Cato Institute
THE MISSION OF THE CATO INSTITUTE IS TO KEEP THE PRINCIPLES, IDEAS, AND MORAL CASE FOR LIBERTY ALIVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHILE MOVING PUBLIC POLICY IN THE DIRECTION OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, LIMITED GOVERNMENT, FREE MARKETS, AND PEACE.
Key facts about Cato Institute
- EIN
- 23-7432162
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $227,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 8
- Average grant
- $28,375
- Median grant
- $22,750
- Total assets
- $190,480,742
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Cato Institute funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cato Institute's 8 itemized 2025 grants were District of Columbia (26%), Virginia (24%) and Oregon (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (2 grants). 25% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Event Support" (5 grants).
How Cato Institute gives
- Giving fell 29% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Next steps with Cato Institute
- How to evaluate Cato Institute as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Cato Institute with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$190.5M
+10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$227K
+33.5% YoY
Grant Count
8
+60.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
-16.5% YoY
About Cato Institute
Based on IRS filings
Cato Institute is a nonprofit organization focused on Public, Societal Benefit, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $190.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 8 grants totaling $227K. Net investment income was $4.7M.
Focus Areas
Ready to take the next step with Cato Institute?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 8 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $190,480,742 | $172,218,520 | $135,047,209 |
| Revenue | $62,821,387 | $71,927,807 | $57,666,559 |
| Expenses | $47,370,866 | $41,834,120 | $37,718,015 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $4,688,906 | $4,191,898 | $1,490,354 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
25 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include America's Future Foundation ($60,000), Roots of Progress ($50,000), American Legislative Exchange Council ($34,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICA'S FUTURE FOUNDATION Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $60,000 |
| ROOTS OF PROGRESS Beaverton, OR | EVENT SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $34,000 |
| CENTER FOR CIVIL SOCIETY Troy, MI | EVENT SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY McLean, VA | EVENT SUPPORT | $20,500 |
| YOUNG AMERICANS FOR LIBERTY INC Austin, TX | EVENT SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| ONE AMERICA MOVEMENT Bowie, MD | COLLABORATION OF EVENTS | $12,500 |
| YOUNG AMERICANS FOR LIBERTY FOUNDATION Austin, TX | EVENT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard S Rich | Director, Vice Chairman, Executive Officer | 2.5 | — |
| James M Lapeyre Jr | Director, Chairman, Executive Officer | 2.5 | — |
| Peter Goettler | President and CEO | 40 | $711,629 |
| Baron Bond | Director | 2.5 | — |
| David C Humphreys | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Eileen S Leech | Director (Thru 08/20/2024) | 2.5 | — |
| Fred Young | Director | 2.5 | — |
| James M Kilts | Director | 2.5 | — |
| John a Allison | Director (Thru 01/10/2025) | 2.5 | — |
| John P Mackey | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Kenneth Levy | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Kenneth R French | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Laura Holmes Jost | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Robert a Taylor | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Robert Gelfond | Director | 2.5 | — |
| Marissa Delgado | Secretary, VP, Finance & CFO | 40 | $216,517 |
| Harrison Moar | VP for Development | 40 | $219,948 |
| Stephen Kurtz | VP, Chief Digital Officer | 40 | $313,592 |
| Clark Neily | Sr VP for Legal Studies | 40 | $235,896 |
| Gene Healy | Senior VP for Policy | 40 | $239,165 |
| Michael Cannon | Director of Health Policy | 40 | $225,730 |
| Norbert Michel | VP, Director, MONETARY&FINANCIAL | 40 | $247,637 |
| Scott Lincicome | VP, General Economics & Trade | 40 | $245,178 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cato Institute?
Cato Institute is a nonprofit organization focused on Public, Societal Benefit, based in Washington, DC. It holds $190.5M in total assets as of 2025.
How large is Cato Institute?
As of 2025, Cato Institute holds $190.5M in total assets with $62.8M in annual revenue. It awarded 8 grants totaling $227K in 2025.
Where does Cato Institute operate?
Cato Institute has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia.
What size grants does Cato Institute award?
In 2025, Cato Institute awarded 8 grants totaling $227K — an average of about $28K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Cato Institute's EIN?
Cato Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7432162. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.