Public Media & Journalism Foundations
309 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 113 that made at least 5 grants gave $1.8B. The largest by giving are The Ford Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and John S and James L Knight 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
309
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$1.8B
from the 113 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$25K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$117K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ford Foundation | New York, NY | $844.7M | 4,007 |
| 2 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting | Washington, DC | $175.8M | 555 |
| 3 | John S and James L Knight Foundation | Miami, FL | $147.7M | 513 |
| 4 | Robert R McCormick Foundation | Chicago, IL | $106.1M | 255 |
| 5 | The Joyce Foundation | Chicago, IL | $52.2M | 470 |
| 6 | The Greater New Orleans Foundation | New Orleans, LA | $34.6M | 623 |
| 7 | The American Independent Foundation | Washington, DC | $33.3M | 6 |
| 8 | Park Foundation Inc | Ithaca, NY | $30.4M | 457 |
| 9 | Inland Empire Community Foundation | Riverside, CA | $28.2M | 266 |
| 10 | Wyncote Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | $26.3M | 139 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Most common focus areas
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 71 · 54%
- Religion Related 38 · 29%
- Education 5 · 4%
- Science & Technology 4 · 3%
- Youth Development 2 · 2%
- Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy 2 · 2%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (49% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- California 47 · $51.0M
- New York 35 · $887.3M
- District of Columbia 19 · $247.0M
- Massachusetts 19 · $39.3M
- Florida 16 · $150.3M
- Texas 16 · $3.1M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing 113 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC
Assets
—
Grants
555
Total Given
$175.8M
John S and James L Knight Foundation
Miami, FL
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
513
Total Given
$147.7M
Robert R McCormick Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$1.8B
Grants
255
Total Given
$106.1M
The Joyce Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
470
Total Given
$52.2M
The Greater New Orleans Foundation
New Orleans, LA
Assets
$513.0M
Grants
623
Total Given
$34.6M
The American Independent Foundation
Washington, DC
Assets
$13.5M
Grants
6
Total Given
$33.3M
Park Foundation Inc
Ithaca, NY
Assets
$406.0M
Grants
457
Total Given
$30.4M
Inland Empire Community Foundation
Riverside, CA
Assets
$156.1M
Grants
266
Total Given
$28.2M
Wyncote Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$604.9M
Grants
139
Total Given
$26.3M
Health Resources in Action Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$122.5M
Grants
195
Total Given
$26.2M
Utah Film Center
Salt Lake City, UT
Assets
$9.4M
Grants
95
Total Given
$21.6M
Delaware Community Foundation Inc
Wilmington, DE
Assets
$392.5M
Grants
323
Total Given
$20.4M
Inasmuch Foundation
Oklahoma City, OK
Assets
$409.7M
Grants
351
Total Given
$19.5M
American Journalism Project Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$66.4M
Grants
52
Total Given
$18.5M
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism Special Asset Fund of TPF
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$133.9M
Grants
97
Total Given
$15.0M
The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc
Virginia Beach, VA
Assets
$267.6M
Grants
24
Total Given
$12.1M
National Public Radio Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$424.6M
Grants
242
Total Given
$11.1M
Field Foundation of Illinois
Chicago, IL
Assets
$49.0M
Grants
299
Total Given
$10.8M
Public Broadcasting Service
Arlington, VA
Assets
$752.8M
Grants
36
Total Given
$8.2M
The Polsky Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$63.5M
Grants
39
Total Given
$7.8M
Wichita Foundation
Wichita, KS
Assets
$112.2M
Grants
151
Total Given
$6.8M
Future of Life Institute
Narberth, PA
Assets
$6.3M
Grants
12
Total Given
$6.3M
Independence Public Media
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$120.8M
Grants
176
Total Given
$6.2M
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 The Ford Foundation ($844.7M across 4,007 grants), Corporation for Public Broadcasting ($175.8M) and John S and James L Knight Foundation ($147.7M). Together the top 10 account for 84% of the $1.8B given by the 113 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 $25K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $117K 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 (47), New York (35) and District of Columbia (19). 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.