Laura and John Arnold Foundation
The Laura and John Arnold Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2008 and granted charitable status in October 2009. Based in Houston, Texas, the foundation operates under the name Arnold Ventures and focuses on tackling pressing problems in the United States through philanthropy dedicated to sustainable change built on research, evidence, and deep thinking.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.8B
+10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$193.3M
+18.6% YoY
Grant Count
789
+22.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$245K
-3.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Laura and John Arnold Foundation reported a distributable amount of $216.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's core objective is to improve the lives of individuals by strengthening social, governmental, and economic systems. The organization drives public conversation, crafts policy, and inspires action through education and advocacy.
Primary funding areas include:
- Criminal Justice — Advancing community safety and the values of fairness, effectiveness, and racial justice through criminal justice assistance
- Health Care — Improving health care delivery, lowering costs, and reducing disparities in access
- Evidence-Based Policy — Increasing the effectiveness of social spending through rigorous evidence about what works
- Education — Supporting efforts to improve the quality of public education
Grantmaking
The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. The foundation operates on a preselected basis only.
Grant Range
$123,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides funding nationally throughout the United States, with particular grant-making focus in the District of Columbia, California, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $4,766,058,262
- Total Revenue: $486,369,598
- Total Expenses: $211,620,745
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $4,309,915,225
- Total Revenue: $746,871,791
- Total Expenses: $181,000,000
As of Fiscal Year 2023 (Alternative Source):
- Total Assets: $4,310,000,000
- Total Revenue: $687,000,000
- Total Expenses: $181,000,000
The foundation is ranked in the top 1% of U.S. foundations by assets (Rank #34 of 159,550).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,766,058,262 | $4,309,915,225 | $3,533,120,981 |
| Revenue | $486,369,598 | $687,258,876 | $766,581,426 |
| Expenses | $211,620,745 | $180,760,181 | $201,894,608 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $213,131,001 | $194,217,508 | $199,203,277 |
| Net Investment Income | $322,697,015 | $237,041,900 | $151,164,229 |
| Distributable Amount | $216,412,952 | $188,752,224 | $150,927,560 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Laura and John Arnold Foundation
Arnold Ventures: Strengthening Evidence - Support for RCTs to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies RFP
LAURA AND JOHN ARNOLD FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arnold Ventures: Building Evidence - Support for QEDs to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies
LAURA AND JOHN ARNOLD FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Causal Research on the Impacts of Cell Phone Policies in K-12 Schools Grant
LAURA AND JOHN ARNOLD FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Accelerate - the National Collaborative for Accelerated Learning ($3,322,000), American University ($1,091,090), Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 97 PERCENT ORG INC LOS ANGELES, CA | TO CONDUCT A SURVEY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS, CONCERNS, AND SENTIMENTS OF GUN OWNERS. | $10,000 |
| ACADEMYHEALTH WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT ACADEMY HEALTH'S ANNUAL RESEARCH MEETING. | $10,000 |
| ACCELERATE - THE NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE FOR ACCELERATED LEARNING NASHVILLE, TN | TO SUPPORT GRANTEE'S STATES LEADING RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM. | $3,322,000 |
| ACTUS POLICY RESEARCH LLC OLNEY, MD | TO CONDUCT A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IMPACT STUDY OF THE COLORADO REEMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM. | $193,514 |
| ADVANCING STATES INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO TWO STATES FOCUSED ON SHIFTING CARE DELIVERY FROM INSTITUTIONS TO THE HOME OR COMMUNITY. | $171,712 |
| AETION INC NEW YORK, NY | TO EXPLORE HOW BROADENING THE PATIENT POPULATION OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS CAN IMPACT ONCOLOGY TREATMENTS' EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY. | $297,500 |
| AH DATALYTICS NEW ORLEANS, LA | TO BUILD AND DEVELOP THE REAL-TIME CRIME INDEX ("RTCI"), AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR REGULARLY COLLECTING DATA FROM HUNDREDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND CREATING A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DATASET AND ACCOMPANYING VISUALIZATIONS, WITH THE OVERALL GOAL OF ALLOWING INTERESTED RESEARCHERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO VIEW CRIME DATA AND UNDERSTAND CRIME TRENDS IN AS CLOSE TO REAL-TIME AS POSSIBLE. | $802,165 |
