Healthcare Foundations & Grantmakers
14,094 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 4,626 that made at least 5 grants gave $36.0B. The largest by giving are Gates Foundation, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Freedom Together Foundation. 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
14,094
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$36.0B
from the 4,626 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$40K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$150K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA | $6.3B | 4,974 |
| 2 | The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Princeton, NJ | $622.6M | 3,093 |
| 3 | Freedom Together Foundation | New York, NY | $470.0M | 595 |
| 4 | The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley | New York, NY | $440.9M | 570 |
| 5 | The Jewish Federations of North America Inc | New York, NY | $432.7M | 204 |
| 6 | Wem Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $359.5M | 135 |
| 7 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | Chicago, IL | $356.1M | 1,086 |
| 8 | Sandler Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $353.6M | 41 |
| 9 | The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Los Altos, CA | $350.0M | 1,029 |
| 10 | Tarrant Safety Net Support Corporation | Arlington, TX | $345.0M | 36 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 7 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Health 3,179 · 58%
- Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines 725 · 13%
- Medical Research 661 · 12%
- Mental Health & Crisis Intervention 445 · 8%
- Human Services 123 · 2%
- Education 107 · 2%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (47% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- California 1,306 · $5.3B
- New York 1,224 · $4.8B
- Texas 923 · $2.9B
- Florida 859 · $1.6B
- Pennsylvania 818 · $766.0M
- Illinois 710 · $1.5B
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 4,626 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$13.4B
Grants
3,093
Total Given
$622.6M
Freedom Together Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
595
Total Given
$470.0M
The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley
New York, NY
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
570
Total Given
$440.9M
The Jewish Federations of North America Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$429.8M
Grants
204
Total Given
$432.7M
Wem Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
—
Grants
135
Total Given
$359.5M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Sandler Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$251.7M
Grants
41
Total Given
$353.6M
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$8.5B
Grants
1,029
Total Given
$350.0M
Tarrant Safety Net Support Corporation
Arlington, TX
Assets
$8.0M
Grants
36
Total Given
$345.0M
Feed the Children Inc
Oklahoma City, OK
Assets
$133.3M
Grants
487
Total Given
$343.7M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Dallas Safety Net Support Corporation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$5.5M
Grants
44
Total Given
$321.6M
Good Ventures Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$10.1B
Grants
565
Total Given
$306.7M
WK Kellogg Foundation
Battle Creek, MI
Assets
$481.0M
Grants
1,818
Total Given
$303.9M
Central Florida Behavioral Health Network Inc
Tampa, FL
Assets
$45.0M
Grants
85
Total Given
$293.6M
United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
306
Total Given
$275.5M
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
The Rockefeller Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$6.4B
Grants
381
Total Given
$233.2M
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,724
Total Given
$232.3M
The California Endowment
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,125
Total Given
$215.9M
Novo Foundation
Hurley, NY
Assets
$937.8M
Grants
508
Total Given
$214.1M
The Arthur M Blank Family Foundation
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$466.3M
Grants
586
Total Given
$212.1M
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 Gates Foundation ($6.3B across 4,974 grants), The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ($622.6M) and Freedom Together Foundation ($470.0M). Together the top 10 account for 28% of the $36.0B given by the 4,626 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 $40K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $150K 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 (1,306), New York (1,224) and Texas (923). 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.