Inside PhilanthropySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Afeyan Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on building and advancing innovative solutions for a better world through imagination and community strength. The foundation focuses on four core areas: • **Education and Science & Technology**: Supporting innovation and advancement in these fields • **Humanitarian Action**: Designing and supporting initiatives that empower those in crisis situations • **Armenian-Related Initiatives**: Funding projects and issues related to Armenia and the Armenian diaspora • **…
How do I apply for a grant from Afeyan Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024)** • Total giving: $2,953,790 • Total assets: $10,256,019 • Number of grants: 21 grants made in 2024 **Recent Grants (2024)** • Friends of FAST: $667,000 (General & Unrestricted) • Friends of McGill University: $400,000 (MOA for the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Implementation Research Program) • Armenian General Benevolent Union: $250,000 (The Displaced People of Artsakh in Armenia) **Grant Range** Typical awards range from $500 to $1,030,000.
Where does Afeyan Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's programs impact communities around the world, with particular emphasis on: • Armenia and the greater Boston area • Massachusetts, California, and New York (primary funding regions)
What size grants does Afeyan Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Afeyan Family Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $3.0M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Afeyan Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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