STEM Education Foundations & Grantmakers
1,375 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 481 that made at least 5 grants gave $6.5B. The largest by giving are The Ford Foundation, Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation and Sandler 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
1,375
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$6.5B
from the 481 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$46K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$182K
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 | Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $403.0M | 920 |
| 3 | Sandler Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $353.6M | 41 |
| 4 | The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Los Altos, CA | $350.0M | 1,029 |
| 5 | Good Ventures Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $306.7M | 565 |
| 6 | Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $235.4M | 53 |
| 7 | The Rockefeller Foundation | New York, NY | $233.2M | 381 |
| 8 | Novo Foundation | Hurley, NY | $214.1M | 508 |
| 9 | Crankstart Foundation | San Jose, CA | $201.3M | 435 |
| 10 | American Heart Association Inc | Dallas, TX | $198.2M | 833 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Most common focus areas
- Science & Technology 327 · 55%
- Social Science 106 · 18%
- Education 54 · 9%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 24 · 4%
- Environment & Animals 19 · 3%
- Medical Research 12 · 2%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (50% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- California 211 · $2.5B
- New York 134 · $1.6B
- District of Columbia 76 · $190.2M
- Massachusetts 70 · $202.1M
- Pennsylvania 67 · $360.3M
- Virginia 67 · $95.5M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 481 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
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
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$8.5B
Grants
1,029
Total Given
$350.0M
Good Ventures Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$10.1B
Grants
565
Total Given
$306.7M
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$7.5B
Grants
53
Total Given
$235.4M
The Rockefeller Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$6.4B
Grants
381
Total Given
$233.2M
Novo Foundation
Hurley, NY
Assets
$937.8M
Grants
508
Total Given
$214.1M
Crankstart Foundation
San Jose, CA
Assets
$4.4B
Grants
435
Total Given
$201.3M
American Heart Association Inc
Dallas, TX
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
833
Total Given
$198.2M
UPMC Group
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$14.5B
Grants
395
Total Given
$189.8M
O'Donnell Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$195.1M
Grants
33
Total Given
$187.4M
The Heising-Simons Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$810.5M
Grants
671
Total Given
$149.6M
John Templeton Foundation
West Conshohocken, PA
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
426
Total Given
$134.4M
M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver, WA
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
797
Total Given
$116.6M
Climateworks Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$533.1M
Grants
140
Total Given
$96.3M
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seatle, WA
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
139
Total Given
$88.2M
Wm Keck Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
260
Total Given
$69.7M
The Patrick J McGovern Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
165
Total Given
$66.2M
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$146.6M
Grants
166
Total Given
$64.7M
Public Interest Registry
Reston, VA
Assets
$71.4M
Grants
10
Total Given
$61.2M
Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$299.4M
Grants
26
Total Given
$54.8M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
The Henry Luce Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
652
Total Given
$49.3M
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), Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation ($403.0M) and Sandler Foundation ($353.6M). Together the top 10 account for 52% of the $6.5B given by the 481 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 $46K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $182K 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 (211), New York (134) and District of Columbia (76). 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.