The Kavli Foundation
The Kavli Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2000 by Fred Kavli, a Norwegian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist. Based in Los Angeles, California, the foundation is dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity through strategic grantmaking, scientific recognition, and public engagement with scientific research.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$604.1M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$17.4M
-5.9% YoY
Grant Count
107
-10.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$163K
+5.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Kavli Foundation's mission is to stimulate basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics; strengthen the relationship between science and society; and honor scientific discoveries with The Kavli Prize.
The foundation organizes its funding around four primary fields:
- Astrophysics
- Nanoscience
- Neuroscience
- Science and Society
The foundation's approach focuses on identifying potentially transformative ideas and catalyzing opportunities to create lasting impact for science and humanity.
Grantmaking
The Kavli Foundation makes grants across its four primary funding areas. Recent grant examples include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds primarily in California, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $604,090,789
- Total Revenues: $31,441,928
- Total Expenses: $41,925,144
- Total Giving: $17,416,683
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $596,000,000
- Total Revenues: $8,280,000
- Total Expenses: $37,500,000
The foundation maintains 38 employees and is classified as a non-operating foundation.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $604,090,789 | $595,602,528 | $588,327,587 |
| Revenue | $31,441,928 | $8,283,789 | $27,226,049 |
| Expenses | $41,925,144 | $37,453,293 | $25,451,459 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $31,365,605 | $30,633,153 | $62,628,330 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,676,048 | $2,753,445 | $22,166,838 |
| Distributable Amount | $27,649,892 | $27,637,328 | $28,286,297 |
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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Dr. Cynthia M. Friend, Ph.D. - President
Fred Kavli - Founder (Norwegian-American entrepreneur who established the foundation in 2000)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROCKELL N HANKIN | CHAIRMAN | 3 | $140,855 |
| DOUGLAS K FREEMAN | SECRETARY | 3 | $47,395 |
| HENRY YANG | DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
| RICHARD MESERVE | DIRECTOR | 3 | $42,274 |
| MARY SUE COLEMAN | DIRECTOR | 3 | $35,000 |
| GUNNAR NILSEN | DIRECTOR | 3 | $106,500 |
| SHIRLEY MALCOLM | DIRECTOR | 3 | $35,000 |
| EMILY ANN CARTER | DIRECTOR | 3 | $40,700 |
| CYNTHIA FRIEND | PRESIDENT | 40 | $792,250 |
| ALICE GALSTIAN | CFO/VP OF FINANCE | 40 | $338,224 |
| MARK CHANCELLOR | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $218,336 |
| PAULINE POOMPAN | CONTROLLER | 40 | $207,920 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several recent initiatives:
Kavli and NSF announced new grant awards to advance scientific research
Kavli and NSF Announce New Grant Awards to Advance\u2026Kavli and NSF funded Neurobiology in Changing Ecosystems research
Kavli and NSF Fund Neurobiology in Changing\u2026 | Kavli Foundation2025 NeuroData Discovery Grant awards announced
Kavli and NSF Announce New Grant Awards to Advance\u2026Philanthropic partnerships funding next-generation instruments for mid-level research facilities
Philanthropic partnerships fund next-generation instruments for mid ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kavli Foundation fund?
The Kavli Foundation's mission is to stimulate basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics; strengthen the relationship between science and society; and honor scientific discoveries with The Kavli Prize. The foundation organizes its funding around four primary fields: • **Astrophysics** • **Nanoscience** • **Neuroscience** • **Science and Society** The foundation's approach focuses on identifying potentially transformative ideas and catalyzing opportunitie…
How do I apply for a grant from The Kavli Foundation?
The Kavli Foundation makes grants across its four primary funding areas. Recent grant examples include: • William Marsh Rice University: Kavli Exploration Award - Carbon Nanotubes 2023 ($632,500) • National Academy of Sciences: Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposia ($600,000) Typical award amounts range from $1,189 to $9,000,000. The foundation offers competitive grant mechanisms including: • **Kavli Institute Collaboration Kickstarter (KICK) Grants**: Competitive grants ranging from $10,000 to $…
Where does The Kavli Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds primarily in California, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New York.
What size grants does The Kavli Foundation award?
In 2024, The Kavli Foundation awarded 107 grants totaling $17.4M — an average of about $163K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Kavli Foundation's EIN?
The Kavli Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0560142. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kavli Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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