Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations were organized in 1952 and are supported by two trusts established by Arthur Vining Davis. The Foundations make grants in private higher education, public educational media, interfaith leadership and religious literacy, palliative care, and environmental solutions.
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 at a glance
In short: Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 gave $4.2M across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $83K), top state New York. 65% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,211,339
- -8.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- +13.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $82,575
- -19.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $117,084,742
- +7.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 65% first-time grantees (33 of 51, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- Invitation Only
-
The Foundations accept unsolicited requests in Private Higher Education; their other four program areas are by invitation only. The process begins with a Letter of Inquiry submitted through the online portal. Competitive LOIs are invited to submit a full proposal, and full proposals are by invitation only. The Foundations generally fund discrete projects rather than organizational support and do not fund capital projects or endowments. Eligible organizations must be U.S.-based 501(c)(3) institutions.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 LOI cycle is closed. The Foundations’ website says no new LOIs may be started between then and March 2027, when information about the 2027–2028 review cycle is to be announced. The listed August 27, 2026 LOI deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The 2026 LOI cycle is closed.
- Contact
Application contact: Dr Michael J Murray Avd Foundati
Mailing address: 814 N Highway A1A Suite 300, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Phone: (904) 359-0670
Website: https://www.avdf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Weta ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
181 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 181 (46%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundations state that they support organizations and projects across the United States. In filing year 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York (34%), Massachusetts (16%), Virginia (12%), Washington, DC (9%), and California (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 open to new grantees?
65%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 51 grantees (65%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $55K; repeat grants $132K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $86K repeat.
- 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.7M (2021) to $4.6M (2023). In 2024 it made 51 grants totaling $4.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Weta Arlington, VA | Public Educational Media | $500,000 |
| WGBH Educational Foundation Brighton, MA | Public Educational Media | $400,000 |
| Uc Berkley Geater Good Science Center Berkeley, CA | Private Higher Education | $314,868 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mt Sinai CT New York, NY | Palliative Care | $300,000 |
| Fred Rogers Productions Pittburgh, PA | Public Educational Media | $300,000 |
| Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation New York, NY | Palliative Care | $250,000 |
| Hillel International Washington, DC | Interfaith Leadership and | $200,000 |
| Braver Angels New York, NY | Private Higher Education | $200,000 |
| Intervarsity Christian Fellowshipusa Madison, WI | Interfaith Leadership and | $184,000 |
| Heterodox Academy New York, NY | Private Higher Education | $180,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $117,084,742 | $8,286,995 | $5,882,273 | $4,211,339 | 51 | $5,084,691 | $8,193,928 | $5,546,037 |
| 2023 | $109,315,680 | $4,984,670 | $4,277,741 | $4,599,416 | 45 | $5,511,927 | $5,149,335 | $5,083,631 |
| 2022 | $101,929,843 | $3,681,044 | $6,681,173 | $4,474,419 | 30 | $5,380,358 | $4,116,053 | $5,201,592 |
| 2021 | $121,779,866 | $5,602,773 | $4,886,459 | $3,691,215 | 23 | $4,852,075 | $5,518,526 | $5,617,385 |
| 2020 | $108,538,903 | $6,280,857 | $7,137,773 | $3,944,867 | 32 | — | $6,088,023 | $4,684,460 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 reported a distributable amount of $5.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Arthur Vining Davis intended his namesake foundations to support “religious, charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes.” The Foundations currently identify five program areas:
- Private Higher Education supports private colleges and universities emphasizing undergraduate and liberal arts education, as well as associations and consortia serving those institutions. Grants typically support projects to improve student outcomes or enhance faculty leadership.
- Public Educational Media supports the production and distribution of programming through public media outlets. Supported programs typically have a firm national distribution commitment and often focus on science, history, or American youth.
- Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy supports programming to improve religious literacy or foster understanding and cooperation across religious traditions.
- Palliative Care is one of the Foundations’ stated program areas.
- Environmental Solutions supports work to educate audiences about urgent environmental problems, motivate action, and guide audiences to solutions.
The Foundations’ website says eligible grantees are U.S.-based 501(c)(3) institutions; they do not fund individuals. The website describes public media programming and projects in higher education among its funding. In 2024, grantees included WGBH Educational Foundation, whose stated mission is to educate, inspire, and entertain through programs and services, and Heterodox Academy, whose stated mission is to improve university research and education through open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement. Neighborly Faith describes its work as research and university-based events promoting friendship across religions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 51 grants totaling $4,211,339. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $500,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable grants included $500,000 to WETA for public educational media, $400,000 to WGBH Educational Foundation for public educational media, $314,868 to UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, $300,000 to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for palliative care, and $300,000 to Fred Rogers Productions for public educational media. Other grants included $200,000 to Hillel International and $200,000 to Braver Angels.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Serena Davis Hall as chair and Dr. Michael Murray as president. Trustees listed are Sarah H. Davis, Jonathan Davis, Dorothy Davis Key, Maynard Davis, Alicia Jaworski, John L. Kee III, Margaret Davis Maiden, and Ian H. Davis.
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 is led by Michael Murray, President on every filing since 2020; 4 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Murray
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$114K (2020) → $139K (2024)
Serena Davis Hall
Chair
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
BNY Mellon N A
Trustee
Coprorate Trustee → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$258K (2021) → $312K (2024)
Amanda Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher V. Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Davis Key
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John L. Kee III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah H. Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maynard Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alicia Jaworski
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Davis Maiden
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian H. Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John R. Kee
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Russell
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$49K (2023) → $50K (2024)
Miica Patterson
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$33K (2023) → $33K (2024)
Former officers (8)
- Former: Haley Davis Madole (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: William Kee (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: James Cote (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Tamara Davis (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Tim Michel (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Adora Gross (2021–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (2020) — Corporate Trustee & Investment
- Former: Eric Davis (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $312K, to BNY Mellon N a (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2
How much does Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 give each year?
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 gave $4.2M across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.6M across 45 grants.
What is Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's typical grant size?
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $82,575, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 that year got $55K on average.
Where does Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 give grants?
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's top state is New York, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (16%) and Virginia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Jacksonville, FL (4 grants) and Ithaca, NY (3 grants).
Does Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 give general operating support?
Occasionally: 4% of Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Special Projects" (26 grants), "Private Higher Education" (9 grants) and "Palliative Care" (6 grants).
Who are Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's largest grantees?
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's largest 2024 grantees include Weta ($500,000), WGBH Educational Foundation ($400,000) and Uc Berkley Geater Good Science Center ($314,868), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2?
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 reported $117.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 fund?
Arthur Vining Davis intended his namesake foundations to support “religious, charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes.” The Foundations currently identify five program areas: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2?
The Foundations accept unsolicited requests in Private Higher Education; their other four program areas are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's EIN?
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6041850. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/arthur-vining-davis-foundation-2-morg_84310a59fad14b2eb2c7597b2c3741ad
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_256041850_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Arthur Vining Davis Foundation \#2 funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/arthur-vining-davis-foundation-2-morg_84310a59fad14b2eb2c7597b2c3741ad},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2'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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