Foundations That Fund Food Banks
372 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 170 that made at least 5 grants gave $2.3B. The largest by giving are Feed the Children Inc, The Marcus Foundation Inc and Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. 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
372
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$2.3B
from the 170 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$39K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$610K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feed the Children Inc | Oklahoma City, OK | $343.7M | 487 |
| 2 | The Marcus Foundation Inc | Atlanta, GA | $227.5M | 221 |
| 3 | Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $166.6M | 896 |
| 4 | World Vision Inc | Federal Way, WA | $157.4M | 410 |
| 5 | Greater Washington Community Foundation | Washington, DC | $116.9M | 1,417 |
| 6 | Means Database Inc | Washington, DC | $113.5M | 108 |
| 7 | Community Foundation of New Jersey | Morristown, NJ | $93.8M | 1,321 |
| 8 | The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida Inc | Jacksonville, FL | $78.0M | 2,470 |
| 9 | The Albertsons Companies Foundation | Pleasanton, CA | $55.8M | 800 |
| 10 | The Annenberg Foundation | Conshohocken, PA | $53.3M | 543 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 4 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Food, Agriculture & Nutrition 64 · 65%
- Human Services 14 · 14%
- Education 5 · 5%
- International, Foreign Affairs & National Security 4 · 4%
- Health 3 · 3%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 2 · 2%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (42% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- California 38 · $164.7M
- Florida 21 · $172.1M
- Massachusetts 21 · $132.0M
- New York 20 · $73.2M
- Texas 18 · $19.6M
- Illinois 17 · $198.7M
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 432 foundations and grantmakers
Feeding America
Chicago, IL
Assets
$572.5M
Grants
234
Total Given
$4.8B
Feed the Children Inc
Oklahoma City, OK
Assets
$133.3M
Grants
487
Total Given
$343.7M
The Marcus Foundation Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$366.8M
Grants
221
Total Given
$227.5M
Second Harvest Heartland
Brooklyn Park, MN
Assets
$87.5M
Grants
6
Total Given
$220.5M
Atlanta Community Food Bank Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$65.0M
Grants
594
Total Given
$211.6M
North Texas Food Bank
Plano, TX
Assets
$190.7M
Grants
198
Total Given
$208.7M
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Chicago, IL
Assets
$216.0M
Grants
677
Total Given
$191.2M
Feeding America Tampa Bay Inc
Tampa, FL
Assets
$73.0M
Grants
306
Total Given
$169.7M
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Chicago, IL
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
896
Total Given
$166.6M
World Vision Inc
Federal Way, WA
Assets
$515.3M
Grants
410
Total Given
$157.4M
Community Food Bank Of New Jersey Inc
Hillside, NJ
Assets
$125.2M
Grants
705
Total Given
$151.0M
St Mary's Food Bank Alliance
Phoenix, AZ
Assets
$81.8M
Grants
409
Total Given
$145.3M
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina Inc
Charlotte, NC
Assets
$75.5M
Grants
1
Total Given
$140.9M
Windward Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$432.7M
Grants
458
Total Given
$137.7M
Food Bank Council of Michigan Inc
Lansing, MI
Assets
$5.9M
Grants
9
Total Given
$127.8M
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
Food Lifeline
Seattle, WA
Assets
$30.4M
Grants
325
Total Given
$112.2M
Alameda County Community Food Bank
Oakland, CA
Assets
$95.2M
Grants
358
Total Given
$99.4M
Community Foundation of New Jersey
Morristown, NJ
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,321
Total Given
$93.8M
Philabundance
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$41.6M
Grants
359
Total Given
$85.3M
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida Inc
Jacksonville, FL
Assets
$708.7M
Grants
2,470
Total Given
$78.0M
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC Inc
Winston-Salem, NC
Assets
$41.2M
Grants
265
Total Given
$72.0M
Regional Food Bank of Northeast Florida Inc
Jacksonville, FL
Assets
$36.2M
Grants
1
Total Given
$63.4M
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 Feed the Children Inc ($343.7M across 487 grants), The Marcus Foundation Inc ($227.5M) and Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago ($166.6M). Together the top 10 account for 60% of the $2.3B given by the 170 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 $39K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $610K 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 (38), Florida (21) and Massachusetts (21). 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.