Climate Foundations & Grantmakers
223 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 123 that made at least 5 grants gave $4.9B. The largest by giving are The Ford Foundation, John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation and The David and Lucile Packard 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
223
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$4.9B
from the 123 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$86K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$806K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ford Foundation | New York, NY | $844.7M | 4,007 |
| 2 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | Chicago, IL | $356.1M | 1,086 |
| 3 | The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Los Altos, CA | $350.0M | 1,029 |
| 4 | Direct Relief | Santa Barbara, CA | $337.4M | 1,367 |
| 5 | The Rockefeller Foundation | New York, NY | $233.2M | 381 |
| 6 | Crankstart Foundation | San Jose, CA | $201.3M | 435 |
| 7 | Seattle Foundation | Seattle, WA | $177.9M | 5,379 |
| 8 | United States Energy Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $166.3M | 597 |
| 9 | Climate Imperative Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $161.5M | 96 |
| 10 | The Heising-Simons Foundation | Los Altos, CA | $149.6M | 671 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Most common focus areas
- Environment & Animals 48 · 53%
- International, Foreign Affairs & National Security 9 · 10%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 7 · 8%
- Education 7 · 8%
- Religion Related 3 · 3%
- Public, Societal Benefit 3 · 3%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (53% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- California 55 · $1.8B
- District of Columbia 24 · $54.7M
- New York 22 · $1.2B
- Washington 14 · $341.4M
- Colorado 11 · $142.4M
- Illinois 7 · $370.0M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing all 228 foundations and grantmakers
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$394.3M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$8.5B
Grants
1,029
Total Given
$350.0M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
Sixteen Thirty Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$106.5M
Grants
318
Total Given
$236.4M
The Rockefeller Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$6.4B
Grants
381
Total Given
$233.2M
Crankstart Foundation
San Jose, CA
Assets
$4.4B
Grants
435
Total Given
$201.3M
Seattle Foundation
Seattle, WA
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
5,379
Total Given
$177.9M
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Assets
$58.9B
Grants
364
Total Given
$168.2M
United States Energy Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$215.7M
Grants
597
Total Given
$166.3M
Climate Imperative Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$109.6M
Grants
96
Total Given
$161.5M
The Heising-Simons Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$810.5M
Grants
671
Total Given
$149.6M
The McKnight Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
$2.7B
Grants
790
Total Given
$145.9M
Windward Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$432.7M
Grants
458
Total Given
$137.7M
The Denver Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,184
Total Given
$131.7M
The Miami Foundation Inc
Miami, FL
Assets
$565.2M
Grants
1,056
Total Given
$117.3M
M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver, WA
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
797
Total Given
$116.6M
Americares Foundation Inc
Stamford, CT
Assets
$372.5M
Grants
635
Total Given
$113.3M
Hillman Family Foundations
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
814
Total Given
$88.8M
The Tepper Foundation
Short Hills, NJ
Assets
$744.1M
Grants
148
Total Given
$87.0M
The Heinz Endowments
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
550
Total Given
$85.4M
Skyline Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
194
Total Given
$80.4M
The Rhode Island Community Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
977
Total Given
$72.0M
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 Ford Foundation ($844.7M across 4,007 grants), John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation ($356.1M) and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation ($350.0M). Together the top 10 account for 61% of the $4.9B given by the 123 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 $86K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $806K 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 California (55), District of Columbia (24) and New York (22). 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.