[cs_content][cs_element_section _id=”1″ ][cs_element_row _id=”2″ ][cs_element_column _id=”3″ ][cs_element_gap _id=”4″ ][cs_element_headline _id=”5″ ][cs_content_seo]21 Ways to Fund a Nonprofit
Information for Private and Family Foundations Accepting Contribution Requests\n\nSubheadline space\n\n[/cs_content_seo][/cs_element_column][/cs_element_row][cs_element_row _id=”6″ ][/cs_element_row][cs_element_row _id=”7″ ][cs_element_column _id=”8″ ][cs_element_image _id=”9″ ][cs_element_gap _id=”10″ ][/cs_element_column][/cs_element_row][cs_element_row _id=”11″ ][cs_element_column _id=”12″ ][cs_element_text _id=”13″ ][cs_content_seo]Top foundations giving $1 million or more annually
The below list of foundations have been known to accept unsolicited grant/donation requests as of January 1, 2019. Be sure to check each foundation’s website for current request guidelines as this information is subject to change at anytime without notice.\n\n[/cs_content_seo][cs_element_gap _id=”14″ ][cs_element_accordion _id=”15″ ][cs_element_accordion_item _id=”16″ ][cs_content_seo]Private Foundations by Contributions Given\n\nPrivate foundations are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public entities that use their own funds or funds from a small donor base to support charitable causes. There are many types of private foundations including corporate, independent, and grant-making foundations. This list is made up of a various foundation types which have been selected based on their annual contribution amount and their willingness to accept unsolicited grant requests.
Foundation Name
City
State
990-PF Year
Total Assets
Charitable Giving
Ford Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$13,709,189,477
$556,032,905
Lilly Endowment Inc.
Indianapolis
IN
2017
$15,079,716,377
$451,527,026
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Battle Creek
MI
2017
$412,181,797
$342,983,784
Wells Fargo Foundation
San Francisco
CA
2018
$26,352,887
$314,784,071
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$6,855,615,466
$302,078,167
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Charlotte
NC
2017
$10,495,307
$162,446,844
Wal-Mart Foundation
Bentonville
AR
2017
$62,659,442
$151,362,130
Kresge Foundation
Troy
MI
2017
$3,951,731,079
$147,796,065
Duke Endowment
Charlotte
NC
2017
$2,682,038,711
$132,411,105
John Templeton Foundation
West Conshohocken
PA
2017
$3,440,948,540
$128,709,712
Coca-Cola Company Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$396,418,049
$98,392,981
Charles Koch Foundation
Wichita
KS
2017
$685,006,688
$88,776,579
James Irvine Foundation
San Francisco
CA
2017
$2,371,094,583
$87,377,604
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$1,874,496,418
$84,437,306
Colorado Health Foundation
Denver
CO
2017
$2,619,475,033
$80,139,883
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Kansas City
MO
2017
$2,430,928,764
$74,463,759
Houston Endowment
Houston
TX
2017
$1,364,353,629
$66,817,537
Heinz Endowments
Pittsburgh
PA
2017
$1,183,360,970
$57,153,700
Windgate Charitable Foundation
Little Rock
AR
2016
$581,719,652
$54,775,344
PNC Foundation
Pittsburgh
PA
2018
$178,431,659
$52,968,182
Ahmanson Foundation
Beverly Hills
CA
2016
$1,207,638,028
$52,899,938
Anschutz Foundation
Denver
CO
2016
$1,234,717,156
$51,854,012
Koch Foundation, Inc.
