Blavatnik Family Foundation
The Blavatnik Family Foundation is a New York-based private foundation founded by Sir Leonard Blavatnik. It supports scientific research, higher education, arts and culture, Jewish history, and charitable initiatives, with the stated aim of advancing innovation, discovery, and creativity.
Key facts about Blavatnik Family Foundation
In short: Blavatnik Family Foundation gave $43.7M across 108 grants in 2024 (avg $405K), mostly in New York. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 81-2444350
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $43,716,168
- Grants made (2024)
- 108
- Average grant
- $404,779
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (34 of 108, 2024)
- Total assets
- $57,533,348
- Primary geography
- New York (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$57.5M
-41.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$43.7M
-37.0% YoY
Grant Count
108
-16.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$405K
-24.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Blavatnik Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Blavatnik Family Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 34 of 108 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $149K; repeat grants $522K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $63K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to advance innovation, discovery, and creativity through support for scientific research, higher education, arts and culture, and Jewish history. It describes its scientific work as supporting early-stage research with the potential to address major challenges, including research with the potential to redefine human health. It also supports fellowships and grants at research universities, arts and cultural institutions, and the preservation of Jewish history through the Blavatnik Archive.
Its 2024 grants illustrate support for education, research, medical research, Jewish community organizations, and document preservation. Among the grantees, Brandeis University describes its mission as advancing the humanities, arts, and social, natural, and physical sciences; the Stravinsky Institute Foundation says it promotes art through education and practice, particularly in relation to American and Russian cultures. The Better Angels Society says it supports American history documentaries intended to encourage learning and civic engagement.
The Foundation also describes humanitarian and social support for local organizations serving underprivileged, marginalized, and at-risk communities. Its Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund supports organizations working on education, arts and culture, and criminal justice reform, with grantmaking, capacity building, and community building.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 108 grants totaling $43,716,168. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $11,853,633, with a median of $50,000.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Blavatnik Family Foundation
Ready to take the next step with Blavatnik Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation is based in New York. Its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (51%), Colorado (27%), Massachusetts (11%), Rhode Island (5%), and Virginia (1%). The Foundation also describes humanitarian and charitable work around the world.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 108 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $35.9M (2021) to $136.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 108 grants totaling $43.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Moore Impact Inc ($11.9M). Together the top 10 received $32.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
510 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 196 grants of 510 (38%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Moore Impact Inc Denver, CO | To provide agile, thoughtful, and expansive support to individuals, families, and organizations in order to help changemakers solve some of the worlds greatest challenges | $11,853,633 |
| American Friends Tel Aviv Universit New York, NY | Support for Education | $5,225,200 |
| The New York Academy of Science New York, NY | Support for SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE | $4,557,785 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Support for Education and Research | $2,400,000 |
| Americans for Oxford Inc New York, NY | Support for education | $2,096,340 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | support for education | $2,000,000 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Support for Education | $1,340,000 |
| Brandeis University Waltham, MA | support for education | $1,250,000 |
| Colel Chabad Brooklyn, NY | Support for Jewish Community | $1,100,000 |
| NYU Medical Center New York, NY | Support for Medical Research | $1,100,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $57,533,348 | $3,556,739 | $44,629,206 | $43,716,168 | 108 |
| 2023 | $98,929,513 | $122,781,436 | $72,371,373 | $69,425,051 | 130 |
| 2022 | $47,857,010 | $87,429,834 | $40,244,521 | $39,218,621 | 90 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $57,533,348 | $98,929,513 | $47,857,010 |
| Revenue | $3,556,739 | $122,781,436 | $87,429,834 |
| Expenses | $44,629,206 | $72,371,373 | $40,244,521 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $44,554,206 | $70,109,373 | $39,895,384 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,540,496 | $116,581,436 | $73,025,934 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,423,681 | $1,778,726 | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Foundation’s website lists Sir Leonard Blavatnik as Founder; Lady Emily Blavatnik as Co-Chair; Alex Blavatnik and Sir Michael Pakenham as Senior Advisors; and Peter Thoren and Lisa Shields as Executive Vice Presidents. The 2024 filing lists CPTC LLC as Trustee.
Blavatnik Family Foundation's only listed officer is Cptc LLC, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (uncompensated).
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cptc LLC
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: C/O Access Inc 40 West 57Th St 28Fl, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (203) 622-7400
Website: https://blavatnikfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Blavatnik Family Foundation
How much does Blavatnik Family Foundation give each year?
Blavatnik Family Foundation gave $43.7M across 108 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $69.4M across 130 grants.
What is Blavatnik Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Blavatnik Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $404,779, across 108 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Blavatnik Family Foundation that year got $149K on average.
Where does Blavatnik Family Foundation give grants?
Blavatnik Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (27%) and Massachusetts (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (43 grants), Brooklyn, NY (12 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (3 grants).
Does Blavatnik Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 108 grants with a stated purpose on Blavatnik Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Education" (10 grants), "Support for the arts" (4 grants) and "Support for Jewish Community" (3 grants).
Who are Blavatnik Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Blavatnik Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Moore Impact Inc ($11,853,633), American Friends Tel Aviv Universit ($5,225,200) and The New York Academy of Science ($4,557,785), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Blavatnik Family Foundation?
Blavatnik Family Foundation reported $57.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $44.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Blavatnik Family Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to advance innovation, discovery, and creativity through support for scientific research, higher education, arts and culture, and Jewish history. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Blavatnik Family Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Blavatnik Family Foundation's EIN?
Blavatnik Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2444350. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Blavatnik Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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