Foundations & Grantmakers in District of Columbia
2,432 grantmakers in District of Columbia reported grants on their latest 990s. The 781 that made at least 5 grants gave $5.3B. The largest by giving are Legal Services Corporation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 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.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse District of Columbia grants
Foundation giving in District of Columbia at a glance
Active grantmakers
2,432
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$5.3B
from the 781 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$45K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$180K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in District of Columbia by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal Services Corporation | Washington | $544.9M | 132 |
| 2 | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Washington | $464.4M | 1,286 |
| 3 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting | Washington | $175.8M | 555 |
| 4 | National Education Association of the United States | Washington | $158.0M | 240 |
| 5 | NCRC Community Development Fund Inc | Washington | $149.3M | 2,666 |
| 6 | The Pew Charitable Trusts | Washington | $140.6M | 535 |
| 7 | Evidence for Impact | Washington | $140.4M | 25 |
| 8 | Brick by Brick Foundation | Washington | $132.4M | 31 |
| 9 | The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales | Washington | $131.8M | 13 |
| 10 | National Endowment for Democracy | Washington | $118.5M | 65 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 1 organization that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) is left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 123 · 14%
- International, Foreign Affairs & National Security 99 · 11%
- Environment & Animals 91 · 10%
- Human Services 76 · 9%
- Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy 73 · 8%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 69 · 8%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (45% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in District of Columbia
- Greater Washington Community Foundation $116.9M · 1,417 grants
- Capitol Hill Community Foundation $568K · 39 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in District of Columbia
Foundations based in District of Columbia whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rebuilding Together Inc | 100% (75) | 75 in 2024 | $88K |
| 2 | The Stanley & Pearl Goodman Charitable Foundation | 96% (26) | 27 in 2025 | $12K |
| 3 | Alta Good Deeds Foundation | 96% (43) | 45 in 2024 | $6K |
| 4 | The Center for Education Reform | 90% (26) | 29 in 2024 | $235K |
| 5 | Human Rights Campaign Inc | 88% (29) | 33 in 2025 | $12K |
| 6 | National Environmental Education and Training Foundation Inc | 84% (38) | 45 in 2025 | $22K |
| 7 | The Butler Family Fund | 82% (28) | 34 in 2025 | $30K |
| 8 | American Association of University Women Inc | 82% (23) | 28 in 2025 | $17K |
| 9 | National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States | 80% (167) | 208 in 2025 | $99K |
| 10 | US Chamber of Commerce Foundation | 80% (44) | 55 in 2024 | $35K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 781 grantmakers in District of Columbia with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Legal Services Corporation
Washington, DC
Assets
$208.1M
Grants
132
Total Given
$544.9M
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
1,286
Total Given
$464.4M
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC
Assets
—
Grants
555
Total Given
$175.8M
National Education Association of the United States
Washington, DC
Assets
$432.7M
Grants
240
Total Given
$158.0M
NCRC Community Development Fund Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$55.6M
Grants
2,666
Total Given
$149.3M
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Washington, DC
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
535
Total Given
$140.6M
Evidence for Impact
Washington, DC
Assets
—
Grants
25
Total Given
$140.4M
Brick by Brick Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
31
Total Given
$132.4M
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales
Washington, DC
Assets
$53.5M
Grants
13
Total Given
$131.8M
National Endowment for Democracy
Washington, DC
Assets
$165.3M
Grants
65
Total Given
$118.5M
Greater Washington Community Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$518.3M
Grants
1,417
Total Given
$116.9M
Means Database Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$832K
Grants
108
Total Given
$113.5M
Our American Future Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$31.7M
Grants
36
Total Given
$103.8M
Indian Paintbrush Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
19
Total Given
$102.9M
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
Washington, DC
Assets
$67.9M
Grants
284
Total Given
$99.2M
National Park Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$579.1M
Grants
286
Total Given
$82.0M
BHP Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$185.4M
Grants
51
Total Given
$75.6M
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$146.6M
Grants
166
Total Given
$64.7M
United Negro College Fund Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$892.4M
Grants
40
Total Given
$59.6M
Special Olympics Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$164.2M
Grants
68
Total Given
$55.2M
50CAN Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$36.8M
Grants
197
Total Given
$54.9M
League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$37.2M
Grants
42
Total Given
$54.8M
Humane World for Animals Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$543.2M
Grants
209
Total Given
$51.2M
Democracy Fund Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$15.8M
Grants
237
Total Given
$49.2M
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
Questions about foundations in District of Columbia
What are the largest foundations in District of Columbia?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Legal Services Corporation ($544.9M across 132 grants), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation ($464.4M) and Corporation for Public Broadcasting ($175.8M). Together the top 10 account for 40% of the $5.3B given by the 781 grantmakers in District of Columbia 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 foundation grant in District of Columbia?
The typical grant is about $45K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $180K 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.
Are there community foundations in District of Columbia?
Yes. We found 2 community foundations in District of Columbia with grant activity. The largest by giving are Greater Washington Community Foundation and Capitol Hill Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find District of Columbia foundations that 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 in District of Columbia 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.