Gainesville
FL
2017
$86,878,775
$51,472,328
M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver
WA
2017
$1,193,676,004
$50,342,276
Lumina Foundation for Education
Indianapolis
IN
2017
$1,270,789,945
$46,040,104
Albertsons Foundation
Boise
ID
2017
$33,988,661
$44,429,202
Marisla Foundation
Laguna Beach
CA
2017
$40,729,551
$41,941,775
Otto Bremer Trust
St.Paul
MN
2018
$1,187,411,494
$41,795,040
Publix Super Market Charities
Lakeland
FL
2017
$276,357,395
$40,273,888
Metlife Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$159,281,848
$39,886,380
Fidelity Foundation
Salem
NH
2017
$980,830,060
$39,404,139
F.M. Kirby Foundation
Morrisown
NJ
2017
$378,424,352
$39,250,500
Longwood Foundation
Wilmington
DE
2017
$715,121,774
$39,073,752
Meyer Memorial Trust
Portland
OR
2017
$790,090,705
$35,854,817
California Wellness Foundation
Los Angeles
CA
2017
$1,006,120,644
$34,615,572
Pinkerton Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$689,134,144
$33,971,577
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte
NC
2017
$20,314,484
$33,635,027
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
St. Louis
MO
2016
$330,053,463
$33,133,960
Weingart Foundation
Los Angeles
CA
2017
$802,302,244
$30,029,147
Arcus Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$209,802,125
$28,347,803
Caterpillar Foundation
Peoria
IL
2018
$49,288,099
$27,411,700
James M Cox Foundation of GA Inc
Atlanta
GA
2017
$468,204,676
$24,713,190
Comcast NBCuniversal Foundation
Philadelphia
PA
2017
$8,535,060
$21,664,195
Dow Chemical Company Foundation
Midland
MI
2017
$40,722,775
$21,568,863
Inasmuch Foundation
Oklahoma City
OK
2017
$379,062,706
$19,952,076
Shell Oil Foundation
Houston
TX
2017
$18,582,808
$18,468,106
SunTrust Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$285,525,048
$16,955,136
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation
Phoenix
AZ
2017
$2,893,374
$16,272,303
State Street Foundation
Boston
MA
2016
$8,600,245
$15,772,517
Northrop Grumman Foundation
Falls Church
VA
2017
$19,203,647
$15,644,915
DTE Energy Foundation
Detroit
MI
2017
$152,291,838
$15,397,171
Anthem Foundation
Indianapolis
IN
2017
$122,566,243
$13,733,296
American Electric Power Foundation
Columbus
OH
2018
$91,607,786
$12,719,479
Kroger Co Foundation
Cincinnati
OH
2017
$117,932,870
$12,567,518
Deloitte Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$26,069,627
$12,420,137
Cisco Systems Foundation
San Jose
CA
2017
$205,884,265
$12,417,327
State Farm Companies Foundation
Bloomington
IL
2017
$45,823,469
$12,314,420
Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation
Chicago
IL
2017
$1,391,901,639
$12,221,288
Humana Foundation
Louisville
KY
2017
$249,531,744
$11,591,429
Motorola Solutions Foundation
Chicago
IL
2017
$8,001,587
$10,914,181
Fifth Third Union Trust CO Foundation
Cincinnati
OH
2017
$26,691,267
$9,629,525
T. Rowe Price Foundation
Baltimore
MD
2017
$74,088,374
$9,377,205
Eaton Charitable Fund
Brooklyn
OH
2017
$1,471,083
$9,361,229
Georgia Power Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$159,918,463
$8,631,537
Southern Company
Atlanta
GA
2017
$71,649,392
$7,433,127
Compass Bank Foundation
Houston
TX
2017
$2,318,342
$7,045,971
Aegon Transamerica Foundation
Cedar Rapids
IA
2017
$154,268,366
$7,041,598
Ecolab Foundation
St. Paul
MN
2017
$10,637,248
$6,988,767
Air Products Foundation
Allentown
PA
2017
$91,273,534
$6,884,552
CarMax Foundation
Richmond
VA
2017
$8,021,063
$6,540,986
