Social Science Foundations & Grantmakers
117 grantmakers focused on social science reported grants on their latest 990s. The 29 that made at least 5 grants gave $138.4M. The largest by giving are RSF Social Finance Inc, The Aspen Institute Inc and Imagine North Carolina First. 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
117
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$138.4M
from the 29 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$48K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$100K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RSF Social Finance Inc | San Francisco, CA | $48.2M | 457 |
| 2 | The Aspen Institute Inc | Washington, DC | $25.6M | 173 |
| 3 | Imagine North Carolina First | Raleigh, NC | $16.9M | 31 |
| 4 | American Federation for Aging Research Inc | New York, NY | $12.8M | 57 |
| 5 | The Urban Institute | Washington, DC | $10.0M | 111 |
| 6 | The Narbha Institute Inc | Flagstaff, AZ | $7.2M | 55 |
| 7 | Mercatus Center Inc | Arlington, VA | $2.9M | 50 |
| 8 | Senior Connections Inc | Worcester, MA | $2.5M | 21 |
| 9 | The Berens Foundation | Glenview, IL | $2.2M | 9 |
| 10 | Population Connection | Washington, DC | $2.0M | 16 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Where these funders are based
- California 17 · $48.9M
- New York 16 · $13.2M
- District of Columbia 15 · $41.4M
- Pennsylvania 7 · —
- Massachusetts 6 · $2.7M
- Florida 6 · —
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing 29 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
RSF Social Finance Inc
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$108.4M
Grants
457
Total Given
$48.2M
The Aspen Institute Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$756.6M
Grants
173
Total Given
$25.6M
Imagine North Carolina First
Raleigh, NC
Assets
$864K
Grants
31
Total Given
$16.9M
American Federation for Aging Research Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$48.4M
Grants
57
Total Given
$12.8M
The Urban Institute
Washington, DC
Assets
$311.6M
Grants
111
Total Given
$10.0M
The Narbha Institute Inc
Flagstaff, AZ
Assets
$73.1M
Grants
55
Total Given
$7.2M
Mercatus Center Inc
Arlington, VA
Assets
$43.5M
Grants
50
Total Given
$2.9M
Senior Connections Inc
Worcester, MA
Assets
$2.8M
Grants
21
Total Given
$2.5M
The Berens Foundation
Glenview, IL
Assets
$86.4M
Grants
9
Total Given
$2.2M
Population Connection
Washington, DC
Assets
$40.1M
Grants
16
Total Given
$2.0M
Innovations for Poverty Action a Nonprofit Corporation
Washington, DC
Assets
$33.4M
Grants
32
Total Given
$1.8M
The Brookings Institution
Washington, DC
Assets
$571.8M
Grants
21
Total Given
$1.4M
Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation
Houston, TX
Assets
$14.1M
Grants
8
Total Given
$1.4M
California Changelawyers
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$4.5M
Grants
24
Total Given
$692K
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$21.1M
Grants
15
Total Given
$639K
International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics
Tucson, AZ
Assets
—
Grants
8
Total Given
$394K
Fahmeeda & Atique Foundation
Little Rock, AR
Assets
$71K
Grants
10
Total Given
$304K
Leadership Legacy Life Foundation
Dover, DE
Assets
$2.9M
Grants
7
Total Given
$290K
James P Geiss
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$5.5M
Grants
18
Total Given
$260K
Black Economic Council of Massachusetts Inc
Roxbury Crossing, MA
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
20
Total Given
$205K
Coalition of Communities of Color
Portland, OR
Assets
$8.2M
Grants
9
Total Given
$199K
Council for Economic Education
New York, NY
Assets
$3.5M
Grants
11
Total Given
$189K
Universal Enlightenment Forum Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$2.1M
Grants
6
Total Given
$184K
The Society for the Study of Evolution
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$6.7M
Grants
7
Total Given
$160K
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 social science foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are RSF Social Finance Inc ($48.2M across 457 grants), The Aspen Institute Inc ($25.6M) and Imagine North Carolina First ($16.9M). Together the top 10 account for 94% of the $138.4M given by the 29 grantmakers focused on social science 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 $48K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $100K 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 (17), New York (16) and District of Columbia (15). 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.