| ALABAMA APPLESEED CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE INC MONTGOMERY, AL | TO PROVIDE A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF A PILOT INTERVENTION DESIGNED TO INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH ORDERS TO PAY FINES AND FEES, AND ELIMINATE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN DEBT ACCUMULATION. | $81,431 |
| ALABAMA APPLESEED CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE INC MONTGOMERY, AL | TO SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $44,000 |
| ALLIANCE CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | TO SUPPORT STATE POLICIES FOR CONTRACEPTIVE ACCESS VIA MEDICAID EXPANSION, PHARMACIST PRESCRIPTIONS, AND OPTIONS FOR STRONGER MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION STANDARDS. | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Co-Founders and Co-Chairs:
- Laura Arnold — Co-founder and Co-chair; attorney and former oil company executive
- John Arnold — Co-founder and Co-chair; investor
Executive Leadership:
- Kelli Rhee — President & CEO
- Roxanne Almaraz — Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary
- Elizabeth Banks — Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
- Kirby Smith — Chief Strategy Officer
- Charlie Anderson — Executive Vice President for Infrastructure
- DJ Carella — Executive Vice President of Communications
- Chris Chen — Executive Vice President of Mission-Aligned Investments
- Jennifer Doleac — Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice
- Holly Harris — Executive Vice President of Advocacy
- Mark E. Miller — Executive Vice President of Health Care
- Justin Milner — Executive Vice President of Evidence and Evaluation
- Jennifer Nelsen — Executive Vice President of Partnerships & People
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN D ARNOLD | DIRECTOR/CO-CHAIR | 15 | — |
| LAURA E ARNOLD | DIRECTOR/CO-CHAIR | 15 | — |
| ROXANNE ALMARAZ | SECRETARY | 15 | — |
| ELIZABETH BANKS | TREASURER | 15 | — |
| KELLI RHEE | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT & CEO | 15 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced criminal justice research grants in the fourth quarter of 2025 demonstrating its commitment to rigorously testing public safety interventions. The foundation has also launched the Texas Policy Lab and announced funding for a first-of-its-kind addiction treatment rating system. Laura and John Arnold were named among the top 50 donors in the United States.
Grants Announcement: Arnold Ventures Criminal\u2026 | Arnold VenturesSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Laura and John Arnold Foundation fund?
The foundation's core objective is to improve the lives of individuals by strengthening social, governmental, and economic systems. The organization drives public conversation, crafts policy, and inspires action through education and advocacy. Primary funding areas include: • **Criminal Justice** — Advancing community safety and the values of fairness, effectiveness, and racial justice through criminal justice assistance • **Health Care** — Improving health care delivery, lowering costs, and re…
How do I apply for a grant from Laura and John Arnold Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $305 to $12,500,000 • Median grant size: $123,000 • Total grants made: 789 (as of most recent filing) **Application Process:** The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. The foundation operates on a preselected basis only. **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation maintains active grant opportunities including: • Arnold Ventures: Building Evidence — Support for QEDs to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies • Causal …
Where does Laura and John Arnold Foundation make grants?
The foundation provides funding nationally throughout the United States, with particular grant-making focus in the District of Columbia, California, and New York.
What size grants does Laura and John Arnold Foundation award?
In 2024, Laura and John Arnold Foundation awarded 789 grants totaling $193.3M — an average of about $245K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Laura and John Arnold Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Laura and John Arnold Foundation reported a distributable amount of $216.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Laura and John Arnold Foundation's EIN?
Laura and John Arnold Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3241764. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Laura and John Arnold Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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