Merancas Foundation
Charlotte
NC
2018
$33,578,280
$6,104,000
Oak Foundation USA
Portland
ME
2017
$60,658,161
$6,078,670
Clorox Company Foundation
Oakland
CA
2017
$1,144,740
$5,824,192
Halliburton Foundation
Houston
TX
2017
$11,248,138
$5,818,446
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
Boston
MA
2017
$104,098,864
$5,668,135
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
Lynn
MA
2018
$104,098,864
$5,668,135
Burton D Morgan Foundation Inc
Hudson
OH
2017
$116,284,739
$5,156,819
Voya Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$2,637,423
$4,886,735
Georgia-Pacific Foundation
Camas
WA
2017
$25,000
$4,550,296
Baxter Foundation
Deerfield
IL
2017
$78,160,856
$4,149,552
International Paper Foundation
Memphis
TN
2017
$66,809,179
$4,144,302
Mosaic Company Foundation
Plymouth
MN
2017
$2,343,145
$2,890,064
BrickStreet Foundation
Charleston
WV
2017
$43,317,288
$2,880,917
Tegna Foundation
Tysons
VA
2017
$3,896,079
$2,780,154
Kohler Foundation
Kohler
WI
2017
$55,595,427
$2,779,029
H&R Block Foundation
Kansas City
MO
2017
$63,648,132
$2,703,918
WestRock Foundation
Norcross
GA
2018
$12,397,810
$2,469,318
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust
Winston-Salem
NC
2017
$13,392,967
$2,346,000
Express Scripts Foundation
St. Louis
MO
2017
$19,763,407
$2,297,955
In-N-Out Burgers Foundation
Irvine
CA
2017
$32,540,212
$2,284,500
Eastman Foundation
Kingsport
TN
2017
$2,676,644
$2,154,280
PacifiCorp Foundation
Portland
OR
2017
$50,561,306
$2,093,613
Mustard Seed Foundation, Inc.
Falls Church
VA
2018
$441,105
$1,943,634
Majestic Realty Foundation
City of Industry
CA
2017
$558,278
$1,642,403
A.O. Smith Corporation
Milwaukee
WI
2018
$6,001,416
$1,560,546
AEC Trust
Willmington
DE
2017
$37,493,916
$1,448,413
Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation
Ridgefield
CT
2018
$77,526,591
$1,447,491
Hallmark Cards Foundation
Kansas City
MO
2017
$262,392
$1,405,381
Kinder Morgan Foundation
Houston
TX
2018
$6,845,716
$1,353,772
American Honda Foundation
Torrance
CA
2017
$32,171,599
$1,208,043
First Nonprofit Foundation
Hummelstown
PA
2017
$4,187,036
$1,200,042
GSF Foundation
Irvine
CA
2017
$12,493,638
$1,194,370
AstraZeneca Healthcare Foundation
Wilmington
DE
2018
$6,127,547
$1,176,759
Avery Dennison Foundation
Glendale
CA
2017
$27,826,828
$1,130,248
American Water Charitable Foundation
Camden
NJ
2017
$23,867,154
$1,023,699
The source for this information is www.irs.gov, guidestar.org, and each foundation’s public website, respectively. This information was accessed between January 1, 2019 and August 30, 2019.\n\n[/cs_content_seo][cs_element_accordion_item _id=”17″ ][cs_content_seo]Family Foundations by Contributions Given\n\nThe term “Family” foundation is not a term recognized by the IRS and there is no IRS definition for it. The nonprofit sector uses the term “family” foundation in a descriptive way because two-thirds of private foundations are formed, controlled, and funded using private family assets. This list is made up of foundations that were formed as family foundations. Over time, a family foundation may transition into a private foundation governed by a diverse board. Some of the foundations on this list have made that transition; however, the majority of the foundations listed here are still considered “Family Foundations”.
These foundations were selected based on their annual contribution amount and their willingness to accept unsolicited grant requests.
