Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research is a public charity based in Washington, DC. Formed in 2014, it connects funders, researchers, and farmers through public-private partnerships to support research addressing major food and agriculture challenges.
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research at a glance
In short: Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research gave $25.7M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $918K), top state North Carolina. 54% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $25,700,536
- -74.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- -45.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $917,876
- -53.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $449,966
- Total assets
- $295,166,746
- -21.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 54% first-time grantees (15 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (15% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
- How to Apply
-
Review the foundation’s open opportunities and applicant resources. The foundation’s process includes concept development, application submission and review, and approval before projects are awarded.
- Contact
Mailing address: 401 9Th Street Nw 730, Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 624-0700
Website: https://foundationfar.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
13 open opportunities from Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Dairy Health, Efficiency & Resource Dynamics Initiative Grant
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Efficient Fertilizer Consortium RFA Grant
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Amount
US $250,000 - US $500,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
FFAR Fellows: Stipend + Professional Development Category Grant
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Amount
Up to US $148,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was North Carolina State University ($3.7M). Together the top 10 received $19.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
214 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 58 grants of 214 (27%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Washington, DC. Its 2024 grants went to recipients in multiple states; the largest shares of grant dollars went to North Carolina (15%), Kansas (12%), Wisconsin (10%), Massachusetts (10%), and California (9%). The FFAR Fellows program described on the foundation’s website serves PhD students in the United States and Canada.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research open to new grantees?
54%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 28 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $663K; repeat grants $1.2M. How we count
Medians: $450K first-time, $670K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $25.7M (2024) to $100.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $25.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC | Research | $3,746,812 |
| University of Wisconsin Madison Madison, WI | Research | $2,500,000 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Research | $2,500,000 |
| Kansas State University Manhattan, KS | Research | $2,223,474 |
| Swine Health Information Center Ames, IA | Research | $2,000,000 |
| Texas A&M Agrilife Research College Station, TX | Research | $1,709,281 |
| Agricultural Research Service (Usda) Beltsville, MD | Research | $1,500,000 |
| University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources Davis, CA | Research | $1,344,764 |
| Two Blades Foundation Evanston, IL | Research | $1,000,000 |
| University of Kansas Lawrence, KS | Research | $881,526 |
Ready to take the next step with Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants; it reported 51 in 2023 and 47 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $295,166,746 | $49,062,378 | $46,485,429 | $25,700,536 | 28 | $14,313,759 |
| 2023 | $375,647,579 | $132,259,089 | $161,268,338 | $100,233,384 | 51 | $5,506,197 |
| 2022 | $348,883,479 | $103,276,406 | $56,841,081 | $39,180,031 | 47 | $7,821,406 |
| 2021 | $432,866,762 | $105,784,809 | $56,114,569 | $46,832,192 | 41 | $7,992,174 |
| 2020 | $447,012,723 | $95,255,616 | $50,852,353 | $31,155,413 | 47 | $7,704,013 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to connect funders, researchers, and farmers through public-private partnerships to support audacious research addressing the biggest food and agriculture challenges.
Its stated program areas include cultivating thriving production systems, sustaining vibrant agroecosystems, and bolstering healthy food systems. The foundation describes these programs as supporting research on affordable, nutritious food; challenges faced by farmers and ranchers; connections among soil, water, and the environment; and information and technologies for producing nutritious food.
The 2024 grants show support for research at universities, research organizations, nonprofits, and other institutions. Examples include the Rich Earth Institute, which says its work advances the use of human waste as agricultural fertilizer, and the Nature Conservancy, which says its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges says it promotes excellence in academic veterinary medicine.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $25,700,536. Grants ranged from $37,500 to $3,746,812, with a median of $449,966. The largest awards included $3,746,812 to North Carolina State University for research, $2,500,000 each to the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for research, and $2,223,474 to Kansas State University for research. Other sizable awards included $2,000,000 to the Swine Health Information Center and $1,709,281 to Texas A&M AgriLife Research, both for research.
The foundation’s website lists open opportunities and recently awarded grants. Listed opportunities include the New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award and a G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists site-host request for proposals. It also describes the FFAR Fellows program, which offers professional development and leadership training to PhD students in food and agriculture sciences in the United States and Canada. The program summary says participating students receive a combined annual stipend and requires at least 50% sponsorship from non-academic sources.
The website describes a funding and approval process that moves through concept development and clearance, program approval, application notification and submission, application review, executive director approval, and project awards. Applicant resources include FAQs on matching funds, research ideas, requests for applications, the grant management portal, and budgets.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing are Dr. Mark Keenum, chairman; Dr. Douglas Buhler, vice chairman; Dr. Chris Mallett, treasurer; and Danita Rodibaugh, secretary. Board members listed are Dr. Alton Thompson, Ben Noble, Dr. Carolyn Lawrence-Dill, Hon. Dan Glickman, David Donnan, and Joe Del Bosque.
