Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation based in an individual recipient, California. Founded in 2015 by Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg as part of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, it supports work in science, education, and communities through grants and other charitable activities.
Key facts about Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
In short: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation gave $235.4M across 53 grants in 2024 (avg $4.4M), mostly in California. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 45-5002209
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $235,359,065
- Grants made (2024)
- 53
- Average grant
- $4,440,737
- Median grant
- $1,200,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (7 of 48, 2024)
- Total assets
- $7,499,068,854
- Primary geography
- California (63% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The Community Fund cycle listed on CZI’s website ran from May 5 to June 5, 2026, and is past.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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
$7.5B
+18.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$235.4M
+54.2% YoY
Grant Count
53
-10.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4.4M
+71.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation reported a distributable amount of $360.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 48 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11M; repeat grants $3.9M. How we count
Medians: $1.4M first-time, $1M repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 109% of 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 purpose encompasses scientific research, learning science in education, and strengthening communities. Its 2024 filing describes charitable support for science and technology to address disease, an enterprise lending fund for Habitat for Humanity affiliates in California to increase low-income housing production, and a guarantee pool for community and affordable housing development and small-business loans in economically distressed communities.
The 2024 grants include support for research and education, health care, community development, and justice reform. For example, Harvard College describes its work as undergraduate, graduate, and professional education and research across academic domains. The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub describes its mission as accelerating science to cure, prevent, or manage disease. The San Francisco General Hospital Foundation says it supports patient care and innovation with a focus on health equity, access, and quality care. The Just Trust for Education describes its work as advancing justice reform and public safety innovation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 53 grants totaling $235,359,065. Grant amounts ranged from $100,000 to $60 million, with a median of $1.2 million. Its website describes a mix of targeted grantmaking and open competitions, including Requests for Applications in specific issue areas.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $60 million to CZ Biohub SF LLC for core support; $29.6 million to President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence; $18 million to CZ Biohub Chicago LLC for core support; and $14.1 million to Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc. for general operating support. Other large awards included $12.236 million to the Chan Zuckerberg Institute for Advanced Biological Imaging LLC for core support, $11.5 million to San Francisco General Hospital Foundation for a capital campaign, and $7.7 million to University of Hawaii Foundation for ocean conservation.
The Chan Zuckerberg Community Fund described on CZI’s website offers grants to nonprofit organizations working on local priorities in San Mateo County. A separate program description lists year-long grants of $25,000–$100,000 for nonprofits developing solutions to urgent local challenges in Belle Haven, an individual recipient, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City, California, with capacity-building support and programming. CZI’s application portal says opportunities may use targeted grantmaking or open competitions, with eligibility, project requirements, and application processes specified for each RFA.
Review Cycle
The Community Fund cycle listed on CZI’s website ran from May 5 to June 5, 2026, and is past.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. For published opportunities, applicants should follow the requirements and application process specified for the relevant RFA.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
Advancing Technologies for Spatiotemporal Omics in Live Tissue Grant
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
Amount
US $250,000 - US $500,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
CZI Community Fund
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
Amount
$25,000 – $100,000 (year-long)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Implementation of Synthetic Biology Principles in Immunology Grant
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
Amount
Up to US $300,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in an individual recipient In 2024, 63% of its grant dollars went to recipients in California, 14% to Massachusetts, 4% each to Hawai‘i and Washington, and 3% to recipients listed with an unspecified state. Its 2024 grants also included an award to the University of Hawaii Foundation for ocean conservation. The Community Fund’s published eligibility area includes San Mateo County, with a separate program description naming Belle Haven, an individual recipient, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 53 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $152.6M (2023) to $364.7M (2022). In 2024 it made 53 grants totaling $235.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was CZ Biohub SF LLC ($60.0M). Together the top 10 received $191.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
492 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 189 grants of 492 (38%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CZ Biohub SF LLC San Francisco, CA | Science: CZ Biohub San Francsico Core Support | $60,000,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Cambridge, MA | The kempner institute for the study of natural and artificial intelligence at harvard university | $29,600,000 |
| CZ Biohub Chicago LLC San Francisco, CA | Science: CZ Biohub Chicago Core Support | $18,000,000 |
| Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc San Francisco, CA | For General Operating Support | $14,100,000 |
| Chan Zuckerberg Institute for Advanced Biological Imaging LLC San Francisco, CA | Science: CZ Imaging Institute Core Support | $12,236,199 |
| CZ Biohub New York LLC San Francisco, CA | Science: CZ Biohub New York Core Support | $12,000,000 |
| Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc San Francisco, CA | For General Operating Support | $11,500,000 |
| San Francisco General Hospital Foundation San Francisco, CA | To Support the Capital Campaign | $11,500,000 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation Honolulu, HI | Ocean Conservation | $7,700,000 |
| Resolve to Save Lives Inc New York, NY | For General Operating Support | $5,000,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,499,068,854 | $1,494,476,554 | $323,025,697 | $235,359,065 |
| 2023 | $6,319,675,100 | $234,504,001 | $127,622,894 | $152,638,625 |
