Foundations That Fund Religious Organizations
7,881 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 3,208 that made at least 5 grants gave $10.9B. The largest by giving are Lilly Endowment Inc, Freedom Together Foundation and The Jewish Federations of North America 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
7,881
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$10.9B
from the 3,208 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$15K
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 | Lilly Endowment Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $3.9B | 2,285 |
| 2 | Freedom Together Foundation | New York, NY | $470.0M | 595 |
| 3 | The Jewish Federations of North America Inc | New York, NY | $432.7M | 204 |
| 4 | Wellspring Philanthropic Fund Inc | New York, NY | $326.0M | 1,101 |
| 5 | United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc | New York, NY | $275.5M | 306 |
| 6 | Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $166.6M | 896 |
| 7 | Christian Community Foundation Inc | Colorado Springs, CO | $161.8M | 1,651 |
| 8 | Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego | San Diego, CA | $148.1M | 774 |
| 9 | John Templeton Foundation | West Conshohocken, PA | $134.4M | 426 |
| 10 | The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales | Washington, DC | $131.8M | 13 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 3 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Religion Related 2,104 · 91%
- Education 66 · 3%
- Human Services 40 · 2%
- Health 13 · 1%
- International, Foreign Affairs & National Security 12 · 1%
- Youth Development 12 · 1%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (44% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- New York 900 · $2.1B
- Texas 768 · $539.3M
- California 655 · $791.9M
- Florida 604 · $303.3M
- Pennsylvania 550 · $396.2M
- Illinois 393 · $311.4M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 3,208 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Lilly Endowment Inc
Indianapolis, IN
Assets
$105.9B
Grants
2,285
Total Given
$3.9B
Freedom Together Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
595
Total Given
$470.0M
The Jewish Federations of North America Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$429.8M
Grants
204
Total Given
$432.7M
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$134.4M
Grants
1,101
Total Given
$326.0M
United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
306
Total Given
$275.5M
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Chicago, IL
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
896
Total Given
$166.6M
Christian Community Foundation Inc
Colorado Springs, CO
Assets
$746.4M
Grants
1,651
Total Given
$161.8M
Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Assets
$862.3M
Grants
774
Total Given
$148.1M
John Templeton Foundation
West Conshohocken, PA
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
426
Total Given
$134.4M
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales
Washington, DC
Assets
$53.5M
Grants
13
Total Given
$131.8M
Valhalla Foundation
Woodside, CA
Assets
$527.1M
Grants
80
Total Given
$131.7M
CCF-La Supporting Organization
Glendale, CA
Assets
$186.4M
Grants
56
Total Given
$114.6M
Christian Community Foundation of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Assets
$229.0M
Grants
636
Total Given
$109.7M
The Rees-Jones Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$666.1M
Grants
177
Total Given
$103.9M
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools
King of Prussia, PA
Assets
$255.5M
Grants
362
Total Given
$94.4M
The Klarman Family Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$713.2M
Grants
260
Total Given
$82.2M
Skyline Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
194
Total Given
$80.4M
Je and Le Mabee Foundation Inc
Midland, TX
Assets
$798.9M
Grants
103
Total Given
$78.2M
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$680.2M
Grants
425
Total Given
$72.7M
Kinder Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$213.3M
Grants
78
Total Given
$66.9M
Adelson Family Foundation
Needham, MA
Assets
$21.0M
Grants
55
Total Given
$66.9M
Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$990.9M
Grants
208
Total Given
$63.3M
Greater Miami Jewish Federation Inc
Miami, FL
Assets
$549.5M
Grants
386
Total Given
$59.4M
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 Lilly Endowment Inc ($3.9B across 2,285 grants), Freedom Together Foundation ($470.0M) and The Jewish Federations of North America Inc ($432.7M). Together the top 10 account for 56% of the $10.9B given by the 3,208 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 $15K (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 New York (900), Texas (768) and California (655). 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.