Foundation Name
City
State
990-PF Filing Year
Total Assets
Charitable Contributions
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Seattle
WA
2017
$51,830,224,097
$4,415,204,265
Walton Family Foundation
Bentonville
AR
2017
$3,651,954,185
$490,674,838
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park
CA
2017
$9,888,877,234
$431,219,377
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton
NJ
2017
$11,399,649,815
$418,469,294
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Los Altos
CA
2017
$7,850,230,455
$335,249,144
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Chicago
IL
2017
$6,999,766,070
$255,597,682
Carnegie Corporation of New York
New York
NY
2017
$3,581,604,875
$159,033,581
Robert W. Woodruff Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$653,534,918
$149,765,015
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Flint
MI
2017
$3,098,258,647
$123,519,474
William Penn Foundation
Philadelphia
PA
2017
$2,589,456,614
$112,911,385
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
Tulsa
OK
2017
$2,113,431,833
$106,065,282
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Miami
FL
2017
$2,325,815,386
$104,030,191
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
Owens Mills
MD
2016
$1,908,695,656
$94,527,288
Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2018
$1,530,189,362
$91,778,344
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
Austin
TX
2017
$1,831,518,540
$89,650,845
Annenberg Foundation
Conshohocken
PA
2017
$1,609,958,544
$85,610,590
Moody Foundation
Galveston
TX
2017
$855,208,148
$76,658,511
Houston Endowment
Houston
TX
2017
$1,364,353,629
$66,817,537
Jack, Joseph, & Morton Mandel Foundation
Cleveland
OH
2017
$1,628,473,410
$52,538,154
Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
Milwaukee
WI
2017
$913,084,548
$48,190,369
Henry Luce Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$889,025,360
$39,552,527
Joyce Foundation
Chicago
IL
2017
$1,062,106,276
$36,440,380
Goizueta Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2107
$469,208,375
$32,382,603
Skoll Foundation
Palo Alto
CA
2017
$618,798,067
$31,155,850
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
New York
NY
2017
$1,213,633,061
$30,706,826
Ford Family Foundation
Roseburg
OR
2017
$935,604,462
$29,725,631
Sobrato Family Foundation
Mountainview
CA
2017
$288,142,117
$29,153,336
Amon G. Carter Foundation
Fort Worth
TX
2017
$404,097,783
$27,700,536
Rasmuson Foundation
Anchorage
AK
2017
$711,676,707
$26,495,042
Gates Family Foundation
Denver
CO
2018
$459,776,527
$20,628,758
Mathile Family Foundation
Dayton
OH
2016
$240,484,050
$20,600,332
Timken Foundation of Canton
Canton
OH
2017
$65,687,958
$13,483,594
Hearst Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$357,347,333
$12,370,000
Segal Family Foundation
Warren
NJ
2017
$124,944,785
$12,052,860
Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation
Royal Oak
MI
2017
$299,168,241
$11,922,567
Sara Giles More Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$40,359,330
$11,657,700
Abraham J. and Phyllis Katz Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$57,269,870
$7,869,385
Adolf Coors Foundation
Denver
Co
2017
$194,216,804
$7,476,583
Semnani Family Foundation
Salt Lake City
UT
2017
$85,966,347
$4,381,338
Russell Sage Foundation
New York
NY
2017
$347,230,046
$4,054,244
Winthrop Rockerfeller Foundation
Little Rock
AR
2017
$141,195,708
$3,956,791
Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust
Laredo
TX
2017
$66,557,056
$3,709,000
Henry T. Nicholas III Foundation
Aliso Viejo
CA
2017
$33,039,267
$3,273,199
John and Polly Sparks Foundation
Pennington
NJ
2017
$62,824,206
$3,228,050
Scaife Family Foundation
Pittsburgh
PA
2017
$72,571,452
$2,904,000
Anschutz Family Foundation
Denver
CO
2017
$33,009,511
$2,466,500
Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation
Washington
DC
2017
$60,526,018
$1,918,730
McLaughlin Family Foundation
Oklahoma City
OK
2018
$32,904,949
$1,545,570
Chatlos Foundation
New York
NY
2018
$54,055,096
$1,521,600
Jesse Parker Williams Foundation
Atlanta
GA
2017
$31,682,252
$1,201,500
The source for this information is www.irs.gov, guidestar.org, and each foundation’s public website, respectively. This information was accessed between January 1, 2019 and August 30, 2019.\n\n[/cs_content_seo][/cs_element_accordion][cs_element_gap _id=”18″ ][/cs_element_column][/cs_element_row][/cs_element_section][/cs_content]