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 all 10,105 foundations and grantmakers
The Big 12 Conference Inc
Irving, TX
Assets
$59.6M
Grants
16
Total Given
$557.0M
The OJC Fund
Brooklyn, NY
Assets
$58.5M
Grants
3,714
Total Given
$448.3M
The Kansas University Endowment Association
Lawrence, KS
Assets
$3.2B
Grants
4
Total Given
$444.5M
University of California Berkeley Foundation
Berkeley, CA
Assets
$4.0B
Grants
1
Total Given
$415.4M
Indiana University Foundation
Bloomington, IN
Assets
$4.7B
Grants
4
Total Given
$403.6M
University Medical Service Association Inc
Tampa, FL
Assets
$249.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$394.2M
University of Nebraska Foundation
Lincoln, NE
Assets
$3.8B
Grants
8
Total Given
$297.9M
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$17.0B
Grants
337
Total Given
$249.4M
The University of Florida Foundation Inc
Gainesville, FL
Assets
$3.1B
Grants
4
Total Given
$248.8M
University of Colorado Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2
Total Given
$230.6M
Uc San Diego Foundation
La Jolla, CA
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
2
Total Given
$230.3M
Carnegie Corporation of New York
New York, NY
Assets
$4.8B
Grants
591
Total Given
$174.4M
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Assets
$58.9B
Grants
364
Total Given
$168.2M
Georgia Tech Foundation Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$3.7B
Grants
16
Total Given
$167.6M
Texas A&M Foundation
College Station, TX
Assets
$3.7B
Grants
4
Total Given
$163.0M
State University of Iowa Foundation
Iowa City, IA
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
1
Total Given
$162.7M
Iowa State University Foundation
Ames, IA
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
1
Total Given
$159.2M
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Madison, WI
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
2
Total Given
$156.4M
University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc
Norman, OK
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
3
Total Given
$152.8M
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$10.9B
Grants
397
Total Given
$149.1M
John S and James L Knight Foundation
Miami, FL
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
513
Total Given
$147.7M
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Assets
$19.8B
Grants
338
Total Given
$126.7M
North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc
Raleigh, NC
Assets
$11.7M
Grants
77
Total Given
$126.5M
Virginia Tech Foundation Inc
Blacksburg, VA
Assets
$3.1B
Grants
5
Total Given
$121.2M
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
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.