Arts Foundations & Grantmakers
7,873 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 3,163 that made at least 5 grants gave $15.4B. The largest by giving are The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Foundation for the Carolinas and The Andrew W Mellon Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
7,873
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$15.4B
from the 3,163 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$20K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$91K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | $625.0M | 2,001 |
| 2 | Foundation for the Carolinas | Charlotte, NC | $609.1M | 1,605 |
| 3 | The Andrew W Mellon Foundation | New York, NY | $555.0M | 848 |
| 4 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | Chicago, IL | $356.1M | 1,086 |
| 5 | California Community Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $326.6M | 2,174 |
| 6 | Columbus Foundation | Columbus, OH | $242.7M | 1,747 |
| 7 | Crankstart Foundation | San Jose, CA | $201.3M | 435 |
| 8 | The New York Community Trust | New York, NY | $193.8M | 2,748 |
| 9 | O'Donnell Foundation | Dallas, TX | $187.4M | 33 |
| 10 | The Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Cincinnati, OH | $184.4M | 1,408 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Most common focus areas
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 2,490 · 91%
- Education 136 · 5%
- Human Services 30 · 1%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 20 · 1%
- International, Foreign Affairs & National Security 15 · 1%
- Environment & Animals 11 · 0%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (46% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- New York 1,054 · $2.0B
- California 902 · $2.6B
- Texas 491 · $1.2B
- Florida 449 · $619.4M
- Pennsylvania 382 · $777.8M
- Illinois 329 · $663.8M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing 3,163 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Foundation for the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1,605
Total Given
$609.1M
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$7.8B
Grants
848
Total Given
$555.0M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
Crankstart Foundation
San Jose, CA
Assets
$4.4B
Grants
435
Total Given
$201.3M
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
O'Donnell Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$195.1M
Grants
33
Total Given
$187.4M
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,408
Total Given
$184.4M
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC
Assets
—
Grants
555
Total Given
$175.8M
The Oregon Community Foundation
Portland, OR
Assets
$3.3B
Grants
2,149
Total Given
$171.4M
The Kresge Foundation
Troy, MI
Assets
$4.0B
Grants
800
Total Given
$170.0M
Christian Community Foundation Inc
Colorado Springs, CO
Assets
$746.4M
Grants
1,651
Total Given
$161.8M
Tulsa Community Foundation
Tulsa, OK
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,066
Total Given
$158.6M
Fidelity Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$5.0B
Grants
4,430
Total Given
$156.2M
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
1,414
Total Given
$152.3M
The William Penn Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
1,027
Total Given
$148.8M
Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Assets
$862.3M
Grants
774
Total Given
$148.1M
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
126
Total Given
$148.0M
John S and James L Knight Foundation
Miami, FL
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
513
Total Given
$147.7M
The McKnight Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
$2.7B
Grants
790
Total Given
$145.9M
The Moody Foundation
Galveston, TX
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
373
Total Given
$121.3M
Orange County Community Foundation
Irvine, CA
Assets
$743.6M
Grants
975
Total Given
$120.4M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
Which funders in this list give the most?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation ($625.0M across 2,001 grants), Foundation for the Carolinas ($609.1M) and The Andrew W Mellon Foundation ($555.0M). Together the top 10 account for 23% of the $15.4B given by the 3,163 grantmakers in this list that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $20K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $91K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in New York (1,054), California (902) and Texas (491). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.