Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations & Grantmakers
41,574 grantmakers focused on philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking reported grants on their latest 990s. The largest by giving are Gates Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation and The Susan Thompson Buffett 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
41,574
reported grants on latest 990
Median annual giving
$94K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA | $6.3B | 4,974 |
| 2 | Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Mountain View, CA | $3.2B | 3,576 |
| 3 | The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation | Omaha, NE | $1.5B | 417 |
| 4 | The Bloomberg Family Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $1.0B | 203 |
| 5 | The Ford Foundation | New York, NY | $844.7M | 4,007 |
| 6 | The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | $625.0M | 2,001 |
| 7 | The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Princeton, NJ | $622.6M | 3,093 |
| 8 | Foundation for the Carolinas | Charlotte, NC | $609.1M | 1,605 |
| 9 | Musk Foundation | Austin, TX | $474.3M | 55 |
| 10 | Freedom Together Foundation | New York, NY | $470.0M | 595 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 6 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024). Totals are omitted for lists this large; the table covers the top funders.
Showing 23,187 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
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
Omaha, NE
Assets
$2.7B
Grants
417
Total Given
$1.5B
The Bloomberg Family Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$12.1B
Grants
203
Total Given
$1.0B
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$13.4B
Grants
3,093
Total Given
$622.6M
Foundation for the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1,605
Total Given
$609.1M
Musk Foundation
Austin, TX
Assets
$463.0M
Grants
55
Total Given
$474.3M
Freedom Together Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
595
Total Given
$470.0M
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$11.5B
Grants
920
Total Given
$403.0M
Sandler Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$251.7M
Grants
41
Total Given
$353.6M
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$134.4M
Grants
1,101
Total Given
$326.0M
Good Ventures Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$10.1B
Grants
565
Total Given
$306.7M
Sequoia Climate Foundation
Irvine, CA
Assets
$113.7M
Grants
187
Total Given
$305.4M
The Sherwood Foundation
Omaha, NE
Assets
$977.8M
Grants
790
Total Given
$296.3M
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
Donors Trust Inc
Alexandria, VA
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
919
Total Given
$282.1M
United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
306
Total Given
$275.5M
The Simons Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,727
Total Given
$272.0M
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$7.5B
Grants
53
Total Given
$235.4M
Knight Foundation
Beaverton, OR
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
9
Total Given
$226.5M
Novo Foundation
Hurley, NY
Assets
$937.8M
Grants
508
Total Given
$214.1M
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
What are the largest philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Gates Foundation ($6.3B across 4,974 grants), Silicon Valley Community Foundation ($3.2B) and The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation ($1.5B). Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
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.