| 2022 | $5,412,475,782 | -$141,594,590 | $402,637,953 | $364,708,682 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,499,068,854 | $6,319,675,100 | $5,412,475,782 |
| Revenue | $1,494,476,554 | $234,504,001 | $-141,594,590 |
| Expenses | $323,025,697 | $127,622,894 | $402,637,953 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $391,740,902 | $222,582,847 | $420,377,554 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,209,833,283 | $314,683,271 | $5,993,133 |
| Distributable Amount | $360,142,735 | $298,792,721 | $295,535,324 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mark Zuckerberg as trustee. It lists Liz Castellanos and Kimberly Neufeld as finance officers as of September 13, 2024, and Brian Manca as finance officer through that date.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mark Zuckerberg
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Manca
Finance Officer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Neufeld
Finance Officer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Liz Castellanos
Finance Officer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Lexi Peacock (2023) — Secretary & Czii
- Former: Marc Malandro (2023) — Director & Czii
- Former: Matthias Haury (2023) — COO, Acting Executive Director & Czii
- Former: Phil Smoot (2023) — Director & Czii
- Former: Stephanie Otte (2023) — Director & Czii
- Former: Victor Colunga (2023) — Interim Treasurer, CFO & Czii
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: 314 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone: (650) 804-7100
Website: https://chanzuckerberg.com
Frequently asked questions about Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
How much does Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation give each year?
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation gave $235.4M across 53 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $152.6M across 59 grants.
What is Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's typical grant size?
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,200,000, and its average grant was $4,440,737, across 53 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation that year got $11M on average.
Where does Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation give grants?
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation gives mostly in California: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (9 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants), Cambridge, MA (3 grants) and Seattle, WA (3 grants).
Does Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 23% of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 53) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education: Research to Practice - Measures" (12 grants), "Science: Imaging" (6 grants) and "Science: Precision Health" (4 grants).
Who are Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's largest grantees?
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include CZ Biohub SF LLC ($60,000,000), President and Fellows of Harvard College ($29,600,000) and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc ($25,600,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation?
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation reported $7.5B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $391.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $360.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose encompasses scientific research, learning science in education, and strengthening communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and 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 Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's EIN?
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5002209. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Chan Zuckerberg Initiative 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 October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, democracy, gender equity, racial justice, and efforts to strengthen nonprofits and philanthropy, with work spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, and locations including East and West Africa and Mexico. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $150,000, though amounts varied widely. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but sometimes invites proposals through open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
WK Kellogg Foundation
Battle Creek, MI
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation funds work to help children, families, and communities thrive, including early education, health equity, food systems, family economic well-being, and racial equity. In 2025, its grants ranged from $50 to nearly $5 million, with a median of $100,000; it funds across the United States, with long-term commitments in several states and communities, as well as parts of Mexico and Haiti. It accepts unsolicited proposals online at any time.
Assets
$481.0M
Grants
1,818
Total Given
$303.9M
Walton Family Foundation Inc
Bentonville, AR
The Walton Family Foundation funds K–12 education, river and ocean conservation, and quality-of-life initiatives in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta; its grants also support organizations and projects elsewhere in the U.S. Its 2024 grants had a median of $200,000, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $35.6 million. It does not accept unsolicited requests except from eligible public charter school developers applying to its startup grant program; other organizations must first submit a letter of inquiry and await an invitation.
Assets
$6.1B
Grants
1,020
Total Given
$562.3M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds work in affordable housing and homelessness, community resilience and power, as well as social services, education, arts and conservation, with a focus on marginalized Marin County residents and some broader U.S. and international grantmaking. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Direct Relief supports healthcare providers serving people affected by poverty or emergencies, including community health centers, clinics, and grassroots organizations, with medicines, supplies, and funding for health access and equity. In 2025, its grants had a median award of about $65,000, and its work spans all 50 U.S. states and countries around the world; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation funds nonprofits working to improve lives and alleviate poverty, with initiatives including early childhood development, homelessness, refugees, safe water, and support for foster and opportunity youth. Its work is global, and its 2024 grants had a median award of $76,000. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through its Good Neighbor Program for eligible local nonprofits and Title 1 schools.
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
The San Diego Foundation
San Diego, CA
The San Diego Foundation funds nonprofit work in family well-being, education, the environment, and housing, including projects, capacity building, and general support that advance equity and resilient communities. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely; applicants generally must be located in San Diego County and primarily serve county residents. It offers competitive grant opportunities through its online portal, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,158
Total Given
$94.3M
More Funders in California
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?