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research is led by Saharah Moon Chapotin, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 9 of 30 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Saharah Moon Chapotin
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$163K (2022) → $481K (2024)
Mark Keenum
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Reich
Scientific Program Director
Scientific Program Director → Scientifc Program Director, 2022
Scientifc Program Director → Scientific Program Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$179K (2021) → $221K (2024)
Lakisha Odom
Scientific Program Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$177K (2021) → $227K (2024)
Sarah Goldberg
Director of Communications & Legislative Affairs
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$193K (2022) → $206K (2024)
Jonna Davis
Operations & Impact Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$231K (2024)
Magda Galindo
Director of Grants Management
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$205K (2024)
Sergio Furman
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$219K (2020) → $151K (2024)
Angela Records
Chief Scientific Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$284K (2024)
Katherine Ayers
Chief Financial & Operations Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$273K (2024)
Alton Thompson
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Noble
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Mallett
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Glickman
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Danita Rodibaugh
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael R. Ladisch
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Creamer
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pam Marrone
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kysta Harden
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Donnan
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denise Heard
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald Nkrumah
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Venkata Kishore
Board Member
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Lawrence-Dill
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Del Bosque
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Bridgeforth
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Polly Ruhland
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Buhler
Vice Chairman
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Cameron
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stanley Prusiner
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (29)
- Former: Chavonda Jacobs-Young (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Doug Buhler (2020–2023) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Doug Cameron (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Julia Reynes (2020–2023) — COO
- Former: Stanley Pruisner (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Thomas J. Vilsack (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Dionne Toombs (2022–2023) — Former Director
- Former: Simon Malcomber (2022–2023) — Former Director
- Former: Manjit Misra (2023) — Director
- Former: Simon Liu (2023) — Director
- Former: Susan Marqusee (2023) — Director
- Former: Joanne Tornow (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: John Lumpkin (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Kashyap Choksi (2020–2022) — Director of Scienific Partnerships
- Former: Kathyrn Boor (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Sarah J. Rockey (2020–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Terry McElwain (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Caroyln Lawrence-Dill (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jeffery Rosichan (2022) — Consortia Director
- Former: Carrie Castille (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Debby Delmer (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Rosichan (2020–2021) — Consortium Director
- Former: Lucyna Kurtyka (2020–2021) — Scientific Program Director
- Former: Sonny Perdue (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Hubert Hamer (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Bob Stallman (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Rashada Alexander (2020) — Director of Impact & Operations
- Former: Scott Hutchins (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Tim Kurt (2020) — Scientific Program Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $481K, to Dr Saharah Moon Chapotin (Executive Director). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
How much does Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research give each year?
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research gave $25.7M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $100.2M across 51 grants.
What is Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's typical grant size?
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's median grant in 2024 was $449,966, and its average grant was $917,876, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research that year got $663K on average.
Where does Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research give grants?
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's top state is North Carolina, with 15% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Kansas (12%) and Wisconsin (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Davis, CA (2 grants).
Does Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research" (28 grants).
Who are Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's largest grantees?
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's largest 2024 grantees include North Carolina State University ($3,746,812), University of Wisconsin Madison ($2,500,000) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($2,500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research?
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research reported $295.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $49.1M.
What does Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to connect funders, researchers, and farmers through public-private partnerships to support audacious research addressing the biggest food and agriculture challenges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research?
Review the foundation’s open opportunities and applicant resources. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's EIN?
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1559027. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funds
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Johns Hopkins University funds a broad range of education, research, health, and community-related work, with 2025 grants ranging from $5,500 to nearly $95 million and a median of $100,000; many of the largest awards were sub-awards. Its grants went to organizations across the U.S., with the largest shares in California and Maryland, and the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$25.3B
Grants
813
Total Given
$594.1M
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
The Columbus Foundation supports a broad range of nonprofit work, including arts, education, health, basic needs, neighborhoods, and capacity building, primarily in central Ohio. Its 2024 grants had a median of $21,471, though amounts varied widely. Most grants are directed by donors and aren’t made through an application process, but some specific programs accept applications.
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
Tulsa Community Foundation
Tulsa, OK
Tulsa Community Foundation supports charitable causes through donor-advised grants and selected funds, including scholarships, emergency assistance, disaster relief, arts and humanities, healthcare, and financial literacy, primarily in the Tulsa metro area and eastern Oklahoma, with some giving elsewhere in the United States. Its 2024 median grant was $18,560; selected field-of-interest funds have application cycles, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,066
Total Given
$158.6M
American Chemical Society
Washington, DC
The American Chemical Society funds chemistry research, education, scholarships, fellowships, student activities, and related projects through programs for researchers, institutions, educators, students, and ACS groups. In 2024, grants ranged from $5,200 to $504,691, with a median of $31,252; funding supports U.S. and international research, though some programs are limited to U.S.-based applicants. The profile does not state whether ACS accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
341
Total Given
$22.4M
American Heart Association Inc
Dallas, TX
The American Heart Association funds basic, clinical, behavioral, translational and population research on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health, along with research training and education programs. In 2025 it awarded 833 grants totaling about $198 million; amounts ranged from $5,000 to nearly $9.93 million, with a median of $20,000. Research awards are for eligible U.S.-based nonprofit institutions, and the profile describes a formal proposal process but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
833
Total Given
$198.2M
Alfred P Sloan Foundation
New York, NY
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation primarily funds original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economics, with grants across the United States. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to about $1.48 million, with a median of about $98,000. It accepts unsolicited requests year-round through program-specific processes, beginning with a Letter of Inquiry.
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
522
Total Given
$89.0M
More similar funders
More Funders in District of Columbia
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-food-and-agriculture-research-morg_5215fb2f17a44663b2b0fe7fbd7d53c8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_471559027_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-food-and-agriculture-research-morg_5215fb2f17a44663b2b0fe7fbd7d53c8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research down — hundreds of funders to go?