Education Foundations & Grantmakers
8,278 grantmakers focused on education reported grants on their latest 990s. The 2,200 that made at least 5 grants gave $3.9B. The largest by giving are Carnegie Corporation of New York, John S and James L Knight Foundation and North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc. 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
8,278
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$3.9B
from the 2,200 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$23K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$61K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Corporation of New York | New York, NY | $174.4M | 591 |
| 2 | John S and James L Knight Foundation | Miami, FL | $147.7M | 513 |
| 3 | North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc | Raleigh, NC | $126.5M | 77 |
| 4 | Ecmc Group Inc | Minneapolis, MN | $105.6M | 14 |
| 5 | Indian Paintbrush Foundation | Washington, DC | $102.9M | 19 |
| 6 | Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation | Kansas City, MO | $95.0M | 364 |
| 7 | Alfred P Sloan Foundation | New York, NY | $89.0M | 522 |
| 8 | NC State Investment Fund Inc | Raleigh, NC | $73.6M | 10 |
| 9 | Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership | Chicago, IL | $66.9M | 98 |
| 10 | Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund | Tyrone, PA | $64.5M | 436 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 25 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Where these funders are based
- California 862 · $379.2M
- Texas 686 · $190.2M
- New York 569 · $535.7M
- Pennsylvania 388 · $129.9M
- Illinois 370 · $194.8M
- Florida 351 · $184.3M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 2,200 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Carnegie Corporation of New York
New York, NY
Assets
$4.8B
Grants
591
Total Given
$174.4M
John S and James L Knight Foundation
Miami, FL
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
513
Total Given
$147.7M
North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc
Raleigh, NC
Assets
$11.7M
Grants
77
Total Given
$126.5M
Ecmc Group Inc
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
$5.7B
Grants
14
Total Given
$105.6M
Indian Paintbrush Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
19
Total Given
$102.9M
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
364
Total Given
$95.0M
Alfred P Sloan Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
522
Total Given
$89.0M
NC State Investment Fund Inc
Raleigh, NC
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
10
Total Given
$73.6M
Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership
Chicago, IL
Assets
$23.4M
Grants
98
Total Given
$66.9M
Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund
Tyrone, PA
Assets
$77.1M
Grants
436
Total Given
$64.5M
Ecmc Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
198
Total Given
$60.1M
United Negro College Fund Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$892.4M
Grants
40
Total Given
$59.6M
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation
Henrico, VA
Assets
$17.5M
Grants
9
Total Given
$57.9M
50CAN Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$36.8M
Grants
197
Total Given
$54.9M
The Bush Foundation
St. Paul, MN
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
148
Total Given
$53.7M
Husco Foundation
Milwaukee, WI
Assets
$29.8M
Grants
11
Total Given
$52.8M
Strada Collaborative Inc
Indianapolis, IN
Assets
—
Grants
8
Total Given
$49.2M
Southwestern Medical Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
61
Total Given
$47.3M
Foundation for California Community Colleges
Sacramento, CA
Assets
$319.1M
Grants
431
Total Given
$46.7M
Research Foundation of the City University of New York
New York, NY
Assets
$650.1M
Grants
261
Total Given
$42.4M
University Impact
Provo, UT
Assets
$384.7M
Grants
317
Total Given
$42.3M
Kipp Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$181.6M
Grants
28
Total Given
$40.0M
Folds of Honor Foundation
Owasso, OK
Assets
$122.3M
Grants
1,551
Total Given
$37.6M
Capital One Foundation Inc
McLean, VA
Assets
$327.8M
Grants
102
Total Given
$36.0M
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
What are the largest education foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Carnegie Corporation of New York ($174.4M across 591 grants), John S and James L Knight Foundation ($147.7M) and North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc ($126.5M). Together the top 10 account for 27% of the $3.9B given by the 2,200 grantmakers focused on education 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 $23K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $61K 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 (862), Texas (686) and New York (569). 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.