Science & Technology Foundations & Grantmakers
337 grantmakers focused on science & technology reported grants on their latest 990s. The 97 that made at least 5 grants gave $403.0M. The largest by giving are Climateworks Foundation, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc and Navigation Charitable Fund. 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
337
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$403.0M
from the 97 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$38K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$101K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Climateworks Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $96.3M | 140 |
| 2 | Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc | Washington, DC | $64.7M | 166 |
| 3 | Navigation Charitable Fund | Berkeley, CA | $35.1M | 9 |
| 4 | American Chemical Society | Washington, DC | $22.4M | 341 |
| 5 | Battelle Memorial Institute | Columbus, OH | $17.9M | 151 |
| 6 | Ninetwelve Institute Inc | Zionsville, IN | $15.2M | 139 |
| 7 | Sustainable Manufacturing Innovation Alliance Corp | West Henrietta, NY | $11.2M | 27 |
| 8 | Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute | Pittsburgh, PA | $11.2M | 32 |
| 9 | Probalistic Computing Foundation Inc | Cambridge, MA | $10.8M | 5 |
| 10 | New Jersey Innovation Institute Inc | Newark, NJ | $10.0M | 25 |
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.
Where these funders are based
- California 55 · $147.1M
- Massachusetts 24 · $24.4M
- New York 24 · $16.6M
- District of Columbia 23 · $93.3M
- Virginia 22 · $6.6M
- Pennsylvania 16 · $18.8M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing 97 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Climateworks Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$533.1M
Grants
140
Total Given
$96.3M
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$146.6M
Grants
166
Total Given
$64.7M
Navigation Charitable Fund
Berkeley, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
9
Total Given
$35.1M
American Chemical Society
Washington, DC
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
341
Total Given
$22.4M
Battelle Memorial Institute
Columbus, OH
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
151
Total Given
$17.9M
Ninetwelve Institute Inc
Zionsville, IN
Assets
$26.1M
Grants
139
Total Given
$15.2M
Sustainable Manufacturing Innovation Alliance Corp
West Henrietta, NY
Assets
$8.0M
Grants
27
Total Given
$11.2M
Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$11.3M
Grants
32
Total Given
$11.2M
Probalistic Computing Foundation Inc
Cambridge, MA
Assets
$20.8M
Grants
5
Total Given
$10.8M
New Jersey Innovation Institute Inc
Newark, NJ
Assets
$60.7M
Grants
25
Total Given
$10.0M
OpenAI Foundation fka OpenAI Inc
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$14.7M
Grants
22
Total Given
$7.6M
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$625.7M
Grants
28
Total Given
$6.4M
Future of Life Institute
Narberth, PA
Assets
$6.3M
Grants
12
Total Given
$6.3M
Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc
Falmouth, MA
Assets
$56.0M
Grants
25
Total Given
$5.7M
The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence
Seattle, WA
Assets
$138.9M
Grants
8
Total Given
$5.5M
Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation
Herndon, VA
Assets
$92.5M
Grants
62
Total Given
$5.3M
Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems
Portsmouth, NH
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
17
Total Given
$5.3M
Center For the Advancement of Science In Space Inc
Merritt Island, FL
Assets
$5.2M
Grants
49
Total Given
$5.0M
Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc
Cambridge, MA
Assets
$900.9M
Grants
15
Total Given
$4.6M
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
25
Total Given
$4.4M
South Carolina Research Authority
Columbia, SC
Assets
$101.5M
Grants
47
Total Given
$3.5M
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Durham, NC
Assets
$42.2M
Grants
24
Total Given
$3.0M
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole, MA
Assets
$246.5M
Grants
23
Total Given
$3.0M
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Washington, DC
Assets
$166.3M
Grants
52
Total Given
$2.7M
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 science & technology foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Climateworks Foundation ($96.3M across 140 grants), Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc ($64.7M) and Navigation Charitable Fund ($35.1M). Together the top 10 account for 73% of the $403.0M given by the 97 grantmakers focused on science & technology 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 $38K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $101K 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 (55), Massachusetts (24) and New York (24). 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.