Healthcare Foundations & Grantmakers
14,111 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 4,632 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
14,111
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$36.0B
from the 4,632 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 1,307 · $5.3B
- New York 1,225 · $4.8B
- Texas 923 · $2.9B
- Florida 861 · $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 all 15,881 foundations and grantmakers
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
Novartis Patient Assistance
East Hanover, NJ
Assets
$382.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$3.1B
Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$230.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$2.7B
NYU Langone Hospitals
New York, NY
Assets
$13.1B
Grants
6
Total Given
$1.8B
Mayo Clinic Group Return
Rochester, MN
Assets
$17.9B
Grants
293
Total Given
$1.7B
Pfizer Patient Assistance Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$9.4M
Grants
45
Total Given
$1.5B
Bayer US Patient Assistance Foundation
Whippany, NJ
Assets
$401.4M
Grants
1
Total Given
$1.4B
Mass General Brigham Incorporated & Affiliates Group Return
Somerville, MA
Assets
$32.2B
Grants
164
Total Given
$1.4B
National Collegiate Athletic Association
Indianapolis, IN
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
591
Total Given
$627.8M
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$13.4B
Grants
3,093
Total Given
$622.6M
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Assets
$25.3B
Grants
813
Total Given
$594.1M
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Assets
$26.7B
Grants
256
Total Given
$572.1M
Gothic HSP Corporation
Durham, NC
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1
Total Given
$567.8M
University of Wisconsin Foundation
Madison, WI
Assets
$6.3B
Grants
5
Total Given
$548.8M
MGB Pooled Holdings LLC
Somerville, MA
Assets
$18.2B
Grants
1
Total Given
$484.0M
Freedom Together Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
595
Total Given
$470.0M
Hackensack Meridian Health Inc-Subordinates
Edison, NJ
Assets
$7.6B
Grants
79
Total Given
$468.9M
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
Indiana University Foundation
Bloomington, IN
Assets
$4.7B
Grants
4
Total Given
$403.6M
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$394.3M
University Medical Service Association Inc
Tampa, FL
Assets
$249.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$394.2M
New Venture Fund
Washington, DC
Assets
$624.9M
Grants
854
Total Given
$359.6M
Wem Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
—
Grants
135
Total Given
$359.5M
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 4,632 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 (1,307), New York (1,225) 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.